Brentwood U17s 59 Sudbury U17s 0

Brentwood in 9 try bonanza…

I’ll be honest I was concerned at the start of the match when Brentwood were severely out shouted in the compulsory team squeeze and shout pre-match. However from then on they never took a backwards step. The forwards got the field position sorted early on and Brentwood camped in the Sudbury 22 until the backs were finally let loose and some cunning jinking about saw Sam Fry go over in the corner. There was a bit of debate about Charlie’s conversion, EDR gave it, the man from Sudbury didn’t but eventually the referee decided yes it had gone over, 7-0 Brentwood.

The backs were looking quite swift, I still find that quite bizarre, Sam Fry especially was running some cracking lines even if in a break in play he paused to abuse the match reporter, yes I did see your try Sam, I’m not blind…Luke was side stepping again too, rumour has it Austin Healey is his new idol and after Roland has sucked in a few men with a typically powerful run, Matt Smith was on hand to make the best of a slightly iffy pass and steam in under the posts. No debate about Charlie’s conversion this time, 14-0 Brentwood.

You know it’s going to be your day when your fly half is making those kicks that just bounce over the opposing wingers head just as they think they’ve caught it. Jonny had chased well and was there to hack it on and the ball stopped just over the try line with both Jonny and the Sudbury player lunging for the ball at the same time. Given the lack of TMO at this age group the ref decided to ask Jonny if he scored, Jonny said yes and so the try was given. Now why do refs not do that more often…Charlie whacked over another conversion, 21-0 Brentwood.

The backs were playing worryingly well, Charlie, really running the show at fly half, got the ball to Roland coming into the line. It was taking at least two men to stop him every time he got the ball and there was no difference on this occasion, he freed his arms to pop the ball off for Sam Fry to go in for his second and Charlie made yet another conversion, 28-0 Brentwood.

Brentwood’s last try of the half went to Matt Smith, as he read Sudbury’s attacking move like a book to nick an intercept and coast in under the posts amongst cries from Luke of “I taught him everything he knows!” Well except he kept hold of the ball Luke. Adam this time kicked the conversion, 35-0 Brentwood at half time and two on a hat trick…

The backs started the second half by running it out of their own 22, Adam getting it to Roland, who was now at centre, who sped off down field and timed his pass to put Matt Smith in for his hat trick, leaving his Dad grumbling and wondering where the nearest cash machine was. Adam popped the conversion over, 42-0 Brentwood and Matt’s Dad was bundled by the rest of the blokes...so mature…

Play got a bit disjointed next with Pratley deciding he fancied a bash at fly half with a kick downfield. In fairness to him he made the chase and absolutely mullered the poor guy who caught the ball, which was turned, chucked swiftly to Roland who used the might of the thighs to power over in the corner. The first missed conversion of the day made the score 47-0 Brentwood.

As the game wore of the cries of “Get it to Sam Fry!” got louder and louder. Well apart from Georgina who would have been quite happy for him to be subbed. At some point in the yelling for the ball to be got to Sam there was also a wonderfully insightful comment of “Sam don’t drop that far, the wind’s a bit windy,” Sam’s reply of “Yeah, that’s the problem with the wind,” leaving that section of the touchline in stitches. But back to the game, it looked as though his hat trick was finally on the cards when Jake made the initial break and fed it to Sam. On any other day he would have backed himself to go over the line but being the habitual jug avoider he is (don’t think we haven’t noticed you’ve scored several braces) he did the unselfish thing and passed to Jonny. The conversion missed but the score was now 52-0 Brentwood.

At this point in the game Sudbury had the option to finish early but huge credit to them they decided they would play on and their determination saw them restrict Brentwood to just one more try in the last play of the game. Jake went slicing through the defence and Matt Smith was on hand to score his 4^th of the game, so that was one for every week he missed. Charlie nailed the final conversion, full time and 59-0 to Brentwood making the cross country trek to Sudbury well worth it.