Old Brodleans U13s Vs Oldham U13s

A tough game against an excellent side with good strength in depth. The gusting wind, with blustery squalls and a pitch resembling a goat pasture on the side of the Matterhorn, prevented Oldham from playing the smart kicking game that yielded such good attacking ball for them last week.

Oldham were unprepared for the initial assault, Old Brodleans came charging out of the gate at full pelt and immediately put the boys on the back foot. The furious assault lead to Oldham being 2 tries down before they knew it.

Understandably panic rugby ensued, Oldham bunched, desperately trying to pin back the forward press leaving the unprotected wings open to exploitation.

Around the scrum Oldham were strong, winning back 90% of their ball, they faced a pack of at least equal mass if not bigger and so the push was not as effective as they might’ve expected before the game.

Plenty of niggle on the field left most players bleeding and bruised, tempers frayed in the second half and a few handbags were thrown. For the most part Oldham players handled themselves well and did not step outside of the spirit of the game.

Special mentions to Declan for his best performance to date, involved everywhere and committing to tackles with gusto. Henry also tackled brilliantly, involved himself in pods and was instrumental in the scrum.

Kainan was sharp as always winning some great turnover ball and giving respite to his team.
Man of the Match goes to Adam Nealon for his tireless commitment and work rate, Adam proved a stable rock that Oldham could rally around with his cool head and straight running.

Despite the score and in the face of serious provocation, Oldham committed to the game the whole way through the match. Most could hardly stand after the game, having used up every ounce of effort they had in them. They did not turn against one another and, when tempers frayed, were there to stand shoulder to shoulder with their teammates.

A hard lesson but a well learned one. If they can weather this storm they can weather anything the the season may throw at them.

Full Time Score: Old Brodleans 13 – 0 Oldham

Match Day Squad:
1. George Clegg
2. Justin Lawrence
3. Henry Alexander
4. Tom Fereday
5. Adam Nealon
6. Lukas Forsythe
7. Lewis Ward
8. Luke Flowers
9. Kainan Murray
10. Joel Harrison
11. Devon Hawkins
12. Corey Kelly
13. Declan Brennan
14. Ben Wilson
15. Oliver Piggott
16. Scott Dawson
17. Gareth Dawson