Bletchley u17, u18 & u19 players have combined to form a Colts squad. The squad operating two sides at u18 & u19 playing in different leagues and cup competitions.
The older colts joined up with second team senior players narrowly losing a trials match against Aylesbury Athletic on 14th August.
Last Saturday (28 Aug) a mixed Colts side (u17s to u19s) won Bletchley’s own Colts competition at the Party on the Pitch. The competition taking a “round robin” format between Daventry, Leighton Buzzard, Luton & Bletchley
On Saturday (4 Sept) the u19s played their first match of the season, a league game against keen local rivals Leighton Buzzard. A pleasing aspect of today’s Bletchley side was to see the team comprised players from the u17, u18 and u19. Great to see younger players making the Senior Colts Team.
Bletchley started poorly and looked lack lustre and out of sorts as Buzzards opened up a big lead in the first half. The Bletchley scrum was always in trouble and some poor tackling on some sharp looking Leighton Buzzard backs certainly worried their supporters who feared a big loss. A yellow card to a Buzzard player and some player and positional changes ignited Bletchley who looked a different team in the second half. An entertaining and full-blooded encounter finished with dramatic action at both ends in the dying minutes, leaving Bletchley to secure a squeakily narrow victory by just the one point, 30 points to 29.
Ironically Bletchley drew first blood after just three minutes. From the kick-off they kept the pressure on the visitors who gave away a couple of penalties for offside and handling in rucks. Bletchley moved into the 22, where Buzzards were again penalised. Daniel Read slotted the kick for a 3-0 Bletchley lead. Buzzards responded by stealing possession from a Bletchley ruck in their own half. Their backs passed the ball back and forth, broke the Bletchley line easily then the left wing ran outside on the overlap to score. The conversion was missed. From the kick off the visitors caught the ball, charged forward, moved the ball around the backs, slipped past some poor tackling to score a converted try and lead by nine points after just ten minutes.
The visitors scored two further tries before Bletchley responded. Constant pressure resulted in Bletchley being repeatedly penalised in their own half. Finally the Bletchley prop was penalised for popping up just a few metres out and the Buzzard backs swept over for a converted try. The visitors backs went over again virtually unopposed and Bletchley were 3 - 24 down.
However the team did respond and Bletchley pressure saw a number of penalites against Buzzards who had a player yellow carded. More penalties left Bletchley near the line and Will Garrett ran over to score. Daniel converted. Just before half-time Bletchley were attacking again and kicked a penalty to touch five metres out. They won the lineout, rolled into the defence then spun the ball quickly to the right for captain Ryan Cane to score. This time the conversion was missed. At the break Bletchley had reduced the deficit to 15 – 24.
The second half started badly as Bletchley cleared their lines with a huge kick downfield which they did not chase. This allowed the visitors to run back at speed, interchanging passes, breaking some poor tackling to run in an easy try. An easy conversion was missed leaving Bletchley down by 15 - 29 points.
Will Garrett scored again for Bletchley after some good backs play. Heavy Bletchley pressure was relieved as a loose ball was lost, the defence kick out was recovered and run back to score. Daniel converted. A long period of end to end play followed before Bletchley were pressuring the try line. The referee awarded Bletchley a penalty which Daniel took and scored from 25 metres. With just a couple of minutes remaining Bletchley again pressured. Tom Foster took a quick penalty, ran into the 22, Bletchley rucked great ball, the ball was taken on again, rucked beautifully and spun right for Sam Levy to feint wide then spin back in to score a great try. Daniel missed the conversion and Bletchley looked to have won 30 – 29.
Several minutes of injury time was played as Bletchley defended but were pushed back. A penalty was given away on the 22 and the referee walked Bletchley back 10 metres for backchat. Fortunately the kicker missed the relatively simple kick and Bletchley secured the league points which looked impossible at the midway point of the first half
Scorers:
Tries – Will Garrett (2), Ryan Cane, Sam Levy
Conversions – Daniel Read (2)
Penalties – Daniel Read (2)
Thanks must go to Carl Bennett, of HGH Premises Maintenance, who kindly presented warm up shirts the players wore before the match
Match ball sponsorship was generously provided by Professor Lynette Ryalls of Cranfield School of Management.
Next Saturday, 11th Sept, the U18s start their season with a home game against Buckingham. The older U19 players are not eligible to play. The U19s are at home on Saturday 18th against Coalville, in the first round of the National Colts Cup
Match report by Martin Matthew |
Bletchley Colts, sponsored by Ring Road Garage Buckingham, entertained Ampthill in the Referee’s Cup semi-final. This is an East Midlands RFU competition for under 18 teams. Last season ended with Ampthill beating Bletchley in the final of the National Under 17’s Bowl. Sadly, today, Ampthill again ran out winners, 22 -16, in a pulsating match played in fine spirit, in glorious sunshine before a large crowd. Both teams led twice before Ampthill scored a try in the last minute to snatch victory.
