Milton Keynes U16 V Kettering U16

A depleted squad this week, players out with injury & other reasons. We draft in some forwards to play in the centre & wings. MK a team we haven't played for a couple of seasons, a bit of an unknown entity. Two 35 min halves, here's how it played out.
First Half:
MK kick off & Sam takes the high ball well, we make good progress up the pitch but give a penalty away in the breakdown. We gain control of the ball & chip over the top, MK full back catches the ball & skips through our line to score, MK convert. MK attack again & catch us sleeping, they score far too easily, the boys need to wake up in reality. We are pinned in our own half for the remainder of the first period, we don't have any " go forward". On a positive the scrum is working well despite the MK 8 who must be 18-19 stone. Line out is superb as well. End of the half.
We talk about getting out of our half , the boys heads are down a bit but we concentrate on the positives, we held them out for 30 mins, we have the ability to turn this game.
Second Half:
We secure our line out , ball out through the hands to Oran, he scores under the posts, Christian converts, just the start we needed. MK's 8 catches the ball from the restart & strolls through like Godzilla in down town Tokyo, swatting bodies on his path to a try, MK convert. We are pinned back in our half again, it's a very physical game & the penalties are mounting up for us. We get a break, ball to Oran with a show & go, he goes over under the posts, Christian converts. We defend hard from the restart but MK get the ball out wide & have the overlap, MK try, no conversion. MK go for an intercept but it's a one handed knock on, MK yellow card. We march up the pitch, line out Kettering. We secure our line out again, ball through all the backs & out to Tye on the wing who makes the corner under immense pressure, no conversion. Kettering on the attack again, we break their line.
Lets ask the crowd what they think, " lovely snipe through the gap" Quote from Keely Pallet.
Joe picks & scores, no conversion. We knock on in our 22, scrum MK & the big 8 picks & goes for a try, no conversion. Dan secures the ball from the restart, he has been immense today, great work by the prop. We win a penalty & we are on their 10m from the kick. A knock on & a scrum, our scrum is fantastic considering the weight we are giving away. Superb technique. We concede a scrum in our 22 again & the MK 8 picks & goes, lovely off load & they score, no conversion & thats time here in Emerson Valley.
We got caught snoozing at the beginning & that cost us. We were always playing catch up after that. the boys fought hard in a very physical game. We couldn't question their commitment & lots of bodies were laid on the line today. Our set piece was awesome with the scrum & line out working superbly. Clarke on the money with the throw in & Ewan Clee dominant in the air. Bryce strong at hooker, Will L-W, Kian, Joe, Alfie & Leo all playing out of position but giving 100%. Dan & Sam's work rate was superb. Oran leading by example & organising a very patched up back line.
Tries: Oran 2, Joe 1,Tye 1. Conversions : Christian 2