PAN DOWN SCREEN FOR OLDER REPORTS
A well deserved and well fought victory against a strong and powerful Grantham team continued the Under 16's excellent run of form. They remain, to all intents and purposes apart from a defeat in the cup and the abandoned match against Lincoln , unbeaten this season. It is due to their strength in depth that this successful season owes so much and the fact that the squad of 24 boys can all play and contest for first team starting positions. This game, against one of the strongest and largest forward packs they have had to face this season, was to be a test of character and determination. A draw in the corresponding fixture earlier in the season had perhaps been one of their lowest clinical' performances and the team were keen to ensure that there was no repeat. They were also aware that victory was not a certainty.
Kesteven kicked off with the wind at their backs and soon put a driving attack into action with their forwards pushing the Blues from the half-way line into their own twenty-two. Agile play followed a maul allowing Grimsby to break straight back setting the tone for Grimsby to dominate much of the first half although still lacking focus and vision from their set pieces. Breaks by Jim Mulenga, Will Pridgeon and Sam Reeve on the wings were soon counter attacked by Kesteven who used their big forwards more and more as the dominant part of their play. The Grimsby forwards attempted to keep up with their counterparts and some excellent tackles by Ali Thomson and Daniel Bramley ensured that Kesteven would not break through. Indeed it was Grimsby who made the first break with Joe Wright and Will Pridgeon darting through supported by their forwards, forcing Kesteven to infringe resulting in a penalty where Joe Wright scored the first points. Kesteven then regrouped and started a consistent attack and but for a timely interception from Reeve would have had a clear run into the corner for a try. Forward momentum from Kesteven did finally pay off as they broke through from a lineout and a quick catch and pass move resulted in two missed tackles by the Grimsby defence leaving Kesteven to deservedly cross the line to lead 5-3 at half-time.
When the teams turned round at second half it was Grimsby that had the advantage of the wind on their backs. It wasn't long before the advantage was taken with an excellent blind side move by flanker Tom Baker and Liam Wiseman resulting in an excellent try for Wiseman, boosting his confidence. Wiseman used his pace and cool head to interchange with Baker and when Baker was caught just short of the line there he was to pick up, drive over the line and score. With the conversion missed Grimsby kept up the attack. Wright used the wind to great effect penetrating deep into Kesteven territory and after one kick through had narrowly run through the back of the pitch leading to a Kesteven twenty two drop out he persevered and his next kick stopped in the try area which was successfully chased down by Will Pridgeon using his strength to block off the Kesteven defenders and score under the posts. Grantham once again had to regroup and after a successful foray into the Grimsby half scored themselves using the strength of their forwards. This looked to spur them on, and but for a timely tackle by Reeve, managing to put his body between the ball and the ground and the try line, the score could have easily swung in Kesteven's favour. Having managed to wrestle the ball loose a counter attack nearly paid off resulting in a line out in the Kesteven half. From the lineout Kesteven won the ball and attempted to play it down their line only to loose it in midfield where it come to the unlikely hands of second row Phil Stark. Stark decided to kick the ball and to everyone's delight in the Grimsby crowd the ball fell favourably for Jamie Dennis, just back from an injury lay-off, who caught it and ran in to the corner to score a try effectively sealing the game. Another superb victory in what is becoming a very successful season demonstrating how much the boys have matured as individuals and as a team.
Arriving in Driffield after a long car journey, this strong Grimsby team took to the field looking somewhat lethargic and struggled to get going in the first half of this fixture. However, after the coaches words of encouragement' a second half display of exhilarating skills demonstrated how Rugby should be played. Culminating in five second half tries with four conversions to demonstrating their superiority. Had it been for some very poor catching and a basic misunderstanding of the rules, this game could have been dead and buried by the half time whistle. As it was, both sides turned around at the break with no points on the board to show for their efforts.
