Southwold U15s v Colchester U15s

Wold visited Colchster on a cold and windy day, which was always going to make handling awkward, so a premium on running with the ball in hand was on the cards.
Neither side could establish dominance in the first twenty minutes or so, though this was often due to Southwold indiscretions as the penalty count mounted against them and kept them at bay at times. The scrummaging was messy from both sides and handling errors proliferated. However, the deadlock was broken after twenty minutes as possession was finally claimed cleanly at a scrum allowing the ball to go out to Jack at fly-half with time to pick his move. The move was a perfectly-executed cross-kick, (evidence that the pre-match practice had been worthwhile!), which found Henry on the gallop out wide. He took it in his stride and set off for the line, to be brought down short before feeding Waldo to finish off the move. Jack's precision kicking couldn't overcome the wind as he attempted the conversion, though, so the score stayed at 5-0 up to half-time.
Although they faced the wind in the second half, Southwold took control of the game, pressurising the Colchester backs into mistakes and making progress each time they had ball in hand themselves. The pressure told as the referee awarded a penalty inside the Colchester 22 and Riley drove in close before setting up a maul from which Charlie M emerged to crash over under the posts. Jack was unlucky to see this conversion attempt charged down and Wold led 10-0.
Colchester stuck at their task and made good use of the wind, kicking for position and territory to maintain pressure on the visitors' line. They met stern resistance, though, Wold's tackling holding them at bay despite a string of conceded penalties, before the home side's efforts were rewarded with a try from close in, converted to make the score 10-7.
The game ended soon after, with Southwold back on the front foot, reflecting the tone of the overall game and a good away win against a strong team.
Although the scoring was low, the game did not lack for incident and entertainment. Wold tackled well and drove the ball forward in hand to negate the wind in the second half to exert a degree of control that Colchester could not overcome. The forwards won more breakdown ball than of late and the backs looked superior to their opponents in all departments, so all can take credit for the win.