Fixture - Sunday 2nd March: Ipswich (A)

U12s are playing away at Ipswich next Sunday. Directions on the Ipswich website Please be at the ground for 10am.

Please note there is a new fixture for Sunday 9th - at home to West Norfolk.

Adrian needs details of the shirts required for next season by March 5th at the latest. Could you please email the size that you estimate you will need to gareth@charollais.co.uk or select the size by using the voting buttons on the right.

Thanks to Sue Bristow and Penny Moffat for the photos of last Sunday's match against Saffron Walden.

Gareth

Match Results v Saffron Walden 24.2.08

Match 1: Newmarket 7 - 7 Saffron Walden

Match 2: Newmarket 0 - 0 Saffron Walden

The game was entirely dominated by the evenly-matched forwards on each side. Newmarket shaded the first and last quarters, with the honours going to Saffron Walden in the middle periods.

From the first kick off it looked as though Saffron Walden would struggle to contain the Newmarket forwards as they twice moved driving mauls virtually the full length of the pitch to within a few metres of the try line. Daniel Downing, in particular, regularly managed to get across the gain line with support from Oliver Sanusi-Bartlett and Nathan Buckle, but all the forwards could take credit for allowing Ethan Brown to touch down for a converted try. At the lineouts Daniel Bristow caught reliably to put Newmarket on the front foot. However, despite this early dominance there were to be no further scores.

After the turn around Saffron Walden took advantage of Newmarket’s failures in securing ball at their own scrums and lineouts. Their forwards ensured that the game was played in the opposition half and after stealing the ball again from a Newmarket lineout they drove over in the corner to score with the last action of the first match.

On the resumption for match two, the pattern was similar, with Saffron Walden dominating both possession and territory. However, they were unable to make a serious threat on the Newmarket line, largely because of some terrific defensive tackling around the fringes, especially by Buckle, Aiden Cooper, Josh Quinn and Ben Jeacock.

Again, the change of ends brought a change of fortune with Newmarket once more in the ascendancy and camped in the opposition’s half. But with opportunities to spread the ball wide not taken, even when they did cross the line from the inevitable forward drive, a further score was not to be had.

With the ball tied up in rucks and mauls for extended periods of the games, the backs on both sides had few opportunities to show what they could do, though their defensive work was solid throughout. Newmarket’s scrum-half, Lewis Heap, was particularly quick to close down any threats and was deservedly named Newmarket’s Man of the Match.

Fixture v Saffron Walden (H): Sunday 24th Feb

The home match against Saffron Walden is confirmed for Sunday. Please be at the ground at 10am.

Adie is arranging for new match shirts to be available for next season. Could you please come on Sunday with an idea of the shirt size you will need.

See you Sunday

Stowmarket 0 - 35 Newmarket

Newmarket completed the away leg of a season’s double over Stowmarket with a totally dominant performance. In contrast to recent matches Newmarket were quick off the blocks and from Stowmarket’s drop out the forwards gathered the ball and kept it alive through a series of mauls to get within 5 metres of the try line. From the subsequent lineout Daniel Bristow stole the ball and crashed over for the first score.

The next move of the match was almost a repeat performance, though this time the backs were involved before Ethan Brown picked up from the back of a ruck to double the score after only four minutes.

Now brimming with confidence, Newmarket gathered from the re-start and some slick offloading, combined with further steals at the lineouts, moved them to within a few metres of the try line. This time it was Daniel Downing who was able to drive over from the maul.

The Stowmarket kick off went into touch 5 metres from the Newmarket line, but this was the closest they were to get. Nathan Buckle picked up the ball and shrugged off tacklers to run three quarters the length of the pitch. The Newmarket forwards drove Stowmarket off their own ball at the scrum and Ethan Brown touched down for his second try of the match.

In the second half Newmarket continued to dominate both territory and possession, with the backs increasingly getting into the act. However, despite rarely crossing the half-way line, Stowmarket mounted a determined defence and made good use of long kicks to relieve the pressure on their line.

Newmarket crossed the try line several times only for the ball to be held up. It looked as if they would have to settle for a scoreless half until a switch from full-back to second row gave Joe Stafford the chance to pick up from the scrum. His touchdown from short-range with the last play of the match, together with five conversions from Oliver Green, meant that Newmarket ran out 35 – 0 winners against Stowmarket for the second time this season.

Sunday 17th February: Stowmarket (A)

The team is away to Stowmarket next Sunday (unless there is a last minute change).

Directions to the ground on Stowmarket's website.

Training as usual this Tuesday at 6.45pm.

Thanks to everyone who helped in the kitchen on Sunday. It was a sterling effort given the number of teams and visitors around. In future I'd suggest that we consider having a rota arranged in advance so that it doesn't fall on the same people each time.