The match began with a cross wind which on reflection severely hampered Grimsby's style of play and was to prove the cause of so many dropped balls spoiling the run of play. Captain Joe Wright looked to dominate the loose play, whilst the pack, including Steve Jackson, Callum Hill and Tom Love tried unconvincingly to put their superior strength to the test against a small yet agile Driffield pack. The time spent on the training ground working on honing the basic skills seemed to fail in the first half of this game, when Joe Wright did throw the ball long the backs made light of those basic errors by dropping the ball or passing forward. Breaks by Liam Wiseman and Phil Stark failed to dislodge the Driffield defence and scruffy back-up support resulted in numerous infringements. Indeed Will Pridgeon was lucky to stay on the field after being caught off-side for a third time. As it was the whistle for half-time could not have come any sooner and Grimsby were keen to take the break and regroup.
Four changes were made at half-time Ash Watson for Jonny Norman, Jim Mulenga for Liam Wiseman, Tom Baker for Dan Bramley and Sam Reeve for Danny Burnett. These changes along with the continued motivation by Captain Joe Wright seemed to spur the boys on and an early break by Reeve was brought to a halt just short of the Driffield line. Not long into the second half, Tom Baker, who appeared to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, was sin-binned by the referee who seemed to have had enough of the alleged Grimsby infringements. This was to spur the Grimsby players on and from a resulting penalty Grimsby broke away and allowing Pridgeon to ride through numerous missed tackles and score under the post. The flood gates then opened and for once the ball seemed to stick to the palms of the Grimsby player's hands. A strong surge by the Grimsby forwards allowed Wright the space to run through and touch to ball down unopposed. Within minutes a similar move from a line out resulted in the biggest cheer of the day when Mighty Joe Parkinson scored his first ever try for Grimsby . He used his strength and his new found pace to break through at least three tackles and score. Congratulations were short lived when it was realised that his dive to the line had led to an injury to his leg. He hobbled of to cheers from the players and the crowd and with the match now won the Blues put on a display of skill, agility and new found confidence. Will Pridgeon once again darted through to score his second try of the match and a further try by winger Jim Mulenga in the corner, (his trade mark) was superbly converted by Joe Wright
In conclusion, a first half to forget and a second half that shows why so many teams have such respect for the Grimsby Boys. With their elders the Colts getting to the final of the NLD Cup and this performance against strong opposition, it demonstrates there is a bright future for Grimsby Rugby Club.
Grimsby 's Tom love put on a dazzling performance in his new position at number 8 to produce a superb overall performance from the Grimsby boys. Up against a strong and heavy Newark team the Blues played to their strengths, moving the ball wide and constantly making sorties into the Newark defence in search of weaknesses. These were soon exposed with a breathtaking first half that run in three tries all with a tint of excellence.
The game began with Newark kicking with the wind and their early pressure was quickly subdued by the Grimsby backline and it was the home team who made the first real attack with a kick through by Captain Joe Wright allowing Liam Wiseman to run through only for the Newark full-back to struggle to get the ball into touch. Indeed Wiseman soon broke again only to loose the ball when he appeared clean through. Then step forward Will Pridgeon who used his speed and agility to break along the right wing and to score the opener under the posts. It was then down to the forwards and in particular Tom Love to show their own speed and agility and from a lineout the ball was secured by the Blues and a back row move allowed Love to break off from the rear of the maul and using his strength to carry him over the line secured a great try.
The third try of the half saw a break in mid field by Callum Hill who managed to escape the tackles of the Newark defence draw in their fullback and pass exquisitely to Will Weir up in support who ran in unopposed under the posts. All three tries were converted and Grimsby ran in twenty-one nil up at half time.
