Beccs U12s at Kent Finals day (hosted by Gravesend, 22/04/18)

Fantastic finish to the season, with 3rd place winners trophy in the "Salver/Tankard" section on Kent finals day.

A hugely satisfying way to end our first season of Junior rugby. Collecting a winners trophy for 3rd place, in the 4th tier (out of 5) of competition in the Salver/Tankard section on Kent finals day, jointly hosted at Gravesend & Old Gravesendians.

All games were 8mins each way, with 1min half time, played back to back, and as it turned out, no more than a 10min break between each, the same for all teams to be fair. Weather conditions, "scorchio" !

Pool game 1 v Folkestone - Lost 0-1 (0-5)
HT 0-0
Opening game produced a fantastic, very close and evenly matched competitive fixture played in good spirits. Some excellent running rugby from both sides, Folkestone taking the spoils with a try 2mins from time.

Pool game 2 v Cranbrook B - Lost 1-7 (5-35)
Try Cathal.
HT 1-3.
Ellis head injury by half time and no further action for the day. Hospital visit and ok.
Outplayed by Cranbrook in the second half.

Pool game 3 v Medway B - Won 4-3 (20-15)
Trys:
1-0 - Stuart 2mins
1-3 - Medway, 4, 6, 7mins
Ollie injury, subsequently found to be ligament damage in right ankle & on crutches. no further action for the day.
After a great start and taking the lead the first half was fairly evenly contested, Medway simply more clinical and in greater numbers at the breakdown.
HT 1-3, second bag of jelly babies devoured.
A fine second half collective effort, all positives during the team talk, the boys mounted a strong come back. Aided by the two Folkestone lads, another refusal to give up attitude and playing as a team stringing together some excellent rugby.
At 2-3 we thought it could be on, at 3-3 the comeback was in the balance, and in the dying embers of the game, right on the final whistle the comeback was ecstatically complete, so much so, that none of the parents at least can recall who scored (apologies boys we will find out!)
2-3 - Lewis 10mins (Lewis twisted knee, no further action for the day).
3-3 - Fraser 12mins
4-3 - Beccs ?? 16mins (try scorer please make yourself known!).

3rd place pool final v Beckenham B - Won 7-2 (35-10)
Oliver foot injury sat out first half, and meant we were down to 8 Beccs with 2 folkestone and 10-a-side.
The Derby. Having narrowly lost by one try to the same side at the den in early March, and several of the boys on either side attending Langley, the friendly rivalry was back for the next instalment. If past games were anything to go by, this was always going to be close, open, exciting and a nerve induced 16 mins for those on the sidelines, not to mention bragging rights until at least next season. This one was no different.
Trys
0-1 - Beckenham 2mins
1-1 - Stuart 3mins
1-2 - Beckenham 4mins
2-2 - Kingsley 5mins
3-2 - Fraser 8mins
HT 3-2
Oliver back on the pitch and back upto 11 a-side. 3rd bag of jelly babies utilised !
4-2 - Toby 8mins 20secs. From the 2nd half re-start, Toby caught the ball in our own in-goal area, and proceeded to evade everyone with a sublime break, running the full length of the pitch, ball in two hands, to sound the perfect start to the second half. A strong contender for solo try of the season.
5-2 - Stuart 11mins. Very strong contender for team try of the season, set scrum inside our own half. Josh hooks against the head, again; Leo pass out to Kingsley, who set the backline in motion going through all the available hands of Kingsley, Fraser, Toby, Cathal and a great off-load to Stuart who galloped down the wing to score in the corner, heaven !
6-2 - Kingsley 14mins.
7-2 - Fraser 16mins
Couldn't be more proud, an outstanding performance and just reward for the effort. Derby won with teamwork, commitment and heart, fantastic. Several celebratory light refreshments and ice-cream followed !

Thanks
Folkestone
The Folkestone coaches and players in particular, selflessly and most generously agreed for 2-3 of their boys to play for Beccs to help us make up the numbers, when we lost 3 due to injuries. This all the time whilst Folkestone were playing their own fixtures, and therefore the boys not with their own club mates, on one of the biggest days in the county calendar. A demonstration of quite fantastic sportsmanship, rugby values and ethos. They are all a credit to Folkestone Rugby Club, their coaches, and most importantly their parents and themselves.

Gravesend and Old Gravesendians for jointly hosting the day. We all know what a huge task and undertaking hosting a festival demands. To do it for the benefit of the entire county, with games from 9:30am to 4:30pm is beyond the call of duty. Doff of the cap to both clubs, and all countless volunteers, that made for a thoroughly enjoyable day. We thank you all.

Beccs U12s. Last but by no means least. Thank to all our fab parents, supporters and the boys. Tremendous character in adversity demonstrated by all the squad, again! Bare bones of 12 boys in the first instance, blisteringly hot conditions, team-mates picking up injuries, again! (which must be unsettling). They all got on with it and tried their best, one cannot ask for more than that. The trophy, regardless of its positioning, is an undoubtedly huge added bonus.

Squad: Oliver.B, Cathal, Kingsley, Leo, Fraser, Josh, Ellis, Ollie, Louie, Toby, Lewis, Stuart.

Overview
Oliver.B - goto low body positioning ball carrier, great direct and strong carrying all day.
Cathal - some fab offloads and handling skills, always made the right decision at the right time.
Kingsley - sidestepped practically every player, a dozen times in every game. Great workrate and accurate passing. Huge work rate.
Leo - good distribution from scrum half and encouragement to team-mates.
Fraser - if there were a blade of grass not covered by Rhino, it was stuck under my boots, huge work-rate.
Josh - We may have just found Josh's new avenue in life as a hooker, at least a dozen against the head, backed up by covering huge ground and strong running.
Ellis - really sharp and quick running in the first game, unfortunately curtailed by injury and subsequent hospital visit.
Ollie - always in the heart of the action, regardless of size, Ollie tackles them, unfortunately to his cost in the Cranbrook game.
Louie - another in the "zero regard for personal safety, i'll throw myself at them anyway" brigade, great tackling and linking play.
Toby - evasive running and finding gaps from nowhere, cracking solo try in the final.
Lewis - evasive running, good inter-linking play and an added yard of pace caused havoc all day.
Stuart - looked really hungry for the ball all day and strong running with some well earned trys just when they were needed.