(Please check back as youth/mini reports will be added here as they are received from team managers!)

Under 17’s – Eastern Counties Cup

Bury St Edmunds 0 Shelford 39

Tries: Felix Guyer 1, Fergus Snell 2, Alex Poirier 2, Ned Brown 1, Sam Till 1.
 
Conversions: Elliot Mepham 1, Ned Brown 1.

Congratulations to the players in yesterday's squad on a very conclusive victory against Bury. This makes 3 out of 3 wins in our campaign to lift the EC Cup this season. Our tally so far in this competition stands at 138 points for; 17 against - the message clearly is that we're a strong defensive side with potent attacking capability! The coaches were particularly pleased with yesterday's performance because it was a 70 minute demonstration of Total Rugby with every player fulfilling their positional role as well as committing to the essential inclusion of support players to achieve highly effective continuity sequences. The key factor to success was playing to our known, declared strengths - this allowed for exciting running rugby with high order core skills. All your hard work on the training park was funnelled into intense pace and pressure play rugby. Well done everybody! 

Under 16’s

Shelford 7 Colchester 24

This was a really substandard and largely lethargic performance by Shelford, made even more baffling given the high standards reached in the previous six match unbeaten run. Colchester were in the ascendancy from the off with their plan to ‘pick & drive’ causing Shelford to lose their shape around the ruck- 1^st score to Colchester. Shelford responded well and immediately as the ball went wide to Harri Beasley. Harri still had a lot of work to do when he received the ball, but a pugnacious run saw him hand-off a couple of defenders and eventually run in under the posts, converted by Lewis Cracknell for Shelford to take the lead at 7-5. Having taken the lead, Shelford started to look extremely sloppy initially with ball-in-hand as we knocked-on various poor passes as well as taking the wrong option to step into traffic when the space was on the outside. Weak defence by Shelford down the blind side after a charge down, saw Colchester create a ‘2 v 1’ for them to score a simple try and regain the lead before half-time at 10-7. The second half was a relatively even affair early on, with both teams having opportunities to add to their tally. However, when Shelford had their own opportunity at a ‘2 v 1’ the ball was taken into contact rather than moved into space as we squandered the chance to regain the lead. Colchester pressurised us into conceding another 5 metre scrum and from this they again went down the blind side to create space for their winger to touchdown, which was converted well for a 17-7 lead. To cap Shelford’s poor day at the ‘office’, we again failed to deal with a Colchester kick ahead but instead of fielding the ball to secure possession, we inexplicably decided to fly-hack the ball straight down the throat of grateful Colchester chaser, which was converted for a 24-7 win for Colchester. 

Under 15's

Colchester 31 Shelford 17

An improved performance by the Shelford U15s was not enough to overcome a well organised Colchester team on Sunday 29th November. Shelford got the game underway with a dream start as a crash-ball move in midfield worked to perfection sending Callum Miller straight through the Colchester defence for a try under the posts, converted by George Knowles. Colchester regrouped and took advantage of some slack Shelford tackling to level the score at 7-7, and looked certain to score again before being denied by superb last ditch defence from Alistair Kingdon. However, pressure told and Colchester took a 14-7 lead with another converted try. Kingdon then turned his attention to attack, as he fielded a high ball and raced around the Colchester wing for Shelford’s second try taking the score to 14-12. Colchester finished the first half strongest and scored again to make the score 19-12 at the interval. Colchester kept up the tempo in the second half, continually winning loose ball on the floor and, with good support runners, scored two more tries to stretch away at 31-12. Shelford, however, did not let their heads drop and their efforts were rewarded when good linking between forwards and backs saw Callum Miller finish with a late try to make the final score Colchester 31 – Shelford 17.

Under 14’s

Colchester Development Squad 12 Shelford Development Squad 55

This was the archetypal game of two halves. The customary slow start by Shelford allowed Colchester to score a quick converted try. The big Colchester pack was effective as we have come to expect from the Essex team.  A swift counter attack by Shelford brought a try for Joe Davies which made the score 7-5.  However Shelford became embroiled in a forward battle which was only going to go one way. Colchester ground out another score which gave them a 12-5 lead. Shelford seemed to work out that giving the ball some width might be the way forward and sure enough a series of quick accurate passes ended with winger James Tilbury touching down to cut the half time deficit to two points.  The half-time team talk had the desired effect as the second half saw Shelford take control of the match with some good work by the forwards - no 8 Theo Grabner was especially prominent. Shelford played much more expansive rugby with plenty of quick ball. Centre George Smith and winger George James went over in quick succession with points for both being kicked by Rory Hutchinson. Shelford were well on top now and other try scorers in the second half were James Tilbury, a second for George Smith, Rory Hutchinson, Angus Finlayson and Olly Walker (who thought he was playing football having dribbled the ball from the halfway line before finally getting his hands to it over the try line). Rory Hutchinson kicked two more conversions and Ivan Karsten kicked one.