The second half unfortunately saw one or two injuries with Craig Scott injuring his right leg and two of the Newark players injuring their ankles. This halted the run of the play for a short while, allowing Newark to dictate the game on the restart and through some sloppy Grimsby tackles, managed to score themselves. Grimsby then woke up and a superb break by the forwards attacked the Newark line, drawing in their defence and demonstrating quick hands culminating in the Newark backline crumbling to let in the right winger Danny Burnett to score. Newark quickly responded with a forward sortie themselves and some missed Grimsby tackles got the wrath of Captain Joe Wrights tongue. This seemed to regenerate Grimsby and another darting and dazzling move by Will Pridgeon allowed Grimsby to finish the match with five tries to the good. A last minute try by Newark against the run of play gave the result an element of respectability, but in conclusion a comfortable victory for the Blues as they go into the last few weeks of the season on a high.
Grimsby Rufc Under 16s travelled to a freezing Boston on Sunday to defend the tens title which they won convincingly last year. Glossop - who beat Grimsby earlier in the season in the NLD Cup - were Grimsby's first opponents. The Derbyshire side pressurised a sleepy-looking Grimsby early in the first half and were rewarded with a try. Grimsby came back with a quick break from captain Joe Wright. He passed to Callum Hill who scored under the posts and then converted. But the revival was short-lived and Glossop dominated the second half and won three tries to one.
Grimsby put 50 points past a weak Skegness side with tries from Will Pridgeon and Jim Mulenga, among others. The scoreless first half against Boston was riddled with mistakes from Grimsby but they scored three tries after the interval, securing a win and a place in the final. Their good form continued with a win over Sleaford, where Grimsby ran in eight tries, including scores from Ash Watson, Chris Johnstone, Sam Reeve and Jamie Dennis.
Grimsby were hoping to get revenge over Glossop in the final but, as in their earlier game, Glossop proved too strong for tired Grimsby. Glossop ran out winners by three tries to one, just as they had done earlier in the day. Grimsby's only try was scored by Daniel Bramley.
One of the top teams in South Yorkshire's Junior Rugby came to Grimsby last Sunday, coming off the back of a very good wining result against a strong Driffield side, expecting a walk in the park. At the end of an exciting match they left full of admiration for a very strong Grimsby under 16s team which outclassed them in every department. Apart from a nervous few minutes at the start and a lack of concentration right at the end, this proved to be a comfortable victory with the Rotherham coaches announcing they had come up against one of the strongest teams to date. The victory provided the Blues with a platform to continue their successful season and it was their strong winger, Jim Mulenga who was to steal the show with a hatrick of tries, two in the first half and one in the second.
The game kicked off with the Rotherham forwards, who were clearly much larger and stronger bringing the game to Grimsby . In the first 10 minutes there big pack managed to break through on a number of occasions but failed to capitalise on their strength advantage. This was down to good work in the rucks and mauls by the Grimsby front three who cleared up any loose play allowing the Blues to quickly move the ball into the Rotherham half. With Grimsby pushing forward they were awarded a lineout on the Rotherham five metre line, a quick catch by Tom Baker in the line resulted in quick ball from Ash Watson to Wright, Dennis and Hill and eventually leading to Mulenga to score in the left hand corner. The second try was soon to follow with the forwards this time attacking the Rotherham pack and pulling in their defence. On this occasion a backs moved worked a treat, with Reeve joining the line from full back drawing his opposing player and passing at the right moment for Mulenga to run in his second unopposed try.
The game was now hotting up and Rotherham began to commit bodies forward in greater numbers. The Blues left side came under considerable pressure and held firm forcing Rotherham to change tack and make sorties on the right side; however on each occasion they were drawn back through fierce tacking and a resilient backline defence. With the first half drawing to a close, Grimsby came out clearly on top and with expectations of building further on the twelve nil score line.
