Bees Get Their Revenge Over Aireborough

Well after the uncertainty over the last few weeks of how proceedings were going to play out for these lads this season - will they, won’t they have a season this term - after yesterday it’s safe to say the uncertainties were well and truly laid to rest as they put Aireborough to the sword in their first league outing as U17s.

In Ali McDonald's absence new coaching partner Troy Frisch with Jamie Brett on his shoulder got his young charges geared up and fired up to take the game to Aireborough. There was certainly intent from the off as the game play coaches Troy and Ali had worked on at training was being tried out by the lads.

The forwards looked more together and were working harder at the breakdown to look after the possession. The scrum was effective with balls being won against the head and feed. All the pack deserved a big pat on the back for getting together as a unit and to a man working hard to get Aireborough on the back foot. Yes there are areas to work on but the future looks bright. The ‘old guard’ of Reggie Herd, Sam Backhouse, Connor Stothers (little) Zain Ahmed and Max Hutchinson will welcome I’m sure the contribution from the new(ish)comers (big) Zain Ali, Joe Dearnley, Joel Waddington, Kyle Anderson and Tom Richardson in both attack and defence.

The reshaped back line with Adam Gaunt and Freddie Seavers at full back, Danny Murphy dropping into outside centre was a great combination with Ben Hemsley at scrum half, Harry Normington at fly half, captain Jake Brett at centre and Nick Brinkworth, Lewis Bairstow, and Josh Tenniswood rotating round on the wing.

Anyway introductions done the game kicked off with Aireborough confident they could repeat the win from a few weeks previously and set up camp for the first quarter in the Bees half. However leading by example captain Jake Brett, Ben Hemsley, Harry Normington and Danny Murphy were putting in some telling tackles that left the Aireborough backs wondering what had just hit them. With Adam Gaunt looking a safe pair of hands at the back his and Normington’s kicking game started to ease the pressure as Bees made their way upfield.

With good work from Backhouse, Hutchinson, Waddington and Stothers in the pack Bees started to string some good back play together and after a kick through from Brett was chipped on by Normington from the host’s 20 metre line he went to gather 10 metres out and fumbled with the try line beckoning for the first score. Centre Murphy also got wingman Lewis Bairstow away on a scamper down his wing but Aireborough’s cover got to him to halt his sprint to the line.

Bees have a tendency to lose their shape and the usual pattern of being penalised for offside began to give Aireborough easy territory but some more fierce defence from Herd, Waddington, Hutchinson, Ali and Backhouse saw Aireborough attempts to break Bees line come to nought.

Backed up by some powerful scrummaging Bees finally got the break they needed as good clean ball for Hemsley to get Normington taking the Bees back line forward saw him release Brett into space. Neat footwork off the Bees captain saw him step through the would be tacklers and a blistering turn of pace saw him leave the remaining defence in his wake as he took off down the left channel and come round under the posts to leave Hemsley a simple kick for a 7 0 lead to Bees.

In the final minutes of the first half Aireborough pressed and pressed for the score but the Bees defence was having none of it and they repelled the home side time and again on their own line to prevent the score. Eventually Dearnley was able to get the ball out of play. Half time and coaches Frisch and Brett were beaming at the lads defensive efforts.

With coaches Frisch and Brett making tactical changes for the 2nd half some fresh legs paid off as wing replacement Tenniswood soon found the ball being whipped out to him. A quick ‘show and go’ from him opened up the gap and there was no holding him back as he scooted off quick time to the try line for a score under the posts to which again Hemsley added the extras. 14 0 to Bees.

Normington continued to employ a varied kicking game to keep the home side pinned back but in what was obviously one of the new innovative set plays practiced with the lads I guess straight from South Africa. (It’s all the rage back home coach Frisch told me in the bar afterwards) Harry latched on to a loose ball and struck it on full volley downfield (that more than put the Football into Rugby Football Union). Nick Brinkworth was on it like a tramp on chips and after a great chase was unlucky not to score as he just couldn’t gather the kick on from the Bees fly half.

With Aireborough beginning to get frustrated and losing their discipline a penalty awarded to the Bees was in kicking range for Hemsley to convert it and extend the lead to 17 0 with under 10 minutes remaining. A couple of key decisions may have undone the Bees efforts to close the game out when first a Bees touch down for Brett was disallowed for obstructing an Aireborough player in the act of scoring, and then Gaunt was then dispatched to the sin bin for a high tackle taking the Bees down to 14.

In the next phase of play with being unable to break the Bees line Aireborough went to their kicking game and a high ball to the Bees corner was picked up by the Aireborough centre who had a clear run to the ball in the Bees in goal area and was awarded the try. Bees held fast in the final minutes to get victory in their opening game at 17 - 5. Jake Brett and Ben Hemsley were the pick of the backs whilst Sam Backhouse and Connor Stothers got the plaudits in the forwards but the whole pack were a credit to the shirt.

No game next weekend due to half term but training is now 6 - 730 Tuesdays and Thursdays. Opposition to be confirmed for 29 October as next game v Doncaster has been postponed at their request.