Harlow Rugby Club Youth Round Up  Sunday 11th December 2005. 

Essex Under 17 Cup. Quarter Final.

Harlow Under 17’s  15  Brentwood Under 17’s  37.

Brentwood’s three tries in the last ten minutes of this game flattered the visitors who had been harried and hustled into mistakes by a Harlow team who played with much spirit and passion. The injury hit Young Rams could only put out fourteen players for this important cup match and were reduced to thirteen with fifteen minutes left. The team played their hearts out and for three quarters of the game their brave efforts kept them in touch with Brentwood.

Indeed it was Harlow who opened the scoring when they won a scrummage on the Brentwood twenty two and Skipper Ian Adams took the pass to weave his way past the defence and score. Brentwood hit back with a converted try but a clever kick over the top by fly half Aled Hills led to their Young Rams next try. The Brentwood winger failed to control the kick from Hills and winger Shane McNamara was rewarded for his swift running when he swooped on the loose ball and touched down.

The score was 10-7 to Harlow at half time but Brentwood’s extra man was beginning to look a danger and the visitors scored twice in ten minutes to build up a 12 point lead.

Great work at a ruck in the Harlow half saw prop Mubashar Mamood steal the ball from the opposition and break away. He broke one tackle and then passed to full back Ricky Ford who sprinted to the line to score Harlow’s third try.

The Harlow celebrations were short lived as Brentwood defended well and when a Harlow player had to leave the pitch the hurdle was too much to overcome and the visitors scored three unconverted tries to win.

Harlow Under 17’s. Mamood, Davis, Pike, Elston, Swanton, Jarvis, Barnard, Ellis, Woodington, Hills, Adams (Capt.), Jones, McNamara, Ford.

Harlow Under 16’s  10  Upminster Under 16’s  24.

In a close game at Ram Gorse Harlow competed well against a strong Upminster side.

They took the lead when Michael Weston broke through the defence at the base of the scrum to cross the line. The visitors came back into it with an unconverted try to leave the score 5-5 at the interval.In the second half it was Upminster who went ahead before Jamie Clark playing at number 8 won the ball in his own twenty two dispossessing the opposition full back. He then ran the length of the pitch to score a spectacular try.

In the dying minutes Harlow pressed forward for the winner but were caught out with a breakaway try  scored under the posts and in the last minutes they were caught out again. A disappointing result in a match they could have won and deserved a less harsh score line.

Harlow Under 16’s. Carter, Barnes, Ashoori, Daglish, Ashcroft, Clark.James, Weston, Clark. Jamie, Hockley, Goodey, Jenna, Bowering, Archer, Hitchcock, King, Mortimer, Treves, Ansell.

Upminster Under 15’s  45  Harlow Under 15’s  5.

Poor defensive work was the Young Rams undoing at Upminster. Their tackling, hitherto one of the team’s strengths, let them down badly against a powerful Upminster side who are unbeaten this season.

Harlow started well driving a rolling maul some thrity metres up field but they were unable to capitalise on this play. Dean McFarlane, Calum Potter and Ray Tovey played well in the pask as Harlow’s forward play was a plus feature. In fact Harlow’s only try came midway through the second half as a result of some great driving play by the pack. It was McFarlane who scored after his team mates had forced their way into the Upminster twenty two.

As each week passes the boys are playing more as a team and have made tremendous progress in six weeks.

Harlow Under 15’s. Paige, Seale, Blair, Allen, Mintoff, Alderman, Bowie, McFarlane, Potter, Shawe, Collins, Saville, Tovey, Adams, Newman.

Harlow under 13’s  0  Braintree Under 13’s  27.

Harlow competed throughout this game at Ram Gorse and spent the first ten minutes in the opposition’s half. They couldn’t cross the line and  were beaten when the visitors moved the ball wide to their fast running backs. Harlow were 17-0 down at half time but tackled better in the second half Monaf and Crafton showing the way with some great defensive work. This restricted Brentwood to only two unconverted tries during the second period and the Junior Rams left the field having worked hard despite being beaten.

Harlow Under 13’s. Wooton, O’Sullivan, Turner, Crafton, Norris, Flynn, Preater, Sunshine, Pedder, West, Mortimer, Elmer, Stocker, Blackman, Clark.Ryan, McGlone, Monaf (Capt.), Clark.Tom, Abeysalem, Cunningham, Doyle.

Next Week. Sunday 18^th December.

 National Colts Cup Plate competition. Second round.  Harlow Colts.

Harlow Under 15’s  Vs. Datchworth. K.O. 11.00.a.m.

Away   Harlow U.13’s  Vs. Upper Clapton,  Harlow U.14’s  Vs. Ignatians.