Date: Sun 5th Feb 2017

Time: TBC

Match Report

Harlow U14s 19-17 Finchley U14s

With the bitter taste of defeat still fresh in their mouths, the Harlow U14s approached this week’s fixture with a renewed sense of vigour. The team faced off at Rams Gorse against a visiting Finchley side. With the sun obscured by clouds, the air was still and cold as the game was kicked off.

The Finchley team fielded a well struck kick-off from deep inside their own half. What proceeded was a proverbial tennis match of possession, with neither team committing more than two minutes on the ball at any given time. With the rapid changes of control, the match felt fast paced; a pace which soon showed on the faces of both teams. The home side were the first to profit from the manic atmosphere when an error was forced on the Finchley 22-metre line and a penalty awarded to Harlow. With no hesitation, the captain, Jude Clark elected to present the ball to an eager Jakub Frankowski. The Number 8 took no time in capitalising on the opportunity to storm under the Finchley posts to secure his first points of the day. Angelo Blasi secured the extra points in the uprights. The score at 7-0.

Not ones to be outdone, the visiting team wasted no more time in punishing the Harlow players. A quick series of tackles and runs saw Finchley camped safely in the Harlow half. The opposition tried most avenues to force an error on the home side. All efforts were countered; with runs down the middle ended quickly with tackles from Nathan Hunt and Olly Faber; attempts around the outside extinguished by Matthew Brough; and, kicks over the top fielded superbly by Tommy Johnston. The stalwart Harlow defence proved fruitful as a handling error from the visitors saw a scrum awarded to the home team. The Finchley side took this opportunity to show that they are not ones to back down from a challenge. A strong drive from the opposition and a quickly taken lift from the back of the scrum left the Harlow defence stunned. The visitors darted under the posts to bring the score to 7-5.

The home side were feeling the effects of such a sudden change of momentum. This feeling saw them again defending their own try line from a formidable Finchley attack. A chip kick over the heads of the Harlow defence saw the visitors dip under the posts for their second try in quick succession. The score now at 7-12 at the end of the first half. From this moment on the game became a very back-and-forth affair with neither team sparing any effort in defence or attack to force the points. Darting runs from Daniel Eby and Olly Faber saw the Harlow team settled in the Finchley half. Again, an error saw another opportunity for Harlow as Frankowski sped under the posts to secure Harlow’s second try of the game. The score brought to 14-12.

The game continued to be a contest for possession further into the second half. With Finchley securing the lead, yet again, with a well worked run through the Harlow defence. The score quickly taken to 14-17. A third run from Frankowski brought his- and Harlow’s- third try of the game and the score to 19-17. A scrum deep in the Harlow half in the closing seconds of the game gave Clark the opportunity to kick the ball to touch; to end the game and, to give both teams a well-deserved rest after a hard-fought bout.

The final score standing at 19-17 to Harlow.

Team List
1. Suleiman Mohammed
2. Daniel Eby
3. Luke Cheetham
4. Nathan Dennis
5. Nathan Hunt
6. Jamie Gaunt
7. Olly Faber
8. Jakub Frankowski
9. Jude Clark (c)
10. Angelo Blasi
11. Mitchell Miller
12. Louie Lynch
13. Ervins Bukejs
14. Matthew Brough
15. Tommy Johnston
16. Connor Molloy
17. Zak Moroney
18. Tom Joseph
19. Brad Matthews
20. Jack Taylor

Tries: Frankowski (3)
Conversions: Blasi (2)
Man of the Match: Frankowski