Liverpool Collegiate Senior Colts 10-0 Littleborough Senior Colts
Littleborough senior colts travelled to Liverpool Collegiate on Sunday with a depleted team due to injuries and half term holidays. Their cause was not helped due to a police incident near the club that meant the team arrived late and only had ten minutes to warm up.
Liverpool second in the league started strongly and had more urgency, they were soon on the attack and should have scored but for great scrambling defence that forced an error just when it seemed they would score. Littleborough took some time to get organised due to players playing out of position but eventually put some passages of play together and this resulted in a penalty being awarded for offside. Unfortunately Dean Barlow missed the attempt from near the left hand touchline. Liverpool then began to dominate and the pressure finally telling with a penalty being awarded and converted for them to go ahead 3-0. Littleborough then lost James Whittaker with an injury and Ryan Stansfield through illness. The rest of the half was very even with defences on top Littleborough were awarded 2 further penalties which Dean Barlow narrowly missed and Liverpool missed one.
The start of the second half saw Littleborough playing up the hill. Liverpool kicked off and a mistake by Littleborough led to early pressure a couple of phases later Oliver Ingham put his body on the line and managed to hold the ball up over the line while three players tried to ground the ball. From the resulting 5m scrum the number 8 broke away fed the scum half who dived over near the posts to score. The try was converted. 10-0.
This was the wake up call that Littleborough needed and they started to play some fast open running rugby with Chris Park feeding the speedy Jacob Campbell who created havoc in the home defense beating a number of defenders only to be judged to have put a foot in touch on his way to the tryline. All Liverpool could do for the majority of the second half was to kick the ball clear out of their 22m. These kicks never found touch and were well returned by Oliver Ingham and Konrad Hill to continue the pressure they were backed up by fine runs by Oliver Thomas and Paul Hughes. The pack were now on top and the front row started to dominate their counterparts Jordan Barnes outstanding in the scrum. Unfortunately for all the pressure Littleborough excerted they could not turn it into points. Credit must go to a resilient Liverpool team who defended for their lives and to both teams who played a tight game in an excellent spirit. Thanks to the lads that stepped in to play in unfamiliar positions and gave their all against a much improved Liverpool side.
Littleborough RUFC Senior Colts 14pts v Fylde RUFC Snr. Colts 19pts Sunday 7th Feb/10
Billed as the major game of the weekend didn,t disappoint,vital Cup Match with the visitors coming from a standard of Rugby two divisions higher.The game started by both teams at express pace , Boro,s halfbacks and threequarters didn,t stand out as usual,whilst their forwards did well to compete in scrums and mauls but it was the visitors,playing down towards the Lake, who had the better part of the first quarter. Constant pressure by vistors eventually brought them the first score of the game,a converted try which after 25minutes their tall ,long striding inside centre,cut through and raced in for a second converted try.This pushed Boro into a higher gear and it wasn,t long before their forwards made a magnificent drive over their opposition line for James Whittaker to drop on the ball for their first try,finished off by Chris Park with a huge kick conversion.All Boro players were giving their all but it must be mentioned that Paul Hughes was outstanding , his energy level was tireless and his tackling was phenomenal.Into the second half Boro now with the initative,good break by Chris Park on to Dean Barlow almost made the try line. After 10minutes all Boro,attacking into visitors 10metres but again visitors escaped after Boro had camped in their 5metres for good 10 mins but couldn,t add any more score. Visitors never in Boro,s half after half time,Boro constantly camped in theirs and winning a set scrum ball was sent out to Chris Park who danced his way through several attempted tackles to race in under the posts then calmly added two more points,GAME ON! What an achievement by the Boro team,they had their home spectators believing the impossible , then against run of play and first time in Boro,s half,visitors made a break and ran in their third try,not converted. Time after time Boro attacked their opponents line,time after time their supporters roared and raised up their arms believing they had scored but the Referee claimed otherwise.Again Ben Joiner looked to have got away on the left flank,kicked over the fullback but just failed to re collect and Connor Birkett and James White will be wondering what more they have to do for the Referee to accept their attempted tries.Overall a fascinating performance by both teams,great advert for Rugby Union and without doubt the Man of the Match was Paul Hughes! Note, this was Boro,s first defeat of the Season.
Littleborough RUFC Senior Colts 50pts v Aldwinians RUFC Senior Colts B 3pts
Congratulations to the Colts lads who turned up to help clear the snow off the pitch to enable Sundays Match to take place and plus the thaw the ground at Rakewood is in remarkable good condition. As it was thought that there would be no game the opposition did well to rally round and arrive only delaying kick off for 30 minutes.
Waiting the arrival at the start for an opposition front row player the scrums started as un contested but reverted to normal when he came on the field where Boro were re acting to the long lay off and looking like the first match of a new season.They did receive however an early penalty award but didn,t take advantage,Dean Barlow off target,out of practice! Then immediate reaction from their opponents and they pinned Boro back on their 5Metre line but got caught with a crossing movement allowing Boro to gain relief, only for a short period till their opponents speedy right winger raced up the pitch and looked set to score till Boro,s fullback Dean Barlow made a splendid try saving tackle. Then nearly at the end of the first quarter tempers flared,frustration of a long layoff,excitement of the first game back,who knows but unusual for Boro to react this way and sending off to the sin bin for Boro,s Rob Murphy and his opponent not only stopped this nonsense but brought the match alive and signalled a wake up call to Boro. Having suffered the indignity of having a Penalty scored against them Boro then showed why they are challenging for top spot in their league and moved up into another gear resulting in Jack Cushen running in the first of Boro,s 8 Tries after good forwards pressure,Gordon Edwards,John Doherty and Stuart Irvine in evidence. From Visitors kick off, a high ball was kicked back and quickly followed up by Ben Joiner and James Whittaker putting pressure on opponents fullback, who didn,t gather the ball cleanly,Joiner kicked on and Whittaker beat the opposition to touch down over the line this time converted by Barlow.Before half time Boro,s threequarters got together with good astute passing resulting in Nathan Ripley showing his exciting pace to scorch in for the home teams try number 3.
