Ashford lift East Kent crown 17th December 06

Ashford 17 – Canterbury 14 (At Sittingbourne)

Ashford Under 14s arrived at Sittingbourne with a simple game plan. They would contest every scrum and line out and from first phase possession they would attack down the fly half and inside centre channel.

Canterbury enjoyed a physical advantage in the backs. At 6 feet 2 inches, Canterbury full back Jack Masters was the biggest player on the pitch. His Ashford opposite number conceded a full 12 inches in height. Within 30 seconds of kick-off, Masters showed his power and charged 50 metres to score Canterbury’s opening try.

Undeterred by conceding the early score, Ashford roared back into the match and drove their way into Canterbury territory. Dominating the scrums and using stocky inside centre Gareth Jenner to pound the Canterbury defence, Ashford pinned Canterbury ever closer to their try line.

On 12 minutes Canterbury were awarded a defensive lineout, just 5 metres from their try line. Ashford prop Billy Stevens stole the throw and barged his way towards the line. The ball was recycled 1 metre short and fellow prop Tom Collins snapped up the ball and dived over to score Ashford’s opening try. Converted by Harry Atkins, the score was now 7 points all.

Ashford maintained pressure throughout the first half but a loss of concentration saw the Canterbury backs outflank Ashford to score on 20 minutes. The half time score was 14-7 to Canterbury but Ashford were clearly in the ascendant. Ashford reshuffled their pack and George Woodrow, recovering from chicken pox was replaced in the second row by Tom Healy.

The second half was played an entirely on Ashford’s attritional terms as Canterbury were starved of possession in both scrum and lineout.

8 minutes into the half Canterbury conceded a scrum for a not straight throw into the lineout. Ashford won the ball and winger Harry Atkins scampered 30 metres down the blindside to touch down in the corner. With the try unconverted, the score was now just 14-12 in Canterbury’s favour.

As Ashford hooker, George Sladden took his tally to 5 strikes against the head, the Canterbury scrum half was forced to feed the ball at ever more oblique angles. The tactic backfired 11 minutes into the half, as with their scrum retreating, the ball squirted free and scrum half Rory Beech picked up the loose ball and fed No.8 Christopher Albrow. Albrow sidestepped through the cover defence and galloped 50 metres to score in the corner. Ashford were ahead 17-14.

The remaining 14 minutes saw Ashford apply a vice like grip to possession. The tackling of the side was outstanding throughout the second half and eventually Canterbury ran out of time. Ashford were the East Kent Under 14 Champions.

Player of the week was George Sladden.

Ashford U14s: T.Collins, G. Sladden, P. Macenri, G. Woodrow, C. Williams, T. Healy, G. Caton, C. Albrow, R. Beech, L. Burdon, H. Atkins, G. Jenner, A. Batt, G. Noremac, D. Head, B. Stevens, L. Ransley, G. Morgan, C. Veitch, J.Tong, C. Watts.