Shelford Development Squad 24 West Suffolk College 0

(Played Wednesday 25th August at the Davey Field)

The Development Squad completed their pre-season campaign with a 100% record in atrocious conditions last night. The game was played in 3 x 30 minute periods to accommodate both sides large squads. The heavy rain ruined both sides attempts to play an open expansive game, with the first 30 minutes punctuated by spilled passes and inaccurate offloads.

Shelford started poorly, with American Tye Rack dropping the kick off allowing the sixth formers to put Shelford under early pressure. Shelford took all of the first period to come to terms with the poor conditions and the tactics required to retain possession and turn the student’s rush defence. With James Worthington kicking to the opposition 5 metre line, Shelford won clean ball through line out general and new dad Gaz McLaughlin for Ed Slow to touch down. The first third was finished off with James Mepham slicing through  the West Suffolk defence to score, Worthington added the extras.(12-0).

Next came the turn of a team containing predominantly Colts, who turned in the best show of the night. Right from the second period’s ko, Michael Lampard set the tone of the half, barging his way through the West Suffolk defence, like a sledge hammer through butter. Shelford were to stay in the opponent’s 22 with a sustained period of pressure, finally the impressive Sachin Booysen dived over in the corner, the younger Mepham, Elliott converted. The Shelford Colts were putting on a fine display with Fergus Snell, Alex Poirier, Sam Till , Ali Paterson and Booysen prominent . But for numerous wrong options, and dropped passes caused by the conditions and a lack of depth, Shelford would have scored more. The scoring was completed by Rich "tiny" Hall who scored following quick use of spilled ball.

With the conditions worsening as the night went on, the deluge of rain made the final period a stalemate at 0-0, but there were many good performances from a team containing many of this seasons potential new players.

Man of the Match- Fergus Snell

Blast from the Past- Ed Stowe and Duncan Bolt’s old style rucking (result-a ten minute rest in the rain)

Tantrum-James Worthington- Where’s the xxxx kicking tee?

Team:- Dan Reilly, Ed Stowe, James Briggs, Gaz McLaughlin, Tye Rack, Duncan Bolt, Iain Morrison, James Summerscales, Chris Yeomans,  James Worthington, Tommy McGinty, John Naylor, Henry Blandford, Adam Hodgkisson, James Mepham

Reserves:- Biff Tannen, Alex Fray-Bentos, Dom Rowley, Dave Goldstein, Alex Poirier, Sachin Booysen, Sam Till, Rich Hall, Michael Lampard, Sharkey, Jamie French, Toby Jugg, Will McGarry, Will Ringrose, Alex Boycee, Ali Paterson, Lachlan Finlayson