City U15's 29 - 27 Novos U15's

On a superb Sunday morning and access to the Race Course pitch at City, a great game of rugby saw two evenly matched teams play some quality rugby and deservedly get 5 tries each, with just the woodwork preventing Novos from matching City point for point. If this was a league game then one team would have received two losing bonus points and the winner five, yet a 3 point split would probably have been reflected the game better, certainly to the neutral observer. Alas, I am not quite that impartial (as has often been suggested when I referee) so sneaking a 29-27 win left me happy.

Huge credit goes to both squads for always looking to play positive rugby and attack when ever they could while still trying to maintain solid defences and keep their shape - every try, for both sides, was hard fought and hard won and although some may have seemed 'easy breakaways' or simple 'hard carries' they were the result of hard work and graft and mostly after several phases of play. City always held the lead throughout the game but Novos kept coming back and after taking a 29-15 lead midway in the 2nd half seemed to ease off and Novos stepped up to return with two tries, one conversion and one post - leaving the score 29-27.

It is always a pleasure to welcome Novos to City and travel up to Sutherland Park and we look forward to many more future fixtures. Congratulations to the Novos team for winning the Northumberland U15's County cup - well deserved.

Mark Berriman
U15's Coach