Under 14s Record Another Win

Sunday (19th Nove.) saw another friendly and another tense game that the boys came out the right side of at a windy Donkey Lane.

The visitors, Datchworth, were a team Enfield have been facing since mini’s. They sit higher in the league pyramid so we were rightly expecting a challenge. The first 15 mins made this abundantly clear!

Despite some opening incursions in the Datchworth half, through some sharp runs and passing, Enfield found themselves behind after 4 minutes. Datchworth were blessed with two strong, heavy runners and our ability to contain them was key to winning the game. It didn’t start well. Several missed tackles allowed the powerful Datchworth runner to dot down in the right hand corner. 0-5.

Not long after the other strong runner also broke a number of tackles, making many yards before an excellent tackle from Ollie G. Respite was brief however as another surge saw the away side score under the posts. 0-12.

Perhaps appropriate given the return of NFL star Jeremiah to the forward ranks, this game was played over 4 quarters. It was just as well as the coaches needed to have some words. The bigger of our two coaches appeared particularly exercised. (Mentally, not physically you understand), and the boys responded with an excellent second quarter performance, despite still playing into the wind.

A number of passing moves and individual breaks saw Enfield threaten the try line. Chenitha was particularly lively with two strong runs, good link play with Ollie S, then a big tackle and turnover turning defence into attack. The pressure on the Datchworth defence eventually told when Cian bundled over the line from short range. 5-12. The boys continued to dominate but mistakes were made at crucial times. The choice to kick rather than pass or run rather than pass or cut back when more wide space was available all featured. Handling and passing in the wind was also difficult and lots of openings were squandered by knock on’s. The quarter ended with Enfield camped in the Datchworth 22 but with no further scoring. HT 5-12.

Quarter Three was also dominated by Enfield. Lots of pressure, plenty of territory advantage but messy and ultimately scoreless! Line outs near the Datchworth line were not converted. Knock on’s also featured regularly and we had a few fun scrum re sets.

And so the final quarter started with Enfield still trailing 5-12. Could the boys in Blue and Gold make their pressure finally tell? The answer a resounding yes! Datchworth attempted a panicked kicked clearance from under their own posts. A ricochet resulted in the ball falling to a grateful Hayden who dived over from 3 yards. The conversion was missed. 10-12.

Enfield kept up the pressure. Berkay made a powerful break but was pushed into touch near the corner flag. Datchworth attempted this time to run out from their own in-goal area. And the territory pressure finally paid off as the boys in green were tackled before Donie snatched both the ball and the lead for Enfield by diving over the line. 15-12.

And yet there was still time for the game to be won and lost. Pressure this time back on Enfield shoulders. A dropped ball and a forward pass meant that the away side had some late set pieces in the Enfield 22. But a tackle involving 3 of our boys dragged a Datchworth runner into touch was crucial. The resulting line out was dealt with coolly between Archie and Hayden for then George to find touch from his own try line to secure the victory. Phew. FT 15-12.

A shout out to the support today from a big number of our injured players, siblings, parents and grand parents. I particularly enjoyed the encouragement given to our number 9 as he lay writhing on the turf after a heavy (and possibly late tackle). To much amusement the cry was ‘Get up you tart’. To be fair he did eventually get up off the floor…a bit like the team today. A resilient, comeback victory, where territory and pressure deservedly paid off.