Match report

08 November 2009

LEDBURY STORM TO TOURNAMENT VICTORY

Ledbury under 11s made there debut at Newlands home of the Cheltenham Tigers and left with the spoils.

They survived torrential down pours, freezing winds and stiff opposition to come through the festival unbeaten and be crowned 2009 Champions.

The festival was very well organised with 4 pools of  4 and with each game being  7 minutes each way with very little turn around time due to the weather .

The quality and standard of the rugby was of the highest order and despite horrendous conditions it was played at pace and with total commitment from the very first whistle.

Ledbury were drawn in Pool 2 which meant we would face Cheltenham B , Painswick and Old Pats .

The winners of this Pool would face the Winners of Pool 1 for a semi final place and then a final against the winners of the pool 3 and 4 semi.

Game 1

Cheltenham B 5 - 25  Ledbury 

Ledbury knew they had to start well , not known for our explosive start the coaches got the boys switched on and focused from the first whistle.

Ledburys forwards had field day in the scrum and totally destroyed there opponents ball.

This platform gave them total control and following 2 powerful carries from Bennion and a neat finish from Marriott they went in at the break 3 tries up.

To Cheltenham's credit they competed far better in the second period and took the game to Ledbury and scored a good try of there own but Ledburys forwards just created holes and Bennion exposed this to get his second try of the game and when Harris picked up at the base of the scrum to slide over the first game was won.

Tries : Bennion x 2 , Hemingway , Marriott , Harris

Game 2

Painswick 0 - 40 Ledbury

With Painswick winning there opening game Ledbury knew that they had to step it up and win to secure a semi final spot as group winners and step it up they did ! .

Hinkley went on the rampage early on a scored a fine try , yet again the front five of Hemingway , Bennion , Rayner , Scott and Hinkley were awesome ! they carried and disrupted at every opportunity , this work rate was soon rewarded as Painswick failed to cope with Ledburys physicality.

Marriott's quick hands fed Prestwich for the second and this opened the floodgates further tries for Hemingway and Prosser ensured Ledburys control.

Hinkley capped a fine individual performance with his hatrick following good support work from Scott. From the restart Evans collected the ball deep in his own half and put the burners on to carve his way through the opposition to score a fine solo effort and not to be out done from the next restart Prosser collected and ran it back with interest to collect his second and cap a fine team performance.

Tries ; Hinkley x 3 , Prosser x 2 , Bennion , Prestwich , Evans

Game 3

Old Pats 0 - 25 Ledbury

With Ledbury assured a place in the semis following there previous game you would have thought they would be happy to take it easy ! , not the case this was another committed and pacey performance .

From the opening scrum Ledbury shoved Old Pats off there ball and Harris collected the loose ball and finished off smartly to open the scoring .

Soon after Ledburys Goulding , Bandfield and Skittery made some great carries and asked questions of the opposition.

To Old Pats credit they held out until Freddie ( the Detonator Hemingway ) exploded through a pile of bodies to score Ledburys second.

This seemed to galvanize Ledbury and despite pouring rain they still stuck to there game and played some exciting stuff moving the ball wide at every chance the benefactor of this movement was Haines who finished off two further tries smartly to put the game beyond Old Pats.

There was still time for Hinkley to grab another, following a no nonsense run to which the Old Pats defence had no answer to.

Tries : Harris , Haines x 2 , Hinkley , Hemingway 

So Ledbury awaited our fate and as the final results came in the Semifinals would feature Cheltenham Tigers A , Stow and Rhwibina from South Wales.

Semi Final

Cheltenham A 0 - 15 Ledbury

Ledbury knew that this would be a physical encounter and rotated there squad accordingly.

From the off it was clear that both sides were up for it with big hits going in all over the park , But Ledburys heavier pack started to get to grips with there opponents , Hinkley and Bennion did the hard yards and kept Ledbury on the front foot.

Cheltenham are a good side and move the ball well so Ledburys defence which had been excellent all morning had to be switched on .

Super hits out wide from Evans and Prosser kept the game tight as both sides looked for a way through.

This opportunity soon arrived when from a short lineout Hemingway collected and charged down the wing to score in the far corner.

At the turn and with the weather continuing to deteriorate both sides look to impose themselves but Ledbury sensed they were getting on top and when the other Prop Bennion powered over from close in to extend Ledburys lead the final was within there grasp.

Cheltenham threw everything at Ledbury but the defence held firm and when the ball was knocked on in contact Scott collected and fed Hemingway who would not be stopped and put the game beyond doubt.

Tries : Hemingway x 2 , Bennion

Final

Rhwibina 5  -  10 Ledbury

So with the trophy and title at stake Ledbury were going to have to do it the hard way against a very talented Rhwibina side. The challenge would be made even more difficult as we had to play uncontested scrums at Rhwibina request , so our platform of a solid scrum set piece would be taken away from us , something Ledbury were not happy about but could do nothing to change it.

Memories of the last time these two sides met when Rhwibina won was enough to motivate Ledbury and if they had to do it the hard way then so be it !.

Ledbury stuck to there game plan which had served them well up to this point , good basics , support the runners and defence.

Both sides to there credit tried to move the ball around and play some rugby and it was a very good final . 

Ledbury used there big runners messer Hinkley , Bennion and Hemingway to get them over the gain line and they did this to good effect .

Ledbury were very physical and never gave there opponents a sniff and thoroughly dominated the territory, always going forward and this directness and commitment was rewarded when from Rayners lineout Hemingway collected at the front and steamed through the desperate tacklers to touch down.

In the second half it much of the same with Ledbury looking the more likely to score so it came as a shock when Rhwibina pinched a try following a mistake by Ledbury close to there own line.

With the game all square it could have gone either way but Ledbury showed the courage and metal that they have been developing slowly over the past two seasons and dug in.

Huge carries from Hinkley , Prosser and Evans tested the welsh sides defence and they were having in there.

But justice was served when Ledbury picked and drove at Rhwibina and from close in Bennion peeled of the back of the maul to go over in the corner with virtually the last play to ensure the victory for Ledbury .

Tries : Hemingway , Bennion

Ledbury Squad :

Hemingway , Rayner , Bennion , Hinkley , Scott , Goulding , Bonfield , Harris , Marriott , Prestwich , Best , Evans , Skittery , Haines , Goodchap , Bandfield , Prosser.

This was a huge SQUAD effort, we played as a team in every match.

Everyone playing and wearing a Ledbury shirt today played with pride and passion and this effort was rewarded with

5 victories , 23 tries for and only 2 against !! , ooh yes and i nearly forgot the Trophy and title of THE UNDER 11S 2009 CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL CHAMPIONS.

We are all so proud of you , enjoy this moment as it is long over due and build on it throughout 2009/2010 Season.

Well Done Boys .