Eastern Counties Cup Final - Sunday 25th April 

What an epic day. Shelford rewrote club history, being the first youth side to win an Eastern Counties Cup (at the fifth attempt). The season has been fraught, but this team was resurrected to claim the title from the defending champions.

The build up was far from ideal, with key personnel breaking down in the warm up, but with a large travelling reserve, players stepped up admirably. The start could hardly have been worse as the nervy Shelford side shipped two early converted tries to trail 14-0 after 20 minutes. However the coaching team were on the ball and key positional changes in midfield were made to nullify the slick Colchester back line.

Shelford had the superior pack in size, experience and aggression. Shelford were working their way into the game and with the battle in the front row the key area being won, Colchester were being starved of any quality possession. A sign of Shelford’s growing pack dominance came before half time, with a well worked line out catch and drive for Doug Finlayson to score. (Half time 14-5) 

With the second half, Shelford knew what they had to do, use their powerful forwards to grind down the lighter Colchester 8 and continue to close down the Colchester back line. Colchester registered a penalty goal against the run of play to extend their lead to 17-5, but they were looking shaky.The next ten minutes were pivotal, Shelford earned a penalty try when a second driven line out was collapsed.

Shelford were now within a converted try of a share of the lead. Ned Brown was then sin binned  for a late hit, but this galvanised Shelford ,and the impressive Alex Poirier intercepted a wayward Colchester pass to score for Max Moncrieff to convert, game on 17-17. Colchester were now well and truly rattled and although Shelford were down to 14 men, they scored again, following a series of powerful forward surges, sending Sachin Booysen in the corner.

Shelford had to with stand a few nervous moments of Colchester pressure as the hosts were pressing to save the game, but with Ned Brown returning to the field and the midfield shored up, Shelford exploded upfield. The Shelford pack again drove to the Colchester line and Harry Picton-Turberville barrelled his way over. Game over, and a well merited victory. 

Team:- 1. Miles Anderson, 2. Dan Reilly, 3. Harry Picton-Turberville, 4. Dave Golding, 5. Nick Barry-Parker, 6. Will Brown, 7. James Summerscales, 8. Doug Finlayson (Capt.), 9. Ali Paterson, 10. Ned Brown, 11. Alex Poirier, 12. Cam Fay, 13. Lewis Cooper, 14. Jonno Swain, 15. Sam Till

Reserves:- 16. Max Moncrieff, 17. George Newnham, 18. Adam Hodgkisson, 19. Jamie Cohen, 20. Rory Stone, 21. Dom Rowley, 22. Benji Ruthven, 23. Elliott Mepham, 24. Russell Boatman, 25. Sachin Booysen