Gordano U16 v N Petherton U16

The first home game of the season brought the squad onto the 1st team pitch on a sunny fresh morning. The two 15s have fought closely matches in previous seasons. Tentative thrusts by both sides were undone by errors and robust tackling. 10 minutes in the visitors opened the scoring with a series of driving phases and a converted try 15m in from the right. The lead reflected North Pemberton commitment to the task at hand.
Gordano responded with their first period of play in the visitors half after strong running from the backs. Sharks pack responded well to the aggression of the bigger opposition and started to produce a series of solid scrums with improved body positions. Fly half Macie King kicked out of the 22 to relieve pressure with a great chase and pass from Isaac Barr to Aaron Southey who found the supporting Leon Paul but great scrambling defence stopped the final pass being made. Progress was hampered by a need to tighten game management by the Sharks who allowed the visitors plenty of space to run into, and while they defended well in their own half they were unable to maintain pressure with the ball in hand. A great catch on half way from Sid Vining (playing on the wing rather than his usual front row) and a quick offload to Kody Golding running a hard line from deep, allowed Gordano to push into the 22 and from the ground the ball came to Ethan Ando who was held up a metre out, but N Petherton regained the ball with some dynamic counter rucking after getting there quicker. The remainder of the half continued with a pattern of strong running from both sides with the best move coming from Gordano breaking down the right with a pass out the back of the hand from Aaron Southey to the supporting Ethan Sefton leading to a penalty to Sharks 10m from the line. Unfortunately, not all Sharks players were as quick thinking as scrum half James Hawkins taking the penalty while the defence were reorganising and another good chance went amiss. The 7 nil half time lead to North Pemberton was a fair reflection of the pattern of play.
N Petherton started the second half strongly following a counter ruck winning the ball in Sharks 22, a sniping run from the scrum half down the right ended up in a pass being picked off the floor by a supporting teammate and 5 points scored in the corner to make it 0-12. The position was rescued by a strong lineout on the 22 and slick passing by the backs to Isaac Barr who used his pace and footwork to run from his half to touch down under the posts, converted by Aaron Southey.
The visitors came back strongly from their kick off and camped on the Sharks 22, great interplay by forwards and backs led to N Petherton having a 5m lineout which was caught and driven over despite Sharks excellent body positions to make it 7-17. This was closely followed by a fourth try with loose ball at the back of a lineout picked up by the visitors rampaging no. 8 who went under the posts, and converted to push the lead to 7-24. Gordano then had their best period of play with forwards and backs combining well to maintain pressure in the visitors 22 which from quick thinking at a penalty by Aaron Southey led to space for an Isaac Barr kick through and touch down converted by Sam Chigbo.
In the final quarter try saving tackles kept the visitors out during a sustained period of endeavour. Eventually N Pemberton crossed for a try in the corner which was converted. They defended their lead by keeping the Sharks in their 22. A Macie King kick to the touch finally broke the siege. The Gordano forwards collected the line out and pushed for the line. When the ball went dead the whistle stopped the game at 14-31.
Gordano players’ commitment and willingness to try a range of positions was exemplary, and just that extra level of concentration and communication will lead to more chances being converted to points.