Under 13's earn praise for their effort and commitment.

The Under 13’s put up a stirring performance on Sunday against a side which included four players from the under 14 age group. The Bees side never gave up and showed tremendous heart, despite at times struggling to contain some of the YMCA bigger players.

The match showed how much tackling is dependent on a player’s attitude and desire as their skill. Mark Atkinson, Louis Wilkinson and Joseph Jagger demonstrated to their team mates that no matter the size of their opponent, a well-executed tackle below the hips will always bring the ball carrier to ground.

Unfortunately for the team, the season-long malaise of a slow start to the first half cost them dear again, as YMCA ran in three unconverted tries within the first fifteen minutes. Whilst those watching may have feared that the side would lose heart and capitulate, the team showed considerable character in not doing so, & finishing the half very strongly. Ryan MacNicholl and Alexander Leadbeater had good strong runs. James Ball again was prominent at the breakdown, turning over a lot of YMCA possession until injury forced him off. Sam Jaffer didn’t get the chance to show his abilities with the ball in hand, but did stand out with a couple of try-saving tackles as he showed determination to chase back and bring the YMCA players down. The side were unlucky to end the half pointless when the ball was stripped from Mark Atkinson’s grasp as he tried to cross in the corner.

The second half again saw the side improve upon their performance. The front row of Ethan Pentith, Daniel Wild and Joe Jagger showed with their determination and endeavour that size is not all that counts, as they truly led from the front. They were ably supported by all their team-mates, as the team created tries for Sam Jaffer and Mark Atkinson. Edward Hodgson, who had his best game in many weeks at the unfamiliar position of scrum-half, was unable to convert either try. The team were very much back in the match with the score 10-15, and the visitors looked concerned.

The game then became stuck in the Bees half as too much possession was squandered, and injuries to several players, including Louis Wilkinson took their toll. YMCA had the last word on the scoreboard when a recurrence of weak tackling allowed the YMCA no. 3 to touch down under the posts.

However, all the members of the team should take great heart from their performance, which had far more positives to be drawn than negatives.

Final mention should go to the man of the match, Ethan Pentith, who never shirked a challenge and rarely missed a tackle. Whilst he may not have been the most visible with the ball in hand, his work rate in supporting his team-mates in both attack and defence was outstanding.