The second half begun with a similar pattern to the first with the initial pressure coming from the Yorkshire team, who once again failed to capitalise due to some notable tackling by Joe Parkinson, Tom Love and captain Joe Wright. As the game progressed and Rotherham began to tire we entered into an untidy stage with numerous knock ons and penalties from both sides and the ball becoming tied up within the forwards. With the forward leadership from the ever improving No.8 Adam Beeken, the Blues began to recirculate the ball quicker and from a driving maul, Beeken found space to break away and score under the posts. Joe Wright stepped up and converted to push the score on to 19 - 0. This try opened the game up and allowed it to flow into the type of running rugby that Grimsby excels at. With the game entering its final period the Grimsby team stepped up a gear and made numerous breaks against a deflated opposition. From a great break by the forwards, Baker took off down the touchline, with only the fullback to beat, he off loaded to Phil Stark who looked certain score but the ball was never under control and it squirmed out of his hands and provided the opposition with a knock on' life line. By this time Grimsby were rampant and the game really sprung into life, but for good opposition tackling Jamie Dennis and Callum Hill both could have broken through with innovative darting runs. Sustained Blues pressure did eventually pay off through a blind side move by Baker and Mulenga once again cutting open the Rotherham defence with ease leading to the demon winger's hatrick.
With the game all but over Rotherham managed to score what proved to be a consolation try with their last attack of the match. Although this seemed to put a slight dampener on proceedings, Grimsby , heads held high, walked off the pitch with a convincing victory which led to high praise for their performance by the Rotherham coaching staff. The U16's now role onto more County opposition in the form of Lincoln with the squad rotation methods coming into play demonstrating our strength in depth and allowing an equally strong line up to take the field and demonstrate their skills and commitment to this highly successful Squad
Birthday boy Will Pridgeon stole the show on a drizzly, cold Sunday morning at Springfield Road with two superb tries and an exhibition of running play from the three-quarters against a strong Scunthorpe team keen on revenge after two earlier defeats to the Blues. Pridgeon outlined his overall improvement this season and why he has become a regular within the county line-up. Scunthorpe brought along a well-built team, with their forwards dominating most of the rucking and mauling.
Grimsby's forward strength remained in the lineout, which has been the cornerstone of their achievements this season, with Tom Baker and Phil Stark excelling in their respective positions. Within the scrum, county hooker Ali Thomson once again dominated, ensuring a tight front three along Steve Jackson and Joe Parkinson, keeping Scunthorpe at bay. Grimsby were without two of their first-team regulars, out through other commitments, meaning a reshuffle in formation. Callum Hill moved from flanker to fly-half and, through his vision and ingenuity, provided a solid platform for the backs to operate.
The first half started with some persistent attacking by Scunthorpe, though they failed to get through the determined Grimsby front line. Attacks down the flanks were resisted through strong tackles by captain Adam Beeken and flanker Baker, and any kicks over the top were picked up by full-back Sam Reeve to co-ordinate a counter attack. It was to be from one of these kicks that Grimsby's first points score materialised. Scunthorpe sent a kick over the Blues' back line and into the touchdown area where Ali Thomson grounded the ball and then took it upon himself to take a quick 22-yard drop out, which Pridgeon ran down, braking through the Scunthorpe defence before passing outside to Barney Smith and then to Danny Burnett, who attacked the corner. Scunthorpe's defence looked to out-number Grimsby but smart overlapping and positional play by Burnett enabled Pridgeon to 'ghost' around the back to score. The second try followed shortly afterwards when a terrific forward drive, followed by some excellent forward phase play, culminated in Jonny Norman at scrum-half releasing to Hill. Hill drew his man, only to pass to an unlikely centre in Joe Parkinson. He caught the ball magnificently and drew his player before releasing it at just the right moment for Pridgeon to score unopposed. Both conversions were narrowly missed but Grimsby ended the half strongly, two tries to the good.
The second half was all Grimsby apart from an occasional burst by Scunthorpe which was quickly repelled by strong tackles from the two flankers, Baker and the improving Daniel Bramley. Grimsby tried but failed to break down a now despondent opposition and, but for final phase misjudgements, the score could have been much higher. On the whole the result was generous to Scunthorpe and Grimsby U16s remain unbeaten against county opposition.