Preparations were thrown into disarray; during the warm up Bletchley lost Curtis to illness (he had his appendix removed on Sunday). Despite the setback, Bletchley kicked off and immediately lost Luke Dale who was penalised and yellow carded for tackling the receiver in the air. Bletchley were not cowed by this setback and worked their way back to the Ampthill 22 metre line. From a scrum Tom Foster passed to Daniel Read who played a missed move with George Harman at outside centre. George broke the Ampthill defence and ran in under the posts. Daniel converted for an early 7 – 0 lead to Bletchley. From the restart Ampthill were awarded a penalty which was missed. This was the first of a number of decisions that went against Bletchley, who did not seem to get the rub of the referee at all. Ampthill’s first try on twenty minutes came from a penalty awarded after Bletchley seemed to have a penalty for handling in a ruck, and then a scrum for an Ampthill knock on. Ampthill gratefully kicked for touch, gathered the lineout and went over for a converted try to level the scores.
Ampthill’s second try followed another penalty; this was the start of a flurry of scores in the last five minutes of the first half as play swung from end to end. Bletchley won a penalty for handling in the ruck, 30 metres out. Daniel coolly slotted the kick. On the verge of half-time Ampthill were awarded a penalty themselves, which they scored, to lead 10 – 15 as the teams turned round.
The second half opened to a flurry of stoppages for various injuries on both sides. Bletchley edged closer with a further Daniel penalty before they lost winger Mark Williams to another yellow card for a pulling back an Ampthill player as he kicked through. Amazingly, Bletchley not only held out for 10 minutes but went on to score with another Daniel penalty while a player short. Bletchley scored 10 points without reply while a man short during the game. This penalty, with a few minutes remaining, put Bletchley into the lead again, 16 – 15. Ampthill pressured Bletchley as they sought to regain the lead. Some awful Bletchley tackling let the Ampthill centre through for the winning converted try to retake the lead 16 -22. Bletchley pushed again but to no avail and Ampthill hung on to secure that place in the final.
The pre match buffet was very kindly provided by Richard and Trisha, and many thanks to the mums who helped to prepare the food.
Scorers: Tries – George Harman
Conversions – Daniel Read
Penalties – Daniel Read x 3
This was the last game of the season for Bletchley. The team should be much stronger next season, as only two of the current squad will not be eligible to play Colts rugby again. The team performed very creditably in a weather affected season.
| Played |
Won |
Drawn |
Lost |
Points For |
Against |
| 22 |
13 |
1 |
8 |
621 |
338 |
Match report by Martin Matthews |
Having gone four weeks without a game Bletchley Colts, sponsored by Ring Road Garage Buckingham, were badly in need of a run out before next week’s East Midlands RFU Referee’s Cup Semi Final against Ampthill. Without a scheduled game they picked up the second’s away game in Berks/Bucks/Oxon Division 1 against Aylesbury Athletic. Bletchley played creditably against older and bigger opponents and should really have won the game. The forwards battled well and provided plenty of ball. A hesitancy in attack and some lacklustre tackling, that allowed the Aylesbury fly half to run in tries from inside his own half, cost Bletchley the game. Bletchley went down 22 -18, eschewing good chances to pinch the victory in the final minutes.
It took 30 minutes for players and supporters to clear security at Aylesbury Prison and deposit an inordinate number of mobiles at the booking in desk. There were concerns that some players might react badly to the discomfiture of having their mobiles surgically removed and playing behind walls and barbed wire. These concerns were groundless as Bletchley took the game to their opponents from the off. For several minutes it was all Bletchley as they made forays into the Aylesbury Athletic’s 22. They were rewarded with a penalty for an Aylesbury spear tackle, which they ran. The referee adjudged that Aylesbury Athletic had not retreated 10 metres, leaving Daniel Read a kickable penalty which he confidently scored. Aylesbury Athletic responded well and from a lineout near the halfway line their fly half ran through most of the Bletchley team in a mazy run to score an unconverted try.
Bletchley missed a chance to take back the lead when Daniel missed a penalty from near the touchline. The Aylesbury Athletic’s fly half scored again after another long run, tapping the ball forward and seizing on a Bletchley fumble to pick the ball up and fall over the line. The conversion was missed and the score remained at 10 – 3 in Aylesbury Athletic’s favour until half time.
