Hitchin U13s 19 - 46 CRUFC U13s

 

U13s STILL UNBEATEN AFTER TRIP TO HITCHIN

The Cambridge U13's continued their winning start to the season after an 8 try spree on the road at Hitchin who had stood in as eleventh hour opponents after Bedford withdrew from the scheduled fixture. 

A much changed Cambridge side was called upon due to injuries and withdrawals and the starting line up features some 10 changes, some of them positional, following their cup victory against Newmarket the weekend before. Marcus Jacklin merits a mention for playing out of position on the flank!

To make matters worse three boys fell victim to illness overnight and weren't fit to travel so a skeletal squad of 18 ran out at Hitchin's Old Hale Way ground in chilly and foggy conditions even though it had been delightfully sunny and warmish, 30 miles away in Cambridge. 

It didn't take Cambridge long to settle and they were 10-0 up after less than 5 minutes as George Marlin continued his good form with two trademark charges, one from 60m one slightly less, after good interplay put wide with Dan Rabbetts. Both conversions were missed. 

 

Hitchin hit back with a try of their own after 11 minutes, taking advantage of some slack Cambridge tackling with several efforts made to take their big centre down at chest level. Coach Marlin offered his own version of an Anglo-Saxon critique. The try was converted. 10-7.

Hitchin then attacked dangerously and put a hanging kick which landed on the Cambridge 22. George Marlin chased back, scooped it up, and the rest was plain sailing as he ran in his hat-trick try from 60m with Hitchin defenders trying in vain to keep up or lay a hand on him. The conversion was missed and the score was 15-7.

Half time came at this point and Cambridge made three changes, bringing Sam Hurd, Samuel Serby and Sam Burles on.  It seemed you only had to be called Sam to get on at this point!

Sam Hurd picked up where he'd left off against Newmarket and scored very early on after the forwards recycled the ball after a sizzling break down the left by Oliver Maynard. Hurd ran in relatively unopposed although he stepped through a couple of tackles nicely.

The conversion was against missed. 20-7. 

Hitchin's strapping centre then scored a second, although quite how he was allowed to run through having collected a garryowen when he was at least 10 yards offside was baffling to all apart from the referee!

Hitchin again converted and trailed only 20-14 at this point.

This didn't last as Samuel Serby then scored after an outside break by Sam Hurd who fed him into space and he strolled over from 10 yards. 

Another conversion, the 5th in a row was then missed. 

Sam Hurd then made a searing break from the Hitchin 10m line and showed a great stride length to keep the tacklers trailing. At last a conversion went over as Hurd took it from in front of the posts. 32-14. 

Hitchin then had their best spell of the game and despite a sterling effort by the Cambridge pack to keep them out, pressure told and they rumbled over after several phases of possession near the Cambridge line. The conversion was missed - 32-19.

Sam Hurd then completed his own hat-trick when he ran one in after an outside break and he touched down under the posts before converting.

The final try, to make it 44-19 was scored by Matty Schofield who got on the end of a good backs move and he was fastest to collect left Hurd's kick which bounced up nicely. Hurd again converted.

A decent all round performance from the squad who although they didn't quite hit the heights of their cup victory, did well with some key personnel missing.  The pack went well and contested at all times, edging the scrums and the backs had a cutting edge when under pressure but will be disappointed with some of their handling. They have been primed to be the best they can be and so any criticism on this occasion is intended to be only positive!

Squad: - Oliver Bradbury, Dan Rabbetts, Oliver Maynard, Guy D'Oyly, Robert Slatter, Toby Richardson, Matty Schofield, Sam Wallis, George Marlin, Marcus Jacklin, Byron Sparkes, Pawel Kozlowska, Mikey Brown, George Gadsby, Ryan Frayling, Sam Hurd, Samuel Serby, Sam Burles.