Morley U14's battle hard for tough win

Whilst the score line suggests a more one sided affair, Morley during the course of this game kicked the ball dead on several occasions, kicked the ball to the opposition from behind their own line several times, Huddersfield kicked the ball too far, beyond the dead ball area several times, all these stats show, whilst Morley may have defended well and desperately at times, it wasn't one way traffic by any stretch of the imagination.

Both teams tested each other from the off, Morley piling into the rucks, Huddersfield more controlled about how many in the ruck. However it was quick ball to the backs along the line that allowed Morley to go in at the corner for a well worked try five minutes into the game. This sparked Huddersfield into another gear and soon they were using a very effective kicking game which turned Morley around. With very good support from the kicks Morley found themselves needing to retreat constantly, quickly and in numbers. Huddersfield played for territory looking for the mistake or steal and 50% of the time this worked, giving Huddersfield the confidence that resulted in them repeatedly doing this.
Morley tried very hard to contain this and with some sterling defensive efforts managed to contain the attacks, and occasionally breaking the approaching defence turning the play into an attack for themselves. Huddersfield tackled well and rucked well, however with Morley pressing they gave away a few penalties and in turn territory. This Put Morley within striking distance and with some good ball play Morley were able to send a forward through from 10 meters out. Huddersfield again kept to their game plan and Morley were now getting used to this began containing the opposition and soon had another try. It appeared that Morley were sitting back then getting Huddersfield with the sucker punches. Credit to Huddersfield, they were strong in the scrum and mixed up running with the ball and kicking, and with some clever play noticed the fullback out of position and kicked deep. Morley scrambled back, however were soon getting outnumbered and with Huddersfield getting into shape quicker than Morley put together offload and charges one after another quickly. Morley cleared the dangerous ball over the line, but giving away the scrum. Huddersfield won the scrum and went on the blind, brilliant defending prevented the try but the pressure was still on and Morley just couldn't quite cope and Huddersfield got the well deserved try.
In the second half both team got drawn into a forwards game, despite being on the biggest pitch available, this suited Huddersfield the most and whilst Morley coped with it, Huddersfield coped with Morley's forwards. It was a ding dong battle with Morley were constantly hemmed in their own 20, desperately kicking balls dead or scrambling across field, or Huddersfield wasting opportunities. Morley saved their best three tries for the second half and these put the knife into a resilient Huddersfield team.
Morley having a scrum on their own 20 yard line, won the scrum and went on the blind, with the flanker breaking off to join the attack. Quick hands, perfect timing on drawing the defender before offloading from the scrum half and flanker allowed the winger to take the ball at speed and beat the fullback then outpace the remaining players to score in the corner.
Morley again pinned in their own 20, with every player on the pitch in that area, the ball bobbled along the floor under the Morley posts to be picked up by the fullback. Just seeing a mass of bodies in front of him, he set off diagonally at a jog, then as the first defender approached accelerated and began passing players. Moving toward the touch line defenders moved across to close him down, with the fly half closing him down a sudden change in pace stopped the fly half in his stride only the for the full back to accelerate and fend off the tackle. Playing on the first team pitch, passing the stand with all the crown encouraging defenders as well as the fullback, he accelerated to full speed to try and beat the last two defenders only to look up into the stand to acknowledge some of the crowd shouting his name, whilst just outpacing the sliding defence, proceeding to score under the post, exactly the opposite place from where he had started.
The third try and possibly the best starting from a Morley scrum on their own 5 meter line, the last play of the game had been given and 5 tries up, they could have just kicked it dead! Morley won the scrum, kicked it along the touch area so the fullback/winger had to retrieve it, Huddersfield ran it, Morley fought hard in the rucks and stole the ball back. The ball was run up the middle, each tackle was rucked hard with the possession retained, then some quick hands to the backs and more ground gained. The captain repeatedly giving orders to keep the ball, not to let it be ripped, not to go near touch, pick and go after pick and go, offload after offload, the ball went to the left, back to the right, Huddersfield were desperately tackling, thwarting each attack. Morley were now only 10 meters from the line, there were phase after phase, more rally cries for the team, more instructions, the clock was well passed the end of the game. Morley wanted blood and everyone must have touched that ball from when it left the scrum, it was now or never and after being held up just before the line several times, it was fired wide. However the best forward of the day was waiting in the centres and put his head down from 10 yards out and typically of this last play crashed through players and over the line with several players still attached to him to score a well worked and deserved try.

It was an excellent intense full blooded game both teams played at a very high pace, credit to both teams for a good game.