Bletchley started the second half strongly and pegged Aylesbury Athletic back, running several penalties to move a few metres shy of the line. A further penalty was tapped quickly by Will Garrett, who passed to Tom Perring who spun as he was tackled to score the try. The conversion was missed. The Aylesbury Athletic fly half ran through to score his third try, which he converted to open up a 17 – 8 lead. Daniel did score a second penalty to bring Bletchley within one score, temporarily. The kick off did not go 10 metres, Bletchley won their scrum, but slow ball and a sideway move allowed Aylesbury Athletic to charge down the attempted kick down the line. They picked up the loose ball to score another unconverted try. The last ten minutes was all Bletchley as they tried to claw back the two scores required to win. Strong forward pressure led to Tom Grant scoring near the posts for Daniel to convert. Further pressure proved fruitless and Aylesbury Athletic held on to win 22 – 18.
Match ball sponsorship was very generously provided by Abbott Fixing Systems Ltd.
Next Saturday, 24th April, Bletchley host Ampthill in the semi final of the East Midland RFU Referee’s Cup.
Scorers:
Tries – Tom Perring, Tom Grant
Conversions – Daniel Read x 1
Penalties – Daniel Read x 2
Match report Martin Matthews |
Bletchley Colts, sponsored by Ring Road Garage Buckingham, travelled to Dunstablians for this Referee’s Cup Group 4 match. Bletchley comfortably beat the Dunstablians last week again in an u19 Colts league fixture. Today, unlike last week, Dunstablians were able to put out a competent front row and the scrums were contested, for most of the match (injury), and it made for a better spectacle and a better game of rugby. Bletchley were very comfortable winners. running in 11 tries, with Daniel Read converting 7 of them, to record an easy 3 to 69 points victory.
Dunstablians kicked off and from the catch Bletchley had several back moves as they moved steadily down field, until the forwards took over and Alan Briggs went over for an unconverted try. Dunstablians then held out for nearly 15 minutes, until a Bletchley penalty near the line was tapped by Tom Foster for Big Josh Sprules to score his first try. Ryan Cane missed the conversion. Dunstablians hit back from their kick-off, as the referee twice penalised Bletchley, for indiscretions at a maul and then a scrum. Bletchley’s response also followed immediately, as Dunstablians knocked on from the kick off. Bletchley won the scrum, the backs went over but were held up. Bletchley won the 5 metre scrum, and from the subsequent ruck Josh Sprules scored his second try, Daniel managed this conversion and Bletchley led 3 -17.
This completed the scoring in the first half, with Dunstablians staying in the match by defending well and occasionally making inroads with some long clearances. Dunstablians missed penalty kicks on the half-hour and another chance just before half-time.
The game was more open in the second half as Dunstablians tired and lost players to injury. Scrums went uncontested for the last quarter. Bletchley ran in 8 tries from all over the pitch, some of which followed several phases of play:
- In the first minute of the second half Bletchley attacked, won successive rucks, and then passed the ball through all the backs for Dean Williams to score a try with an overlap. Conversion missed.
- Dale Keane took clean lineout ball and set up the maul to go over, Josh was held up, Bletchley won the scrum and Tom Foster then Daniel passed quick ball for Ryan to score. Daniel converted for a 3 -29 score.
- The next try also came from a Dale lineout, as Tom Perring took the ball in a rehearsed move, but was brought down. Tom Foster moved the ruck ball to Daniel who ran through and across the pitch to score near the corner. Conversion missed.
- Will Garrett created the next try with a winding run past several would be tacklers to let Luke Dale in under the posts. Daniel converted.
- Alan Briggs scored the next try after good work by Will and Tom Foster, Daniel converting, and the score had rolled quickly on to 3 – 48.
- From the kick off Daniel caught the ball and hoofed it 60 metres back down the field into touch. Curtis interfered with Dunstablians ball, Bletchley stole possession and Josh Sprules completed his hat-trick from the maul. 3 – 55.
- The penultimate try came from a messy Bletchley line-out, gathered by Josh who came agonisingly close to a fourth try, Tom Foster whipped the ruck ball out to Ryan from just a metre out, Ryan passed to Will to score. Try converted.
- To complete the scoring Bletchley rolled upfield, several players swapped passes for Will to score again. Daniel converted for a 3 – 69 final score.
Dunstablians fought hard all game and must be commended for their spirit and resilience. Bletchley need a close game to show their best characteristics, a fast, honest pack and unexpected attacks in the backs. For the fourth time in five weeks Bletchley scored over 50 points without really playing well. There are still too many turn-overs and spills and forwards hanging back for the “easy” ball.
