Date: Sun 13th Oct 2019

Time: 11:30am

Match Report

Sunday 13th October – Harlow u14s 39 – Dagenham u14s 10 Friendly

Harlow hosted Dagenham on a wet Sunday morning at Latton Park just a couple of weeks since we faced each other in the waterfall cup.

Harlow started well and it wasn’t long before Archie Goodger made a break and we recycled the ball quickly Joseph Pankhurst at fly half miss passed to Felix Waugh a prop running in the centre of the park who passed to Ben Ferrier to score his first try of the day.

Our recycling at the break down has improved on previous weeks in phases and Harlow had applied pressure to Dagenham in their 22 and forced an error. From the scrum, Ben Ferrier, man of the match at Dagenham a couple of weeks ago, picked up the ball and burst through to score a powerful number 8 try.

Our break down recycling seemed to slip away a little and Harlow spilt the ball. From the Dagenham scrum the Harlow pack applied the pressure to win the ball against the head. Ben Ferrier again picked up and ran left, where there is no defending scrum half, to score his first half hat trick.

At this point three tries up, Harlow started to lose focus and allowed Dagenham back into the game. Dagenham scored their first try and we made our first changes of the game, bringing on Corey Kelman for Danny Billington, Owen Eynon for Tolu Ajibabi, George Snowdon for Ben Ferrier and Joe Court for Tobie Westbrook.

Our break down play seemed to lose its way a little and Dagenham bagged a second try on the stroke of half time.

Half time 15 – 10.

At half time, the players identified where they needed to improve, their first up tackling and in the break down looking after the ball. We changed our front row With Ed Lea, Callum Boyce and Jacob Morgan replacing Felix Waugh, Archie Goodger and Joseph Williams.

In the second half, we took a little while to get going again and maintain our control of the ball. We rotated a number of players with Danny Billington coming back on for Brandon Jackson, Tolu Ajibabi for Henry Stovell, Archie Goodger for Jamie Oliver, Ben Ferrier for James Ford, Tobie Wesbrook for Callum Hewett.

Danny Billington appeared to have the bit between his teeth and made a few bullocking runs making in roads into their defence which created the fast ball we had been looking for. Before long we were back in the Dagenham 22 applying great pressure. We kept the pressure on forcing Dagenham to ground the ball over their own line. From the 5-metre scrum the forwards held firm and Ben Ferrier picked up from the base of the scrum to dive over the line. Joseph Pankhurst slotted the conversion.

Harlow were back on form and applying pressure across the pitch, from a tap penalty Jack Rushworth played Jacob Morgan who carried hard with a Jamie Oliver latching on, something we had practiced in training this week, and bust a hole. Henry Stovell broke well down the right of the pitch making useful yards.

The pressure continued and from another tap penalty Jack this time played Ben Ferrier who had been terrifying the Dagenham defence all morning, Ben outpaced the remaining defenders to score, again Joseph Pankhurst kicked the conversion.
From the kick off, Dagenham kicked straight to the person they didn’t want to catch it. Ben Ferrier caught it and then ran the length of the pitch to complete a second half hat trick to go with his first half hat trick.

James Ford came back onto the pitch to replace Ben who had caused enough chaos for one day.

In the last phase of play in the game the team all wanted their hands on the ball and carried well, looked after the ball and made yards. This took us to the Dagenham line where Joe Court touched down in the final acty. Joe had had an industrial morning finding space in the middle of the pitch instead of out wide on the wing where is had been in previous games.

Final Score 39 – 10.

More work to be done on our work rate, particularly in defence throughout the game, our ball placement, sealing off and body position to be worked on in training this week.

Special mentions: Ben Ferrier six tries and caused chaos all day. Joe Court for taking on some of the coaching points we’d been working on and finding space. James Forde, Jamie Oliver and Archie Goodger for making many tackles. Danny Billington for his bullocking runs.

Harlow Man of the Match: Henry Stovell (Chosen by Dagenham)
Dagenham Man of the Match: Ali, their hooker (Awarded by the Harlow Players)
Tries: Ben Ferrier (6), Joe Court
Conversions: Joseph Pankhurst (2)
Penalties: None
Referee: Ian Rundall in his first outing as a qualified referee (Harlow)

Starting Team
1. Felix Waugh (Sub Ed Lea), 2. Archie Goodger (Sub Callum Boyce), 3. Joseph Williams (Sub Jacob Morgan), 4. Danny Billington, (Sub Corey Kelman) 5. Brandon Jackson, 6. Jamie Oliver, 7. James Ford, 8. Ben Ferrier (Sub George Snowdon), 9. Jack Rushworth, 10. Joseph Pankhurst, 11. Montelle Levy, 12. Tolu Ajibabi (Sub Owen Eynon), 13. Henry Stovell, 14. Callum Hewett (Joe Court), 15. Tobie Westbrook

All players played half a game or more.

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