Under 12’s

Bedford 12 Shelford 14

Shelford Scorers: Declan Morris and Michael Pepper, 1 try each – 2 conversions from Edward Manning. Shelford played very well as a team against a very big and strong Bedford team. 

Under 11’s

Bedford 0 – 10 Shelford

Shelford got off to a good start this morning against a strong Bedford side. No score at half time. Shelford pressure early in the second was paid off with a try from Tom Whitehead who picked the ball up 5 metres out to dive over the try line. Our second came after a period of Bedford pressure, Finn Karsten kicked long to relieve the pressure, Tom Cropper put the Bedford full back under pressure and won the turnover ball. Finn followed up quickly, pass from Tom and Finn made it over in the corner.

Bedford 10 – 5 Shelford

Bedford bounced back and were 2 tries up at half time, but Shelford heads didn’t drop, with a couple of tactical changes and another inspired half time team talk by our leader Dave, Shelford came out fired up. Shelford absorbed early pressure from Bedford. Tom Whitehead broke free to run 40 metres to be eventually stopped 10 metres out. Support quickly followed and the ball came out to Tom Parkes who pushed over to score in the corner. Overall a good mornings rugby and new lad Louis Merton playing scrum half was Man of the Match. 

Under 10’s

Game 1 - Mixed Squad (Puddings) 25 Bedford 5

First score came from Will Stepney after thoughtful play by both forwards and backs, creating space for Will to drive through for an excellent try. Sam Hurd continued his strong run of form in both attack and defence, to run in two well deserved tries, one picked up from broken play to open up their defence. Daniel Hoole made many characteristic breaks that led to him scoring an excellent try as did Angus Thomson. 

Game 2 - Mixed Squad (Puddings) 10 Bedford 5

The pack did an excellent job of closing the Bedford forwards down. Thanks to this, Angus Thomson was able to break round both sides of the scrum to move the game up the pitch, well supported by Will Stepney and Sam Hurd. Stepney built on his first game and we saw a glimpse of his potential with incisive running that demolished the Bedford back line, to help him score on two occasions in this game.

Game 3 – Mixed Squad (Crackers) 35 Bedford 5
Harry Simpson stepped up in this game and set the example in both defence and attack and was the first in to contact, bringing down Bedford's 'key' player twice in quick succession, before stretching his legs and running in the first of his two scores (one of which saw him intercept a Bedford pass and sprint to the line from inside his own half). This spurred the side on and they did not look back from that point. Abrasive scrummaging from Henry Breeze, Joe Thompson and Allister Graham, coupled with powerful rucking and running led to two tries for Thompson and one for Breeze. Jamie Coates, obviously enjoying the possession won by the forwards, fed his backline with some crisp passing, and also spotted a number of gaps in the Bedford defence, into which he duly ran and scored. The backs were not to be outdone and relentless defence, with hard tackling and powerful rucking from Tom French, Julian Renwick and Max Murphy forced errors from Bedford, which allowed Josh Whitmore and Jamie Johnson to enjoy some darting, elusive running which ended with Jamie J. scoring in the corner.

Game 4 – Mixed Squad (Crackers) 30 Bedford 5 
A change of opposition and a few tired legs hinted at a closer game, and again, the first few minutes were a little sedate, until the intimidating sight of Henry Breeze and Joe Thompson in full flight ignited the game. Not satisfied with hard work in the rucks and scrums, Joe galloped and jinked his way to the line for his first score of the game and then poached the ball from a ruck to place the ball over the line for his second. Henry added to his try in the first game with a typical barge over the line after some excellent work by Allister Graham to free the ball from a ruck. Tom French supplemented his high tackle count with some aggressive and direct running which Bedford could not combat, going over for a try, before making another powerful run on the right wing off-loading to Josh Whitmore for an excellent winger's try. Bedford scored a good try through one of their fast backs, who until that point had been well contained. The forwards then supported Jamie Johnson to go over for a great try.  

Under 7’s

Game 1: Shelford 15 Bedford Blues 25

Game 2: Shelford 25 Bedford Blues 20

Game 3: Shelford 20 Bedford Blues 15

Game 4: Shelford 35 Bedford Blues 35

Four muddy encounters saw Shelford come out on top in a four match series against Bedford Blues with two wins, one draw and one loss.Shelford were slow to get used to the muddy conditions losing their first match 15-25, with tries coming from Edgar Watson, Billy Manners and Brian O’Shea.  By the second match Shelford had acclimatised to the mud and came out on top 25-20.  Nicholas Quinton opened the scoring for Shelford with an elusive run and the remaining tries came from Hugh Tomkys, Joshua Speechley, Charlie Hurd and William Barnett.The third match was another close game with Shelford again coming out on top with a 20-15 victory.  Brian O’Shea scored two tries and Billy Manners one try before Ollie French ran in the winning try.By the final game mud was beginning to take its toll on tiring legs and gaps were starting to appear in both defences.  The final score was 35-35, with five tries from Joshua Speechley and one each from Nicholas Quinton and Charlie Hurd.For an outstanding demonstration of support play and for scoring two important tries Billy Manners was awarded the player of the day award.