Bletchley were due to play Bedford Athletic in the final Group 4 game next Saturday, 27th. The Ath have withdrawn from the Referees Cup so Bletchley find themselves as Group 4, having won all three games and progress to the Referee’s Cup semi-finals, to be played on 17th or 24th April. The match against the Ath game will go ahead at Manor Fields as a friendly. Ath bringing their u19 colt players.
Scorers:
Tries – Alan Briggs (2), Josh Sprules (3), Dean Williams, Ryan Cane, Daniel Read, Luke Dale, Will Garrett (2)
Conversions – Daniel Read x 7
Match Report by Martin Matthews |
Bletchley Colts, sponsored by Ring Road Garage Buckingham, travelled to Dunstablians for this East Midlands Colts Conference A match. The home side could only muster 14 players and were short in the front row so uncontested scrums were played. Bletchley had a fairly comfortable run out, running up a sizeable score in the first half. They went badly off the boil in the second half, as the home side kept on battling and took the game to Bletchley. Dunstablians were helped by the Bletchley forwards with white line fever who forgot what they should be doing, started avoiding rucks and mauls, obstructed the scrum half and loitered around the fly half, hoping for easy ball. That dereliction of duty and innumerable Bletchley fumbles and knock-ons made it a narrower score than it should have been.
From the kick off Bletchley kicked the ball back into the Dunstablians 22, the full back fumbled and Bletchley were awarded a scrum. With uncontested scrums this meant free ball, which was flipped onto Ryan Cane who broke a tackle and scored from the 22. Daniel Read missed the conversion. The second try also came from a scrum, with the ball moved quickly from Tom Foster to Daniel Read, Ryan Cane, fullback Will Garrett and finally Dean Williams, who beat two players as he scorched down the left-wing to touch down. Daniel missed the conversion from the touchline to leave Bletchley ahead 0 - 10 after just 10 minutes. Two converted tries followed in the next 10 minutes. Josh Sprules instigated the first by ripping the ball from a Dunstablians maul and tanking forward. He was tackled near the line, the Bletchley forwards were still working assiduously, won quick ruck ball and Alan Briggs crashed over. The next looked like a prepared move from a Bletchley lineout. Dale Keane won the ball at the front of the line, passed to Tom Foster who flipped the ball to Tom Perring cutting in to score under the posts.
Comfortably in front by 24 points with just a quarter of the game played a good Bletchley break fizzled out as some of the forwards stood watching and waiting for the first time. Dale picked up the ball, made ground, was tackled and a maul developed. Players from both sides fell away and Dale charged on, making nearly 30 metres in total. Unfortunately the Bletchley forwards stood back and let Dunstablians steal the ball and possession was lost.
Bletchley had a try by Keagin Webb harshly disallowed for playing the ball on the floor. The penalty was fielded by Will Garrett who ran the ball back 40 metres before he was tackled, the ruck ball was shipped through Ryan to Mark Tarrant to score. Mark scored his second try when he intercepted a flat pass in the Dunstablians 22. Just before half-time Dunstablians had a spell of possession, worked the ball through several phases before Bletchley were penalised for offside in their 22. The kick was successful and Bletchley led 3 -38 at half-time.
The first 20 minutes of the second half saw Bletchley with the bulk of possession, but numerous knock-ons and spills and hefty Dunstablian clearances kept them at bay. The first chance fell to Dunstablians, when Tom Perring gave away a penalty for handling on the floor and expressed his displeasure at the decision. Bletchley were moved back 10 metres, and Dunstablians ran the penalty from just 5 metres out. Bletchley defended well and cleared the ball. Dunstablians were still to score first when a wayward Bletchley pass behind a player left loose ball to be picked up and run in. A score considering Dunstablians efforts, particularly during the second half, was well deserved.
Bletchley did manage a fluid handling move from the kick-off as Will ran the ball back. The ball was shipped between Will, Tom Foster, Mark and then Keagin who scored. Will almost repeated the move soon after but unfathomably chose to throw the ball back over his head to end a promising attack. Bletchley’s last try came from a lineout taken by Dale, a rolling maul from the 22 with Harry Day coming up with the ball. The game ended with the Dunstablians centre strolling past some poor Bletchley tackles before Will took him down on the line. He managed to roll over and touch down for an unconverted consolation try, to leave the score 13 - 52.
Bletchley travel back to Dunstablians next Saturday, 20th March, for an East Midlands Under 18’s Referee’s Cup Group 4 match.
Match ball sponsorship was very kindly supplied by Mr Colin Donaldson of Donaldson’s Sports.
Scorers:
Tries – Ryan Cane, Dean Williams, Alan Briggs, Tom Perring, Mark Tarrant (2), Keagin Webb, Harry Day
Conversions – Daniel Read x 6
Match report Martin Matthews |
|
Colts
