Medway RFC Cougars

Sunday 11 October 2009

Brentwood Golden Boot Festival

(Match Reports by Jim Kennedy and Mark Marriott)

Paul's Pictures

Alan's Pictures

This Sunday the Cougars attended the Brentwood Golden Boot Festival. A privilege to be invited as amongst the strongest teams in Essex, Kent and Hertfordshire. Medway took 18 players due to injury ravages and reached the Semi-Final of the Bowl, losing at this stage to Hertford 7-5. After spending some 8 hours at the festival the Cougars headed home with a real sense of achievement mixed with some dissapointment in not securing silverware but safe in the knowledge that the Medway u16 Cougar group keeps good company within the rugby fraternity competing on a level field with the Tournament participants who were:
Barking; Braintree; Hertford; Tunbridge Wells; Brentwood; Chelmsford; Old Dartfordians; Ilford; Colchester; Cranbrook; Romford; Thurrock; Tonbridge Juddians; Beccahamians; Blackheath; Southend; Westcliff; Woodford; South Woodham Ferrersl and of course.......MEDWAY!

Cougars Squad:

Chelmsford 5 - Medway 5

Try: Stewart

The Group stages saw Medway get under way with a against Chelmsford. A scintilating move by Fergus Stewart and Charlie Wardynski with Stewart scoring the points in a hard fought match. Chelmsford were strong, very strong, and Medway matched the forward power taking all line out and scrum ball. The half time score remained the final score with stalemate and parity in the second half.

Medway 7 - Old Dartfordians 7

Try: Reynolds

Con: Gowdy

Next up were old rivals Dartfordians who, as usual, used their huge pack to great effect and scored early to lead 7-0. Further exchanges in the forwards left the Cougar management apoplectic as screams of "use the backs" fell on deaf ears as the forwards proceeded to knock at least seven barrels out of each other in what seemed a last man standing prizefight! Local derby mentality obviously meant that both sides had some old scores that needed settling. However, eventually the ball was moved wide for true paceman Connor Reynolds to scream into the corner, untouched by the cover 7-5. Luke Gowdy stepped up to add a fine kick and level the scores at 7-7 with Medway looking in control. The pressure mounted and Dartford conceded two penalties, both kicked and both narrowly wide to leave Medway cursing and Dartford relieved. A further draw.

Brentwood 12 - Medway 5

Try: Wardzynski

Brentwood provided stiff opposition and looked the stronger with a good try from sustained forward pressure. Full back Nick Hardinges tackled and with assistance from Conor Chalmers and James Clarke tackled some more but a score was conceded out wide to take Brentwood in front 5-0. Then a blow with an intercepted pass gifting the opposition more points and a 12-0 lead - heads could have dropped. Instead Sam Cornell and Gowdy set about the opposition and probed with fantastic hard yards gained by Max Fenton, Liam Fitzpatrick and Captain Jack Johnson the ball passed through the tenacious hands of Ben Wellard, Dan Stone and then to Charlie Wardzynski to reap a reward from a shrewd tactical change that allowed Wardynski's pace to carry him to the corner for a hard earned score. Time elapsed and 12-5 was the final score.

Ilford Wanderers 5 - Medway 10

Try: Wellard

Con: Gowdy

Pen: Gowdy

Ilford up next and a WIN! with some sterling work from Harrison Irons, Jake Christodolou and Tom Brown in the forwards ensuring that Ilford were starved of possession. Sam Cornell was tackled high and the red mist settled down around him for a few minutes with his teammates simply shouting "give the ball to Sam". He singlehandedly caused panic in amongst the Ilford defence with his raging carries. Eventually the dam broke and a phase of possession involving at least 5 phased recycled plays with great patience and driving play from Connor Chalmers, James Clarke, Alex Williams and Luke Gowdy leading to a great try by Ben Wellard - Gowdy converted from wide with a great kick to make the score 7-0. Ilford responded with pressure and despite the defence scored a well worked try to close the gap to 7-5. Then it was all Medway and with time running out Luke Gowdy elected to kick a penalty for a 10-5 final score.

Hertford 7 - Medway 5

Try: Hardinges

Next the Bowl Semi-Final vs Hertford. Travelling replacements Lewis Marriott and George Simpson were the most vocal and egged the squad onto a final place with Matthew Kennedy playing on despite having been banged up with tireless tackling and support play. He ensured Medway ran Hertford close with his best rugby performance to date. Despite Matthew's efforts and Fergus Stewart and Nick Hardinges attacking runs deep into the heart of Hertford's defence (with Hardinges bagging a superb individual try sidestepping the whole of the Hertford backline) the spoils went to Hertford and Medway left Essex exhausted and encouraged with their display of confident 15 man rugby.

Brentwood are thanked for their hospitality and a splendid day of running rugby.....C'mon Medway!