Wanstead vs. Rochford U10s, 16 January 2011

With only two training sessions behind them since our return from the prolonged break we expected them to be a bit rusty.

We made the long trip to Wanstead with only eight players but had been promised the loan of a couple of extras from the home side. On arrival we were surprised not only by the size of the pitch but also the considerable slope. However, the pitch was well drained and in very good condition.

It was decided that to give all the boys a game we would play 10 a side with Wanstead’s Harrison and Matthew playing in a trio of centres with James Mowle. The first half began with Rochford playing up hill and the boys were very aware that they would have to work harder than Wanstead just to deal with the slope.

The game began to look like a titanic midfield battle from early on with James Berry, Chris Martin, James Mowle and the two Wanstead boys driving the Wanstead team backwards. Jack Chandler and Cullum Hishon were holding position on the wings to ensure that a Wanstead pass out wide was covered. Nick Campen was solid as ever at full back.

The boys began realise that the best for of defence is to keep the ball and started to ruck well. This gave James Berry time to pick his passes and on one occasion frustrated a Wanstead boy so much that he ran round the ruck to pick up the ball and concede a penalty.

With Ben Cannon and Chris Martin at Prop and Harry Bennett again as Hooker, Rochford won their fair share of scrums with some being won against the head. Ben also used his height and strength to great effect in the lineouts and when joining a maul.

However, Wanstead responded and two breakaway tries gave them an early 10-0 lead. In what was the last move of the first half, a relentless drive up the pitch (and the hill) by Rochford saw the ball passed out to Cullum on the sideline. What followed can only be described as a double dummy which wrong footed three Wanstead players and created half a gap which he used to make up the four yards to the line and touchdown. Half-time 10-5.

The second half began much as the first had finished which Rochford in the ascendancy. Solid defence and relentless attacking, and with the slope in our favour the boys pushed Wanstead back and kept them in their own half.

A scrum almost on half way, won by Harry, saw James place an inch perfect pass into the path of Matthew who found the gap in the Wanstead defence and beat their fullback for pace to level the scores. Final score 10-10