Newmarket 15 – 0 Peterborough

These well-matched teams continued from where they left off in 3 encounters last season with another closely contested and thoroughly watchable game. Traditionally Newmarket have been slow starters but this year pre-season training seems to have paid off as they put in a ferocious performance and maintained a high tempo right to the end of the game.
The basis for the win was laid by the Newmarket forwards who dominated their opponents and frequently stole Peterborough ball from scrums and lineouts. This gave the backs early opportunities to run at the opposition and it was a quick tap from a penalty that allowed new recruit, Tom Chandler, playing at scrum half, to run half the length of the pitch and score in the corner for a 5 point lead at half-time.

This was only one of a number of champagne moments that made the match sparkle. Particularly notable were the strong tackling and running of Iain Moffat; Ashley Reid at fullback gathering a dangerous bouncing ball at full speed in order to clear the danger from the advancing Peterborough attack; the terrier-like determination of Anton Phillips as he somehow wrestled and wriggled his way forward out of rucks; and the equally good defensive qualities of Peterborough as they repeatedly held up Newmarket players who had crossed their try line.

In the second half Newmarket’s superior fitness began to pay dividends and they benefited from a rising penalty count. From one infringement Dan Bristow took the short ball ten metres out and a simple pass inside allowed man of the match, Joe Stafford, to score left of the posts and double the lead.

It wasn’t until the last couple of minutes that Newmarket’s territorial advantage was turned into further points. The ball went along the backs to Toby Colletta who ignored the pleas of his team mates to pass as he took on the entire Peterborough defence to go to ground two metres in front of the posts. As the ball came out of the ruck Ethan Brown popped up with it to dive over for the second time in the match. This time he was able to get the ball down and score.

A great start to the season for Newmarket, marred only by an injury to Jack Watson who played with a fractured bone in his leg for the last quarter of the match and will now be out for up to six weeks.

Trip to Twickenham

The U15s had a very enjoyable trip to Twickenham on 4th September to see the double header that opened the new Premiership season.

Traffic problems meant that we only arrived in time for the second half of the match between London Irish and Saracens. In the second match, Wasps versus Harlequins, the crowd was distracted from the play for at least 5 minutes as Mexican wave after wave rippled round and round the stadium. The air was thick with the cardboard beer holders as they were spun into space from the upper tiers.

Chris contemplates breaking something later

While waiting for the homeward traffic to thin, Chris Stafford showed the boys how it was done with a flat out tackle on a bush. When the pints of anaesthetic had worn off he discovered that he had broken his arm. First injury of the season to the parents.

Many thanks to Louise Buckle for making all the arrangements for a great day out. 

More photos here

Sunday 25th April: 3rd Place in the County Cup

Match report to follow

Sunday 18th April: Training and Barbecue

Excellent barbecue after training. Thanks to Harry and Louise for the organisation, including the fantastic weather.

The head coach was the subject of a number of 'thank you's from the team.

Newmarket 27 - 0 Peterborough

It was third time lucky for Newmarket as they gained revenge, in some style, for two narrow defeats by Peterborough earlier in the season.

The writing was on the wall for the away team from the kick off. Newmarket recovered the ball from their own drop out, forced a penalty and Aiden Cooper crashed over with fewer than two minutes on the clock.

 The home team were so dominant that the only times that Peterborough crossed the halfway line in the first half were when they re-started after a score. Those incursions were only brief and with Newmarket quick to the breakdown and disrupting opposition ball it was only a few minutes before they were back in front of the away side's posts. This time a Peterborough clearing kick was gathered by Jack Watson and his pass out of the tackle allowed Iain Moffat to score from outside centre.

Cooper soon had his second try as the home side won a scrum against the head. Chris Le picked up at No. 8 and drove for the line before slipping the ball to the scorer who evaded several tackles to touchdown. This time Joe Stafford correctly judged the swirling wind to land the first of his two conversions and give Newmarket a 17 point lead at half-time.

The second half started no better for Peterborough. Their kick off was gathered by Dan Bristow and the second row sprinted the length of the field to score under the posts. However, they responded well and had their best passage of play. Newmarket found themselves pinned in their own half as a number of handling mistakes resulted from their commitment to an expansive running game. But, with the exception of a powerful run by the Peterborough full-back, Newmarket never looked in serious danger of conceding points.

They stretched their advantage as Bristow snaffled a Peterborough throw and again outpaced the defence, this time from the halfway line, to secure his second try and the man of the match award.