A Long drive was the culmination of a hastily arranged fixture with Kesteven (Grantham) and allowed Grimsby Under 16s to extend their unbeaten run against county opposition. This was to prove a far from convincing performance, but it provided a chance for some of the extended squad to show their strength and push for places in the regular starting 15, with the final game of the year looming against Fenlands in a fortnight. The start was delayed due to a shortage of pitches in Grantham and the overnight rain had left them in a heavy and muddy state. This spoiled the quick running game which has shown so much promise for the young Blues since the start of the season.
Kesteven, kicking down the slope, were camped in the Grimsby half for most of the first period, though occasional breaks by Joe Wright and Craig Scott pushed the Blues upfield, where their defensive line held out to the constant pressure by the home team. Good tackles by Adam Beeken, Joe Tulley and Dan Bramley (making his first full start) ensured the Grimsby line was not breached. Indeed, it was Grimsby who eventually took the lead when a break from the back of the scrum on the blindside led to Jim Mulenga's strength pushing over the line. The subsequent conversion was missed by inches and for the remaining moments of the first half Grimsby appeared to have woken up. They failed to go further ahead when Joe Parkinson and Tulley made a forward dash to the line with Tulley knocking on with only inches to go.
The second half, similar to the first, was Kesteven all the way and they deserved to equalise with a strong run by their full-back, who pushed over the line. Grimsby's discipline then began to let them down and Tom Baker was yellow-carded for a late tackle, with both Steve Jackson and Ali Thomson penalised for dissent. The Blues managed to pull back a lead through a penalty awarded in front of the Kesteven posts from which Ash Watson converted. However the lead was short-lived with a similar penalty award to Kesteven which brought the scores level. The final few minutes were all Grimsby. whose powerful surges failed to break down the Kesteven defence. At the final whistle the result seemed a fair reflection for what should have been a comfortable win.
This nail-biting match resulted in the narrowest of victories for the visitors and provided an exciting spectacle to watch.From start to finish the game was all Grimsby - except for the last five minutes that culminated in a sending off for the Blues and a controversial penalty try for the visitors. Grimsby were pumped up for this quarter-final NLD Cup game having beaten Boston the previous week 51-0.
Straight from kick-off the ball was in the Glossop half with any attempted breaks quickly subdued by strong tackles from Callum Hill, Jim Mulenga and Liam Wiseman. Grimsby refused to allow Glossop time to settle and they dominated the lineout with some superb jumping at the front by Tom Baker. Suddenly, completely against the run of play, Glossop broke away and scored following a five-metre scrum. This galvanised the Grimsby boys and, but for a touchline tackle against Liam Wiseman, the score would have been level. However, strong forward pressure finally paid off when captain Joe Wright burst through the Glossop defence, passing quickly to Will Pridgeon, then Jamie Dennis and finally to the impressive Mulenga to score in the corner, putting the score level at half-time.
The second half began the same as the first with Grimsby pushing Glossop back and forcing mistakes. Both Mulenga and Sam Reeve had good chances to score but failed in the corners. Once again, out of the blue, Glossop broke through to score and also kicked the conversion. The Blues responded immediately with forward pressure finally leading to a close attack on the Glossop line with the brilliant Hill breaking off to score. Unfortunately, the Blues had a torrid time with the boot and once again it proved costly, missing the conversion. Grimsby continued to pile the pressure on but, following the missed penalty, prop Steve Jackson was sin-binned. This gave Glossop some much-needed inspiration and they began to put pressure on the Blues' try line. Following one of their attacks, Grimsby were deemed to have pulled the scrum down and that led to a controversial penalty which Glossop missed, kicking for the posts. Full-back Reeve was then called into action from a bobbling ball on his own try-line. He appeared to stop the ball with his foot and then ground it for what should have been a 22m drop out. However the referee was unsighted and believed it had been knocked on, subsequently awarding a five-metre scrummage. Once again the referee penalised the Blues for collapsing the scrum and he awarded Glossop a penalty try, leaving them with an unassailable lead in the last few minutes.
