Under 11's @ Stratford Tournament

Date: 26-04-2009
Venue: home
Opponents: Stratford Tournament
Result: W 5-0, D1-1, W 6-1, L 4-0, L 5-0

Stratford U11s gave a good account of themselves at their tournament this weekend.  They started well, winning two and drawing one, but unfortunately the draw did not favour the home side having played three games in a row, who then came up against well-drilled sides from Worcester and Droitwich.
 
Birmingham Solihull were outpaced in a very one-sided first match.  Prop John Wyles scoring from the first move of the game, quickly followed by Oli Crabtree, with his first of the tournament.  Jerome Marcel popped one over in the third move of the game after a dummying run from Edward Beighton.  Jack Hanks picked up and drove for the line just before half time, slipping the ball to Harry Huckerby, who was held up right on the line.  In the second half, Nathan Mylchreest took a great catch to pass to Crabtree for this second, quickly followed by Oliver Houlton.  Final score Stratford 5, Birmingham Solihull 0.
 
The match against Old Leams was one that could have gone either way, but Stratford battled hard, particulary due to the efforts of the pack and relentless tackling from Crabtree and Huckerby, but Old Leams scored first.  Stratford were getting frustrated but their persistence paid off in the final move of the game when Wyles made a superb effort to drive for the line.  Final score Old Leams 1 - Stratford 1.
 
Stratford's quick ball game returned for the third match against old rivals Bromsgrove, Stratford running in 6-1 winners.  William Roberts scored first followed by a blinding run from Jonty Thornton to score in the corner.  Marcel picked up his second of the day after a great take and weaving run.  The final score before half time came from a pick up from Oli Bell, passing along the line through Thornton and Crabtree to Harry Collinge. Bromsgrove got one back in the second half but Houlton scored again. The final try came from a well-worked line out move to Chris Short who flicked the ball out to Beighton and Roberts who made the final pass to Thornton to score his second of the match.
 
Stratford forwards Hanks, Wyles, Daniel Wilkes, Max Tuszynski, Gethin Davies, Adam Best, Kane Knight and Robin Sreenivasaprasad provided a sound platform throughout the matches enabling the backs to make easy work of scoring.  This was a great squad effort, rounding off a very enjoyable season.