Old Redcliffians U15 v Gordano U5

The visitors started their last game of February At Old Reds on a crisp winters day. Playing with the wind Old Reds kicked into the Gordano half and camped in the Gordano 22. A series of tightly fought scrums and fierce tackling from Gordano against the larger Reds forwards made for an intense opening quarter. Reds pressure was finally rewarded with a well worked try on the left which was not converted.

Old Reds dominance in the scrum and the line out together with regular penalties continued to deny Gordano ball and enabled the pressure needed to secure a second uncoverted try for the hosts with the inside centre running a hard line in the 22 well tackled but quickly recycled to allow a score from a pick and go. The visitors then began their first spell in the opposition half. A near try for wing Matt Eichenburger was their only reward and the first half ended 10 nil.

The half time team talk focused on getting the defensive line speed up and closing down the Reds centres, and moving the ball wide.

Macey King's kick off set a different tone to the second half. Old Reds knocked on and from the scrum No.8 Oli Heaven went blind drew the defender and passed to enable wing Sam Chigbo to touch down in the left corner. Macey King's conversion from the touch line hit the upright but didn't go over.

Gordano looked to be coming back into the game but a lack of concentration allowed the Old Reds restart kick to bounce around and Gordano knocked on under pressure. Some great tackling from Gordano with Oli Heaven and Finn Lynton-Jenkins to the fore stopped the initial attack but Reds with their best spell of running from their backs scored a third unconverted try to make it 15-5. Sam Chigbo kicked off and produced another good position for the visitors. Gordano pinned Old Reds into their 22 with spirited tackling but continued to make errors and the penalty count against Gordano continued to rise.

A Macey King kick to the 5m line renewed pressure on the hosts. Old Reds defended well and counter attacked and they moved themselves into the Gordano 22 by forcing handling errors. Another series of scrums, line outs and strong defence held back Reds.

A Gordano line out secured the ball and enabled Macey King to kick them into the Old Reds half. The move led to a Gordano won scrum on the Teds 10m line and Oli Heaven picked and went right, beat three defenders with pace and footwork and went under the posts with one minute to go.

Gordano had won the second half but the final score of 15-10 was a fair reflection of an uneven Gordano performance against a physical, determined and well organised opposition.