u15s just 2nd best in close game with TOCH

After two excellent performances over the last couple of weeks and an in depth training session by Tony Buckley and Billy Emerson of Sale Sharks it was a confident side that took the field at Avenue Street against a large and well drilled Didsbury TOCH outfit in the Vase quarter final.
From the off you could tell that the visitors (confusingly outfitted in Bolton’s change strip due to a wardrobe malfunction) were used to playing in a mixed Under 16s team as they seemed stronger in the loose and Bolton had to really work hard to keep any continuity. The visitor’s tackling and support play was also a notch above the home side’s but to their great credit the boys in red kept at it and showed just how far they had progressed recently as players.
The first half was as close a game as we have ever seen with the team and at half time just 5 points had been scored with the visitors in front though not on top. Michael Latham was perhaps the pick of the first period with some excellent tackling and strong running ably supported in midfield by emergency centre Tom Hill and Josh Holmes. The forwards had the line out in the bag with the two Wills, McCambridge and Brindle, stealing Didsbury ball at will (no pun intended) and allowing Joey Gore to feed the backs with a series of deft passes.
Will McCambridge came closest to opening the Bolton account with two barn storming runs one from a tap penalty running unto a sweetly timed ball from Joey and the second as a result of a perfectly executed “doughnut ball”. Both times stout TOCH defence stopped him just metres from the whitewash.
Elsewhere Adam Kazmi was exemplary at full back running intelligent lines in attack and snuffing out any TOCH breaks that made it through Michael and Tom’s blanket of tackling and Josh’s collar rufflers!
Tom McCormick and Will McCambridge’s very own glee club had plenty to shout about despite being almost trampled when they set up camp too close to the touch line with both lads working their socks off (In Tom’s case his boots as well) and well supported by their colleagues in the forwards. Joel Thompson was a rock and despite a few “altercations” Jacob Walker worked hard and deserved the Man of the Match accolade from the parents. Elliott Morgan played his heart out at prop against bigger opponents and had definitely gained from a few pearls of wisdom from Mr Buckley.
Wills Brindle ran strongly but without success but the real plaudits deserve to go to Firth Lord and Jordan Ashton at 6 and 7. Jordan was first to each and every breakdown and well deserved the Coaches’ award for another superb performance in adversity. The team as a whole could well do with taking a leaf from Jordan’s determination and work rate.
In the second period Bolton pinned Didsbury on their own line and from a wayward kick out of defence Adam Kazmi pounced on the loose ball, powered past several visiting backs and raced over the line wide out to even the score. Tom Hill couldn’t quite add on the extras from almost on the touchline.
A period of intense pressure followed with Bolton finally getting on top and again TOCH found themselves repeatedly back in their own 22. Great harrying by the half backs led to a skewed kick finding touch just 7m out and the Bolton lads’ with tails up had a lineout just where they hoped. A “doughnut ball” was called and perfectly executed and Will Mc crashed over through the defending winger to score. Sadly the 5 points didn’t stand due to a lineout infringement and the boy’s celebrations were curtailed.
This disappointment seemed to knock the stuffing out of the lads and a “silly 5 minutes” followed where they seemed unable to work cohesively and all tackling went out of the window. During this period Didsbury added on 3 tries with some good individual runs and the game had gone.
But the lads dragged themselves up for one final effort and great chasing and pressure from David Warren out wide put the visitors back in their own half and on the other flank Ryan McClusky crowned a fine performance when with the last play of the game he pick pocketed a TOCH attack, shrugged of a couple of would be tacklers and then raced away leaving black shirts trailing in his wake to score wide out. Poor Tom with chalk on his kicking tee couldn’t quite bisect the uprights and the game finished 10-20 and with Bolton out at the ¼ final stage once more.

All in all not the best of games for the lads but in snatches they played well but couldn’t keep up the high level of performance of previous weeks against stronger and obviously more experienced opponents. However, had we met that side earlier in the season we would have been resoundingly defeated so it shows the lads are now made of sterner stuff with skills to match. We just need all 15 firing all the time boys and we’ll be on the right side of such games.

Well done for Man of the Match performances from Michael, Jacob and Jordan with also additional plaudits to Will Mc, Adam, Ryan, Firth, Joey and Tom.