At the final whistle Grimsby were able to hold their heads up high after an impressive performance against a team who are perceived as one of the strongest in the three counties. The young Blues performed with professionalism and skill, and were a credit to their coaches and club as a whole. They return to county matches with a local derby at home on December 4, kick-off 11am
Grimsby under 16's continued their winning ways against County opposition Boston, with a convincing victory away from home. With their quarterfinal tie against Glossop next weekend, this match was an ideal opportunity for the lads to excel and prove to the coaches why they should be in the team. With a squad of twenty-four players, all fit, the competition for places was to be immense and this was displayed upon the field with a one sided match controlled from start to finish by a much more powerful Grimsby team.
The game started with Grimsby kicking into the wind on a beautiful but chilly morning. The pitch was in great condition, which allowed for running rugby, this played to Grimsby's strengths as the boys swamped the Boston try line. If it wasn't for dropped balls and penalties for off side, the Grimsby forwards would have been well on top within the first few minutes. As it was, captain Joe Wright broke through to score under the posts. This opened the floodgates for the Blues, with a missed chance by Joe Wright leading to a Boston 22 drop out, culminating in a try from Danny Burnett, from an excellent move by Tom Baker supported by Phil Stark. Two further tries by the Grimsby forwards, Craig Scott and Adam Beeken saw the Blues twenty four points up at half-time.
The interval provided the coaches with a chance to alter the Grimsby team and similar to the first half, it was Grimsby all the way. With scrum half replacement Ash Watson scoring under the Boston posts, Will Pridgeon soon followed by breaking through the Boston defence with a dazzling run. A further try by Adam Beeken and two tries in the last few minutes by the speedy winger Liam Wiseman led to a convincing victory. Indeed, as the score cruised past fifty, the referee rightly decided to stop the game early, leaving the Grimsby visitors pleased with their performance. The squad are under no illusions as to how difficult next weeks match against Glossop will be, as they will provide much stronger and aggressive opposition, however the boys have great belief in themselves and the potential to go all the way.
Grimsby under 16s continued on their winning way and kept up their 100% record with their second victory of the new season against their old adversaries Scunthorpe . Two years ago this Grimsby section were humiliated with a 60-point thrashing, and now slowly the tide has turned and it has become evident that the hard training, team moral and superb coaching staff is starting to pay dividends. On a sombre note, this match will not only be remembered for the superb victory on away soil but also for the injury to the young Humberston flanker Joseph Tulley, who required hospital treatment after an injury to his left leg and thigh towards the end of the game.
Grimsby started on the front foot with much in the way of possession. Scunthorpe , with clearly a stronger pack, was quick to the breakdowns and won most in the way of the rucks and the mauls, but on the counter when the ball went wide the Grimsby backs were much the faster and stronger, which proved to be the Scunthorpe un-doing. When a quick break from Ash Watson and Joe Wright opened the way through for Will Pridgeon to score under the posts, Chris Johnstone added the conversion. This early try should have settled Grimsby but it seemed to spur on the opposition, and for the next twenty minutes Scunthorpe placed a barrage of attacks on the Grimsby line, but for resolute defence by the ever dependable flankers Callum Hill and Tom Baker the score may well have been equal.
Half time emerged and provided the back room staff with a chance to re-structure and re-motivate the Blues'. Straight after the break a penalty was awarded to Grimsby , which led to a quick backs move by Ash Watson to put Jim Mulanga in at the corner. Grimsby 's attacks continued but they failed to use the width of the pitch preferring to fight like for like in the forwards, which on reflection was not the best idea. Then came the injury to Joe Tulley that delayed the game for twenty minutes and on its return Scunthorpe rallied and managed to pull a try back, which they also converted. It was to be their only consolation points and the deserved Blues' victory soon followed, for which the lads announced was for Joe. The Blues' now have a fortnight to recover of before they face Mellish at home in the three counties cup.
Captain Joe Wright's Man of the match was awarded to Ash Watson.