[right][/right]Birkenhead Park RFC U10s v Hoylake RFC U10s
Despite the awful weather in the days leading up to the clash at the Upper Park the rain held off for most of the morning but the mud lovers in the excitable Hoylake squad were in for a treat! I call it a squad now because the number of boys has grown to a very healthy number. Not Caldy numbers you understand but enough for Hoylake to be able to field two sides against Birkenhead Park. Perhaps the lure of Colin’s famous chicken burgers has augmented the tireless recruitment policy?
Park are well known for possessing some tough tackling youngsters and it would be interesting to see how they have taken to playing at the breakdown now that one boy is allowed to clear out at ruck time. So as team 1 squelched onto the pitch and the game began it was worrying to see that Park had a couple of boys who clearly relish the ugly stuff of mauling and rucking. How would the more tentative, free-running Hoylake cope? Pretty well in fact thanks to some great runs from Reece and James and some brave stuff in the tight from John and George. Having spent a lot of midweek training working on their handling it was encouraging to see Hoylake’s passing game return. Perhaps not to the standard of the All Blacks (who’s is?) but an improvement on recent weeks nonetheless although it was helped by a Birkenhead Park team who at times resembled a stunned muntjac staring down an oncoming lorry. After the usual “to me - to you” opening where nobody took the initiative, it was Sam who held on well to a pass on the left wing and he powered into the corner to open Hoylake’s account. Then it was Charlie’s turn to shine as he showed Park a few of his trademark sidesteps and managed to offload to the ever supporting Reece who worked up a decent head of steam and there was only ever going to be one outcome as he charged over to score a great try. Park then woke up thanks to their supporters who found their voices to encourage their team on to greater things. It had the desired effect as they kept themselves in the game by getting themselves on the scoresheet but it wasn’t long before Hoylake allowed their greater fluency to tell. Harvey is great with the ball in hand and Luca is fast becoming a future backrow superstar as he is always on hand to help out his mates. It was these two who combined well to set up Sam once more who put his head down and protecting the ball like his favourite teddy bear he burst through the cover defence and dotted down for his second try of the game! With half time fast approaching and the Birkenhead Park team getting more frustrated and arguing amongst themselves it was James who showed his balanced running and evasion skills to scythe through the tough tackling and score a terrific solo try.
So half time arrived and Hoylake looked to be comfortably in charge and so team 2 slid onto the mud to start the second half. The change of personnel took time to find their game feet and Park seized their opportunity as they hit the ground running/sliding. Hoylake were under enormous pressure and it took heroics from Freddy and Rudi to stem the relentless tide of Park’s attacks. Paul and Jacob tried their best to relieve the pressure by taking the ball to the Park defence but time and again the ball was turned over for Birkenhead Park to attack once more. Inevitably the Hoylake defence buckled under the strain and wasn’t long before Park scored. And scored again! All of a sudden Park were in the game and they knew it. Well they thought they did and kept asking the referee (who was phenomenal by the way!) what the score was. They were kept in the dark by the referee who pretended to have cloth in his ears and it was the cue for Hoylake to jump on the distracted Birkenhead players. First Liam charged up the field only to be hauled down before Leon could pick up and drive on. It created the platform from which the Hoylake Hurricane aka Joe Cass sniffed an inch of space and rocketed down the touch line to score and create a bit of breathing space for his team mates. But to their credit Birkenhead Park did not give in. As the rain came down, Park found a renewed energy and an injury to Jacob who was found daydreaming at the base of the ruck before being aggressively brought back down to earth seemed to unsettle the Hoylake boys. Park scored quickly and you could tell from the strain in the Hoylake faithful’s voices that the tide was noticeably changing towards Birkenhead Park. Again and again they came in desperate search of an equalising try. As the referee was checking his watch (the ref was excellent by the way, did I mention that?) Park came again, getting perilously close to the Hoylake try line. Another ruck, another chance for Hoylake to steal the ball. But Park recycled well, span the ball out wide to their speedster, an equalising try looked certain before Charlie and Rudi managed to “double team” the hapless Park player and the ball was knocked on. And the ref blew his whistle (in a very expert way) for full time!
Hooray, Hoylake won 5 tries to 4 although they made very heavy weather of it.