Match report u9 v Ashby

Ashby brought 2 distinct sides to play Market Harborough’s Under 9 teams on this crisp sunny sunday morning. The Menaces played each team twice, all 4 games providing a stern test of defensive and attacking skills.

First up were Ashby’s B team: an evenly-matched first half where 7-tackle phases for each side showcased some excellent defensive work by both teams and meant a solitary Teagan Beaufoy try separated the 2 sides at half time. In the second half, however, the Menaces’s superior physicality told as the tackle count increased - strong displays from George Williams, Joab Tiney, and Teagan Beaufoy - as did the try count with 1 each from George Williams, Joab Tiney, and Arthur Adams. The whole team, however, were deserving of the plaudits as some pop-up passes and passes in the tackle epitomised some intelligent handling play. Unquestionable winners at 4-1.

Ashby’s A team were noticeably larger and able to match the Menaces’ physicality, ensuring Menaces were unable to dominate as in the earlier fixture. A poor start from Ashby lead to a turnover and whilst the Menaces had the lion's share of possession they could not convert this into tries, albeit coming close on several occasions. George Williams grabbed the Menaces’s only try in the 1st half (taking 2 tacklers with him in the process) however it was Ashby, with several strong players, who were able to convert scoring opportunities into points. As the match went on, Menaces’s frustration manifest itself with some scrappy throwing, and knock-ons. As the frustration heightened, so did the tackles requiring the referee to talk sternly to players from both sides and nipping some incidents from boiling over. Ashby A were eventual 3-1 winners and Menaces were left to consider what might have been.

The second game against Ashley B went much like the first: strong tackling, good physicality, and great passing allowed Teagan Beaufoy and George Williams to grab 2 tries each in another dominant display, and a 4-2 win. This gave the Menaces some much needed confidence and hunger to atone their earlier defeat against Ashby A in the final match of the morning.

Whilst the final game against Ashby A was closer than the first game, concentration levels began to wane and more mistakes conceding turnover ball allowed Ashby A some easy tries. Ruud Hubbers and George Williams both scored a try each but Menaces eventually lost again to Ashby A this time 3-2 with some lessons learned.