Toc H U14s v Ashton-on-Mersey U14s

Didsbury Toc H U14s v Aston-on-Mersey RUFC U14s

Final Score: 32 – 28 (HT: 22 – 14)

Our second home game of the season on another glorious October sunny day and our first win at home against a very committed AOM side. Only a score in it at the end and AOM were always a threat with their pace (more to follow)!

For a second week we lined up with 16 and we started for the first time with a fit front row but uncontested scrums today and our 80’s Keegan style shorts, but a welcome return for Max C who was quickly into action after his lay off. We also tried quite a few positional changes in this friendly, getting some of our wingers into the midfield to get some more ball, a scrum half switch and had a few changes in the pack.

From the kick off Max C got an early bit of ball to blow off any cobwebs and took play to AOM, the ball was quickly fed along the line and Ben M spotting a gap in the AOM 22 tried to cut in for a score but was well snagged. From the pressure and a scrum the ball was fed to Alfie N (starting this week on the left wing), heading for the corner he slipped a pass to Sam M who nearly drove over, but the resulting penalty was quickly tapped and fed to Max C to crash through for Didsbury’s first score under the posts, safely converted by LBP.

The restart went straight to Nathan K who ran it hard offloading to Mikey C who broke wide, but we infringed and AOM cleared their lines with a long clearance. The lineout was an interesting move as AOM called a 13 man lineout! The resulting 13 man maul was something to behold as it trundled almost inexorably to the line and Toc H tried well to stem it, as the second shove came we quickly got bodies at the back and held it up for a 5 yard scrum. From this attacking position AOM fed along the line and their speedster Curtis M finished it well, converted to give AOM the lead.

Toc H were back in attacking mode from the restart, OJ taking it into the AOM 22 feeding to Max C who juggled at pace, if the ball had been held that would have been a try. From a scrum 5 yards out in front of the posts, Toc H turned what seemed a great attacking position into a somewhat comical series of knocks backs, scrambled attempts to gather and the ball finding its way back to the half way line! Not the slick handling we’d hope to see, on another day….

We continued to pressure with OJ, feeding LBP and Sam M but there was some very strong shuddering tackling from AOM, notably stopping Arran M on a charge and also LBP. AOM were putting together some good attacking play and on 17 mins their flyer Curtis M outstripped LBP, OJ and Max C to score under the posts, obviously pace to burn and well used and a warning for Toc H!

Everyone was getting involved so the plan to switch positions was working, Sam W putting in a good tackle on their BL as we continued to pressure in the AOM half. Dan X fed to Ben M who moved it wide with LBP coming at speed on the angle passed to Andrew H who fed on to OJ to go over for Didsbury’s second try on 20 mins, unconverted from out wide.

Not long after there was an excellent move from Toc H, the ball came to Sam M in the line who straightened and quickly passed to Sam B who fed a long miss pass to Alfie N out wide drawing the defence and then a quick pass to OJ to sail down the wing for our third try on 22 mins. That’s the sort of rugby we want, forwards and backs involved, good hands, quick and inventive passing to get the ball rapidly down the line.

There was also jinking play from Sam W our hooker to follow and we might have got another as Alfie N again had a chance to release out wide, waiting to delay the pass as long as possible, but this time couldn’t get it away. From a passage of play with Sam W feeding to Sam M and Max C we built pressure, as we lost possession and AOM attacked Sam M put in a really solid tackle, he had the AOM player in the air but safely put him down, though he should have gone George North in my view! Adjudged an infringement AOM cleared their lines for a line out and last play, though far from thinking of clearing to touch Toc H ran it down the line through the hands of the FLs, LBP and Max C in midfield with OJ to finish it with pace.

HT 22 – 14

JM came on for LBP

There followed what might be the best tackle we see at Didsbury, certainly a contender for tackle of the season and roundly applauded by the home crowd. As Toc H got the ball out wide to OJ motoring down the wing their Curtis M came flying across and seriously nailed OJ into touch, not an easy feat! Not content with that from the lineout the same AOM player outstripped 4 players out wide to score, leaving Mikey C and other not so slow lads in his wake, Nathan never giving up and running cross field to the corner but arriving a touch late as he rounded to score a converted try under the posts.

Toc H came back with good play, Nathan K had a good run, Sam B jackled a good steal and we attacked up the blindside only to be taken into touch.

Our next attacking opportunity involved another quick feed from the scrum along the line only for the Ref (or rather Sir) to scupper our play, knocking on and landing on his backside with the slightest of contact! He’d have you believe it’s because he’d left his boots at home and was reffing in hockey trainers, but I’ll leave you to take a view on that! Shoddy unprofessionalism in any event not turning up in the correct kit, and to top it off he lost his pen in the commotion so needed to borrow my pencil thereafter. You wouldn’t see this with Jim let alone Barnsey!

From the resulting scrum we scored again with OJ going over after 9 mins, but not without making it hard for ourselves heading back into heavy traffic as seems to be a regular problem. Conversion was difficult and missed.

Toc H were competing well, Dan X took the ball well into contact and we soon had another as OJ ripped the ball from the floor in the middle of the field and went straight through unchallenged to score beneath the post for another unconverted try. He’d done his bit and OJ was subbed off with LBP returning.

One thing we seem not to grasp is getting close support on the ball carrier, Nathan K put in another strong run with the usual 3 players hanging off him, but there was nobody hitting the maul to support him and being held up we lost some good attacking possession. From the resulting scrum put in AOM broke down the blindside, and a second contender for tackle of the season as Mikey C brought down their BL for a try saving tackle. After some good defensive play we won a penalty under our posts. Max C had a kick to touch but a slice to rival my best efforts on the golf course meant we had a 5 yard lineout to defend, we weren’t on it and their scrum half Louis F picked and went over from short range, with an excellent conversion to follow.

FT 32-28

Thanks to AOM (players, coaches and parents) for a great game, a real test for Toc H and a good fair contest.

There was lots of good play from Toc H and we’re happy with the win; some of those who don’t see as much ball today had a good amount to work with. We don’t normally hand out a MOTM and on try count that would be OJ, but whilst OJ did have a good day finishing off great team play, on balance Mikey C would win it for that tackle!

In terms of areas to work on we still were running laterally at times, running back into traffic when shipping it wide would be the better choice and we’re just not making those aggressive hits that were certainly evident today from AOM and last week from Aldwinians. We play an expansive game but we must track the ball carrier and whilst we don’t over commit numbers at the breakdown, when called for we really need to hit the rucks and mauls with real intent, rather like that tackle on OJ!