Under 8 Lions @ the Stratford Tournament

Date: 26-04-2009
Venue: home
Opponents: Stratford Tournament
Result:

Stratford Lions Under 8s fought four hard matches in their home tournament to end the season. Their first encounter – against Bromsgrove B – brought the closest result. Oliver Tubb earned the team three trys through clever weaving and determined running, covering the length of the pitch for his final score, while James Harrison added to the tally within moments of coming on as a substitute. Molly Beadon and Jay Bluck also fought through to score, while Ben Bloomfield, Harry Ballard and Felix Gallagher were unluckily denied after pushing forward. A close second half could not quite close the gap with the visitors who won 7-6.

Strong passing featured in the next contest against Worcester, with Bluck coordinating his efforts well with Gwillem Davis, Ballard again in the action and Harrison beginning the Stratford scoring. As Worcester drove back for a series of trys, the Lions were left battling and showing the value of persistence, with Tubb finally crossing the line to secure their second in a 10-2 defeat. Undaunted, the Lions took Old Leamingtonians A team to a much closer finish, with determined tagging from Matthew Vickers, Bloomfield again and Ballard and Davis executing an excellent pass to secure one of Stratford’s trys. Tubb was again formidable in attack, securing his second hat-trick of the morning – partly through Thomas White’s strong support - but the visitors prevailed 7-4.

Their final match saw the Lions tackling with spirit the formidable defensive line of Droitwich A. It was White’s turn to score in his own right after some determined running,  while Tubb’s courage shone through a late injury; but Droitwich showed their skill in practised moves that they converted to a series of well-executed trys, though the tagging of Bluck and Gallagher prevented some attacks. The final score reflected Droitwich’s experience in attack and defence, winning 10-1.