All MAC v Market Bosworth (u16)

All MAC v Market Bosworth U16

After what seemed like an infinitely long summer; the All Macs season finally got started with a visit from Market Bosworth to Ashby RFC.

With a new season brings a new combination of players to the under 16’s as some of last years under 14’s move up to join the remaining under 16’s.

Market Bosworth were a well drilled, experienced team focussed on playing quickly to get the ball out to their outstanding fly half and centres. But the season needs to start somewhere!

Market Bosworth dominated possession and territory throughout the first half helped by some soft turnovers and handling errors from the nervous All Macs. Penalties and free kicks gave MB good field position to launch their attacking game largely focussed on the fly half’s arcing runs and accurate distribution to launch the centres and wings down the flanks giving them an early three try cushion. Despite the score line the All Macs came back time and time again to try to turn the tide but a further try from a very flat pass and another from a scrum that went against the head lead to a formidable half time deficit.

The positives from the first half have to be the spirit that drove the All Macs back at MB time and time again as well as the scrum and close, phased ball carrying. But handling errors and some excellent jackling from MB meant that momentum was hard to come by for the home team.

The second half started well for MB but overall, the play was much closer and All Macs started to gel and put some good passages of play together. This resulted in our only try of the game, a reward for some hard direct running straight into the heart of the MB defence. The final touch down coming from Kira who followed a hard run to the line as well as fighting off two tacklers before twisting and lunging to get the points on the board. To top things off she also took the conversion which spectacularly ricocheted off the cross bar for the extra points.

The game petered out to full time with a number of scrums and injuries as MB came out deserved winners but the score line did not reflect the standard of the two teams and All Macs should feel hard done by not to have had another couple of scores.

There were lots of positives to take from todays game such as the strength of the scrum despite a number of players playing out of position, the interlink play between backs and forwards as well as the team spirit. The camaraderie was fantastic throughout and it was wonderful to see the team come together in their new club ties afterwards.

Well done to all who played today especially those playing their first games.