Sunday 23rd March: No fixture or training

Week off for Easter.

Next training session Tuesday 25th March at 18.45

Next match Sunday 30th March at home to Bury St Edmunds. Kick off 10.30am

Match result: Ely 5 - Newmarket 50

Playing 10-a-side on a small pitch, Ely’s first kick was caught by Lewis Heap. Heap passed to Aiden Cooper, Cooper to Oliver Green, Green back to Heap and in the blink of an eye the first try was scored. In horrible wet, muddy conditions and a howling wind Newmarket chose this match to start playing adventurous running rugby – and how well it worked. Within a few minutes of the re-start Heap was over again for his second try, this time following good runs by Dylan Allan and Thomas Locke. Newmarket were in a ruthless mood and when Daniel Downing was bundled into touch 5 metres from Ely’s line, Joe Stafford was on hand to steal the ball from the lineout and stretch the lead. Ely had no answer to the determination of the Newmarket forwards and good work by Liam John, Ben Jeacock and Oliver Sanusi-Bartlett allowed Chris Le to steal the ball at the ruck and crash through the Ely defence for his first try of the day.

For the second period Newmarket changed their entire team, but it made little difference to the balance of the match. Following an over-long drop out, Ely were pushed off the ball at their own scrum on half-way and Nathan Buckle picked up the ball and evaded the defence to score. In the deteriorating conditions play became a little scrappy with both sides making handling errors and infringing at the rucks. But again Newmarket pushed Ely off their own ball and this time Ethan Brown was on hand to pick up the points. However, Ely had the last word, scoring in the corner following a tap penalty.

In the final period Newmarket scored a further four tries. Three came from long-range runs by the forwards. First Jeacock proved unstoppable from a tap penalty, then Daniel Bristow ran in from the half-way line, before Le got his second of the day. Long passes from Anton Philips at scrum half set up a couple of good runs by Iain Moffat who made good ground. However, the backs had the last word. Gwilym Davies picked the ball off his toes on the half-way line and passed out to Stafford who swerved his way over to score Newmarket’s tenth try.

Dan Downing and Jack Watson were named joint men of the match for bone-crunching, try-saving tackles.

Sunday 16th March: Fixture at Ely (A)

U12s are away at Ely this Sunday. Please be at ground by 10am for 10.30 start.

Directions on Ely's website. Click here

Match Reports v West Norfolk 09.03.08

Match 1: Newmarket U12s 14 - West Norfolk U12s 21

West Norfolk travelled to Newmarket undefeated so far this season and with memories of a very heavy win last season. After the first half of the first match it seemed unlikely that their record would be in danger. Following the first of many lost lineouts Newmarket also conceded the first scrum and, with the defence missing, West Norfolk strolled over for their first try.

From the re-start Newmarket gathered the ball and strong runs by Chris Le and Nathan Buckle, well supported by Josh Quinn, suggested that they should be able to at least compete with the opposition. However, following an exchange of kicks, West Norfolk stole the ball on Newmarket’s throw and their scrum half exploited gaps in the disorganised defence to sneak over from the base of the ruck.

Indiscipline by West Norfolk then gave Newmarket a number of set pieces but they found it difficult to retain the ball. A long kick was gathered just short of his own line by fullback Gwilym Davies, but with limited support he was driven backwards and forced to touch down behind the try line. From the 5 metre scrum West Norfolk made good use of the blindside to power over for their third try.

The half-time team talk had a salutary effect on Newmarket. Early in the second half it seemed as if the two teams had swapped shirts. West Norfolk passed the ball out from a ruck close to their line only for Joe Stafford to put in a terrific tackle that allowed Lewis Heap to pick up the loose ball and immediately reduce the arrears.

No sooner had West Norfolk re-started than Aiden Cooper gathered the ball and broke several tackles to get over the half way line. The ball was quickly recycled to the backs and Stafford went over for the second try of the half.

However, despite solid defence from the whole team, including excellent tackling by Henry Smith, Oliver Sanusi Bartlett, and Dan Downing, and good runs from Thomas Locke and Iain Moffat, Newmarket couldn’t quite find the cutting edge to get the third score and level the match.

Match 2: Newmarket U12s 14 - West Norfolk U12s 21

The second match between the two sides produced an identical scoreline. Once again West Norfolk quickly took a two try lead but, following a strong drive by Dylan Allan from a tap penalty, Daniel Bristow kept his body low to get over the line and cut their lead. In the second half it looked as though West Norfolk had been shaken by their inability to pull away from Newmarket. Strong tackling by Ben Jeacock and Jack Watson kept them on the back foot and a rare poor pass from the opposition fly half was snapped up by man of the match Stafford who proved unstoppable from 30 metres out. Oliver Green added the points with his fourth successful conversion.

The match was now very evenly balanced and West Norfolk must have been worrying about their unbeaten record. However, they controlled the ball well through a series of scrums to take the lead once again. For the last 5 minutes Newmarket threw everything at the opposition, with great runs by Bristow and Ethan Brown who was held up over the line. The final clearing kick was caught well by Davies in his own half, but his jinking run, and the match, ended twenty metres from West Norfolk’s line.

Sunday 23rd March: No fixture or training

A week off for Easter.

Next training session: Tuesday 25th March at 6.45pm

Next match: at home to Bury St Edmunds Sunday 30th March - Kick off 10.30am

Sunday 9th March: Fixture v West Norfolk (H)

We are playing West Norfolk at home on Sunday. Please be at pitchside for 10am.


Gareth

Match reports v Ipswich: Sunday 2nd March

Game 1: Ipswich U12s 26 – Newmarket U12s 7

A slightly depleted Newmarket side found themselves facing one of the tallest, strongest teams that they have come up against this season. Conceding two tries early in the game and a further two after twenty minutes, it looked as though Newmarket were looking at a very heavy defeat. There were glimpses of what might be possible with backs Joe Stafford and Gwilym Davies making significant breaks and the forwards working their socks off to gain possession but as they went in at half-time Newmarket must have feared the worst. However, the U12s have been the proverbial come-back kids this season and this match proved no different.

In the second half Newmarket not only kept Ipswich at bay but took the game to them. The forwards were magnificent. An injury to Liam John meant a re-shuffle with Stafford moving from the backs, but they continued to drive forward, giving scrum-half Lewis Heap ample opportunities to try and catch Ipswich out with blind-side breaks. While the forwards did the hard grind the backs snuffed out the Ipswich attacks. Jack Watson, in particular, led the way with a crunching tackle on his opposite number and was well-supported by Henry Smith, while Thomas Locke, at full-back, safely gathered anything kicked his way.

Finally Newmarket got their reward. Joseph Garrod, playing his first game, had come on as a replacement. Receiving the ball after yet another scrum-half dart, he showed great promise in jinking past several Ipswich players to touch down in the corner. Oliver Green converted the try.

The game was lost but Newmarket had demonstrated great character and the forwards - Ben Jeacock, Ethan Brown, Nathan Buckle, Chris Le, Daniel Bristow, Joe Stafford and Liam John – were named joint men of the match.

Game 2: Ipswich U12s 7 – Newmarket U12s 7

Newmarket carried forward their second-half performance into the shorter second game. Though they again found themselves 7 points down from an early try, the whole team ran themselves into the ground and again largely dominated the second-half, helped by some Ipswich indiscipline. This time the forwards all combined to drive over the line, with Stafford emerging from the bottom of the ruck to claim the try, again converted by Green.