|
UNDER 16 SCHOOLS FLOODLIT CUP REACHES LOCAL CLIMAX
19/03: Hutton GS 13 Kirkham GS 10 (Final sponsored by UCLAN)
 TENACIOUS flanker George Skofic was the hero as Hutton Grammar School claimed their first-ever Northern Schools Under-16 Floodlit Trophy.
Skofic scored the Preston side’s two tries in a hard-fought 13-10 win over local rivals Kirkham Grammar School.
But Hutton, with as many as eight county players in their starting line-up, were pushed every inch of the way by their Lancashire neighbours in a game where the lead changed hands three times.
Played in front of a sizeable crowd at Preston Grasshoppers, the two sides produced a thrilling finale to a competition which began in September and involved 21 schools from as far away as Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
For the route to the Final, Click here...
After an edgy start Kirkham inched in front before the interval with a penalty from James Gardiner.
Hutton, with their inspirational captain Ben Vernon away on England duty, hit back straight from the restart with Skofic sneaking round on the blind side to score in the corner to lead 5-3 at the break.
 Fly-half Tom Lancaster put them further in front with a penalty early in the second half, only for Kirkham to roar back with a well-taken try from Matthew Bennett, converted by Gardiner, to lead 10-8.
Hutton were not finished and Skofic produced a carbon copy of his first-half try to win the game in dramatic fashion.
The victory went some way to compensating the Preston side for a one-point defeat in the Lancashire Schools Cup Final 10 days earlier at the hands of Lancaster Royal Grammar School, a result which robbed the squad of their third county title in three years.
As reported by Brian Ellis in the Lancashire Evening Post
|