Second half started with the opposition now facing an uphill battle with Boro now taking complete control of the match and providing the quite large supporting crowd with good quality running rugby from both forwards,Taylor,Wilkinson and Heaton
and backs,S.Taylor, Cushen and Park, it wasn,t long before further points were added,this time by Jordan Barnes,converted by Chris Park.The flood gates had started to open and halfway through the half Cushen made a brilliant individual run to score his second try only to be almost eclipsed by a fabulous express run by Joiner to get a richly deserved try, again converted by Park , who he himself went on to collect a brace of tries and converting one of them. Altogether this was a superb start to the New Year by the Rakewood lads, an all round team effort, after they woke up and significant from their earlier efforts to stage the game. The Man of the Match had to be the man in the middle, who had an excellent game himself, the Referee,James Dean !
Sunday 22nd November 2009
Littleborough Senior Colts RUFC 31 v West Park StHelens Senior Colts RUFC 12
Littleborough travelled to West Park St Helens on Sunday for a league game and were soon under pressure from a home team who started really well with a strong wind behind them. Little borough struggled against the strong wind and found it difficult to get out of their own half. They did not help themselves by dropping the ball or knocking it on on numerous occassions. The pressure finally told when after 20 mins the home team put the ball through their hands and created a gap in midfield for the back row forward to score near the posts the try converted. This seemed to wake up the away team and they began to put phases of play together. Just before half time West Park had the ball just inside the Littleborough half when good pressure from the defending team forced the West Park centre dropped the ball, Jacob Campbell fly hacked the ball and gave chase he managed just to get there before the fullback picked up the ball and dived over near the corner. Dean Barlow missed the conversion. Half time 7-5.
At the interval Littleborough were told to use the conditions to their advantage but straight from the kick off West Park recovered the ball and put a good move together to score in the corner. Littleborough then began to impose themselves on the game and a break from Ben Joiner opened up a gap for James White to storm down the left hand side of the pitch beating three defenders, with only the fullback to beat he chipped the ball over the fullbacks head for Jacob Campell to dive on the ball for a try in the corner, Dean Barlow landed a superb conversion from the touchline to level the scores 12-12
Littleborough now had the bit between their teeth now and the forwards started to punch holes in the home sides defence only some sloppy handling prevented adding to the score. Then midway through the second half Boro had a scrum just inside the West Park half Paul Hughes picked up from number 8 and set off for the posts, he was brought down but managed to pop the ball to Ben jJoiner who sped over in the corner. Dean Barlow again converting. 12-17. Littleborough now started to play some excellent rugby and scored 2 more trys through the excellent James White and probably the try of the game from a backs move which saw Nathan Ripley create a gap for Chris Park to dance through the defence and score under the posts. Dean Barlow adding the extras. Littleborough finally running out winners 12-31 and contiue to be unbeaten but will have to improve on that first half performance to remain so. Man of the match James White.
Sunday 25th October 2009
Littleborough Senior Colts rufc 61 v Preston Grasshoppers rufc 0
Preston Grasshoppers arrived at Rakewood with only 14 players and no trained front row for the senior colts game against top of the table Littleborough on Sunday. Littleborough started slowly playing uphill and against a strong wind but gradually started to put some decent phases of play together. It was after one of these phases that Littleborough opened the scoring the ball going through several pairs of hands for Jacob Campbell to score in the corner, Dean Barlow was successfull with the conversion. Littleborough were strong in defence and started putting in some big tackles which resulted in Preston losing possesion, from one of these turnovers the loose ball was picked up by Nathan Ripley who beat three players and put Jacob Campbell into space for him to score his second try off the day. The conversion was missed. Preston were now under pressure and did not help their cause when they had a player sent to the sin bin for a late tackle. From the resultant lineout the forwards caught and drove over the line for a try by James Whittaker. Littleborough were now in control of the game but were hampered by injuries to Nathan Eaton and Jacob Campell.The first half finished with an unconverted try scored by Simon Taylor. The second half was one way traffic with Littleborough playing downhill with the wind at their backs, they scored a further through Jordan Barnes Nathan Ripley James Whittaker Chris Park 2 and Ben Joiner 2 resulting in a final score of 61-0. Credit must go to Preston for competing for the whole game and not letting their heads drop. Littleborough still remain undefeated, they have no game next week but all players are reminded that there is a benefit evening for Paul Ashworth who suffered a serious injury and all are welcome at the club on Saturday night.
Sunday 18th October 2009
Littleborough Senior Colts rufc 51 v Trafford MV Senior Colts rufc 5
Once again Boro boys did not let themselves or the Club down, still maintaining their 100% winning record this season and as previous doing it in some style. Surprisingly playing down the slope in the first half Boro didn't take advantage of the several chances they provided for themselves to score turning round the half with only 15pts on the board. How ever they steaded themselves in the second half got good team work together and capitalised on the many opportunities they created at the same time tackling strongly to hold down any points that may be scored against them which in the long run can be used in calculating who tops the league. Enthusiasm by Nathan Ripley saw him head for the try line touch down,only to see that he had grounded over the dead ball line by mistake thereby throwing away a certain try !
Try scorers : N.Ripley (3) B.Joiner (2) J.Campbell (2) L.Devenny (1) R.Murphy (1) Conversions : N.Ripley (2) C.Park (1)
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