Match report

7th Feb 2010

Malvern 0 - Ledbury U11s 47

LEDBURY OUT-MUSCLE MALVERN

Ledbury under 11's returned to competitive action for the first time 

since 13th December with a game against local rivals Malvern.  Some of 

the Ledbury squad also joined players from Malvern and Evesham to form 

a Barbarians team who after playing Evesham U11s faced Ledbury in the 

team's second game.

GAME 1

MALVERN 0 - LEDBURY 47

The main event was the opening game against Malvern and from the kick 

off Ledbury used the power of their forwards to great effect.  

Bennion, Hemingway and Hinkley all carried well, driving into the 

Malvern half, with Raynor and Scott providing security at the rucks, 

allowing scrum-half Marriott to recycle the ball quickly.  Fierce 

defending from Malvern stopped Ledbury short of the line and forced a 

knock-on.  A strong Ledbury scrum and pressure from Marriott won 

turnover ball for Ledbury and when Marriott fed the backs the ball 

eventually reached Hinkley, looping round from the scrum, and he 

crossed the line for the first try.  Prestwich added the conversion.

Malvern, as they did throughout the game, applied real pressure from 

the restart, charging as a team to chase down the restart kick deep 

into Ledbury territory.  The home side's pressure led to some hurried 

passing and handling errors from Ledbury until Evans took control and 

set off on a typical jinxing run out of defence, taking play into the 

Malvern half.  Hands in the ruck from the home side led to a Ledbury 

penalty, with Hemingway emerging from the resulting maul to dive over 

for Ledbury's second try.  On this occasion Prestwich was unable to 

add the conversion, missing just to the right side of the posts.

 From the restart a series of drives by Ledbury's forwards took play 

up to the Malvern line but determined defending resulted in a 

defensive scrum.  But the Ledbury front five were dominating the scrum 

and won this one against the head.  Play moved into midfield with Best 

eventually taking the ball off the back of a maul and racing through 

to score Ledbury's third try, with Skittery adding the extra two points.

Hesitation in the Ledbury defence allowed the restart kick to bounce 

and it ended up in touch.  Malvern put real pressure on Ledbury's 

defensive throw and there was a spell of scrappy play with no real 

control from either side and several determined defensive tackles were 

needed from Prosser and Goodchap in particular.  Finally Scott 

collected and made a forward run which was well supported by Hinkley 

who offloaded in the tackle to Best.  Best was tackled just short of 

the line but showed great awareness to get his pass away to Evans who 

crossed for his first try of the match.  Prestwich converted to add 

the extra points.

Ledbury won the restart ball and ran it back at Malvern with only a 

knock-on preventing a further try.  But when Ledbury won the defensive 

scrum against the head, scrum-half Marriott stole down the blind side 

to cross for Ledbury's 5th try which Skittery converted.

Malvern were under pressure early in the second half but competed well 

and ripped the ball from Ledbury in a maul, clearing their lines with 

an excellent kick to touch.  Following the Ledbury line out there were 

several scrums in the Malvern half before Malvern could relieve the 

pressure with a penalty kick to touch.  Ledbury were able to steal 

ball at the line out and after a strong run Hemingway off-loaded to 

Bennion but the ball was knocked on just on the try line.  Ledbury won 

the scrum, again against the head, and spread the ball wide through 

the half-backs and centres before the ever-mobile Hinkley crashed over 

for his second try of the day.  Prestwich added the extras.

The restart from Malvern was kicked directly into touch leading to a 

scrum on the centre spot.  Ledbury drove forward from the scrum and 

Hinkley was tackled as he crossed the line, knocking the ball forwards 

out of his hands.  At the resulting defensive scrum Ledbury's forwards 

shoved the home pack off the ball and centre Skittery charged for the 

corner but yet more determined tackling from Malvern, who never let 

their heads drop,  took him in to touch just short of the line.  

Ledbury stole line out ball and when it reached Evans in the centre he 

cut back inside and, in his best will-o-the-wisp fashion, dodged 

through the Malvern defence to score the final try of the game.  

Skittery's conversion was the last kick of the game rounding off a 

good win for Ledbury.

Team: Hemingway, Bennion, Raynor, Hinkley, Scott, Marriott, Prestwich, 

Skittery, Evans, Best, Goodchap, Prosser.

Tries: Evans x2, Hinckley x2, Best, Hemingway, Marriott

Conversions: Prestwich 3/4, Skittery 3/3

GAME 2

BARBARIANS 0 - LEDBURY 17

Some changes were made to the Ledbury side for this second game which 

saw them facing a Barbarians teams including some of their own squad 

mates.  This was a closer affair than the first game with the Baba's 

more than holding their own in the scrum, at least in the first half, 

and competing well at the breakdown.  Ledbury welcomed back prop 

Goulding after an absence of several weeks and he made several good 

runs with ball in hand throughout the game, using his strength to good 

effect.

Although Ledbury's forwards made good ground during the opening phases 

of the game, they were also guilty on several occasions of holding on 

to the ball for too long, leading to several turnovers and some 

scrappy passages of play.  Following one knock-on near the Baba's 

line, a strong Baba's scrum and good clearing kick to touch put play 

back in the Ledbury half.  Ledbury's line out won the ball and a 

series of rucks and mauls took the ball back to the Baba's line where 

Hinkley continued a typically impressive morning's work by crossing 

for the first try of the game. Prestwich converted to add the two 

points.

The rest of the half was very competitive from both sides with Prosser 

and Lofthouse making good covering tackles to break up Baba attacks 

and Prestwich, Skittery and Harris making several breaks in midfield 

which were stopped by strong defense from the Baba's.  Mence and Best 

also made breaks on the wings but were held up by determined Baba's 

tackling.

Further changes to both sides were made at half time and the second 

half started scrappily with a series of knock-ons and scrums for both 

sides.  Some good Ledbury passing through the backs saw Lofthouse 

break down the line but he was tackled in to touch.  From the lineout, 

effective carrying from Bennion and Hinkley eventually saw Hemingway 

score the second try of the game.  The conversion was narrowly missed 

by Marriott, the ball bouncing off the underside of the bar.

Following the re-start Ledbury drove forward but the ball was stolen 

by Baba's at the breakdown and a great covering tackle was needed from 

Peters on his squad mate Evans who was playing for the opposition.  

Ledbury won the lineout and the ball moved across the field and 

following a series of forward drives Hemingway crossed for the third 

and final try.

Team:  Goulding, Best, Mence, Skittery (Goodchap 2nd half), Hinkley, 

Whiles, Harris, Lofthouse, Peters, Prosser, Scott (Hemingway 2nd 

half), Prestwich (Marriott 2nd half)

Tries: Hemingway x2, Hinkley

Conversions: Prestwich x1