Skipton U12’s v Keighley RUFC Under 12’s @ Skipton

Keighley Squad
Harvey Bird
Lennon Curr
Bobby Darbyshire
Alexander Feather
James Field
Harry Gould
Leon Hobson-Sheriff
Ethan Lawrie
Joss McArthur
Jack McHugh
Joseph Myers
George Nelson
Thomas Richardson
Jack Rodbourne
Freddie Seavers
Zachary Scott
Luis Spragg
Keir Welch
Aaron Wilson

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Having defeated Skipton at last weeks’ Baildon Festival, Keighley rightly went into this game with full confidence. However it also presented an opportunity to give their newer, less experienced players more game time. With a game Skipton squad, low on numbers, 2 of Keighley’s finest volunteered to make up the numbers for both sessions and credit to Jack Rodbourne, Freddie Seavers, Leon Hobson-Sheriff and Alex Feather must be given for their efforts in opposing Red, Black and White.

The shape of the 2 sessions to come was formed straight from the first Skipton kick-off when Leon Hobson-Sheriff took the low-flighted ball and powered through a mesmerised Skipton defensive wall to score. Ethan Lawrie making the conversion in front of the posts.
Skipton 0 – Keighley 7

The game then settled for a few minutes and Skipton showed steely determination led by their 2 Keighley “imports” Rodbourne and Seavers with competent back-up from Jordan van Beke, Matthew Lister and Lucas Watt started to build sound defence, only for Jack McHugh to pounce on a loose ball, then weave his way into the corner to add to Keighley’s tally. Lawrie again making the conversion.
Skipton 0 – Keighley 14

In the space of the next 2 minutes McHugh should have tripled his personal score but uncharacteristic sloppy handling saw 2 balls dropped over the try line. Skipton held firm in the scrums and at times drove Keighley back in the hotly contested rucks but Keighley again seized the initiative when Bobby Darbyshire playing at scrum half lifted the protected ball out and ghosted past a bemused Skipton defence to score his first points of the season. Lawrie added the 2 points again.
Skipton 0 – Keighley 21

With Keighley now firing on all cylinders and the ball being spun wide at every opportunity from the scrums, Keir Welch, James Field and Alex Feather swopped passes on the right only for Field to be bundled into touch just short. However Joss McArthur’s next lineout throw from the 5 metre line, knocked into play by McHugh gave McArthur the opportunity to breach the Skipton line once more to touch down under pressure in the corner. Another 2 points to Lawrie from the conversion.
Skipton 0 – Keighley 28

With the clock running down, Zac Scott, on for the injured Aaron Wilson at Full Back, blitzed the static Skipton defensive line once more to score in the left corner. Lawrie made it a perfect 5 for 5.
Skipton 0 – Keighley 35
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The second session saw Keighley change their game plan and further rotate their squad. With Luis Spragg on for debutant George Nelson at Hooker and with Harvey Bird and McArthur still bossing the scrums Joseph Myers dominant and back to his best in the Second Row and Tom Richardson busying himself on the left flank, Keighley continued where they left off in the first session; Harry Gould, Rodbourne, McArthur, Darbyshire and Lawrie all adding scores with 3 of the 5 tries converted and Keighley running out worthy winners.
Skipton 0 – Keighley 31
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Coaches Comments
We played the inclement conditions better than Skipton did today. Our backs ran very hard in the centre of the pitch playing good wide ball at times onto the wings. Our pack was too strong up front for them in both the scrum and in the loose. However they competed well in the lineout for most of the game but we always had an answer to their attacking play with some aggressive tackling. Overall a satisfying run-out for the squad in preparation for next weeks’ visit to Bradford & Bingley for the U12’s County Festival.
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Keighley Trophy Winners

Backs – Bobby Darbyshire.

Forwards – Joseph Myers.

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GMF / GM / NC – 29/10/12