Market Harborough V Kettering U16

Another encounter with MH, on the road this time. Another team we have very even games with. We've struggled to get a result from them in the past. Two 35m halves, here's how it played out:
First Half:
MH come out all guns blazing & we seem a bit slow off the mark. We defend well & we need to to, they have an overlap but the last player fumbles over the line, no score. We have a scum on our 10m line, MH win against the head & their 9 picks & goes for a try. MH convert. More pressure from MH but it's a great steal from Sam in the breakdown & Ben clears our lines. More pressure but Christian clears this time, Tom Herbert takes a great high ball & forces a penalty, we are moving up the pitch. KRFC now building some momentum & pressure, MH starting to give penalties away trying to defend, up to 7 penalties now just defending this single attack on their 5m. We form a maul one side of the pitch, ball whipped away to the backs and all the way to the opposite wing & Tye scores in the corner, no conversion. MH coming back again & we defend phase after phase, ball held up over the line & it's a goal line drop out. A very fast game & MH looking a bit tired & giving penalties away again. That's time and end of the half
Second Half:
MH attacking from the start but our defence is solid, ball held up again over the line, goal line drop out. MH piling the pressure on but the boys defend well & drive them back. MH give a penalty away as we drive them back. Sam & Will L-W dominant in the jackal, they keep getting us the ball back. We are struggling in the scrums though, MH are very dominant. We start to give penalties away now & that's turning the game a bit towards MH. We start to go forward again, lots of knock on's as conditions deteriorate. MH have a scrum on their 10m, Tom Holford scrags their 9 & we win a penalty for holding on. 5M line out. We are camped out in their red zone. MH clear their lines. KRFC line out, we fumble the line out a bit but Charlie Dix sees the opportunity & grabs the ball, he charges through for a try in the dying seconds of the game. Ben converts with a really difficult kick in windy conditions, a superb way to the end the game.
A really tough & close match today, our defence was superb & it needed to be. When we put MH under pressure it forced the penalties & that really turned the game for us. Lots of hard work going on in the ruck, maul & tackle. The jackal to win the ball back was also a key feature today, some superb work by the forwards.
Tries: Tye Walker 1, Charlie Dix 1. Conversions Ben Bowman 1
Moment to note: I heard Ben Bowman swear for the first time ever!