Southend U18s 14 Chelmsford Colts 12

Southend U18s Colts 14 (2 tries, 2 conv)
CRFC Chiefs 12 (2 tries, 1 conv)

The one that slipped away.

On an overcast and breezy day our Chiefs Colts team travelled to Southend for this Essex Colt Div 1 clash.

Both teams sit mid table and have a very similar record this season in a very competitive and physical league.

Talk in the week for the Chiefs side was to tighten up in D, move the ball and play as we know they can play – as a team.
This was a much better performance than the previous week, but the lads are now left frustrated at a game they should have controlled and taken points when they were on offer.

Had they done that the end scoreline would have favoured the away team.

The Chiefs started brightly and were first out of the blocks.
Attacking the wide channels and moving the ball well and following good interplay between forwards scored the opening try after 5 minutes.

The game was then an arm wrestle and littered with mistakes giving ball back to each side.
When Southend did press on the Chiefs try line, they were held back by good Chiefs D frustrating the home team.
The home team lineout, catch and drive were working well but when ball moved wide the Chiefs backs made life hard for the Southend backs causing all sorts of problems for them. Southend did cross the try line and convert making it 7 -5 in favour to them.

As the 40min clock ticked down The Chiefs scored their second try. Big carries from the tight 5 set up position just outside the Southend 22 metre line and with a joyful chip overhead by Noah saw him gather the ball and dive over the try line giving the Chiefs a second try that he also converted – score now 5 – 12 to The Chiefs.

The second half was very similar to the first half as the two teams tried to work out how to breakdown the other teams’ structure.
The Chiefs forwards at scrum time started to dominate the Southend pack and by now the home side were on the back foot for parts of the game as the Chiefs started winning Southend scrums.

With the Chiefs forward making inroads it wasn’t long before Southend infringed giving a kickable penalty but instead of slowing the game down a quick tap penalty was taken in haste. The ball moved through hands only for the referee give a penalty against the Chiefs for holding on to the ball.
The Chiefs have to take full control and not panic in the tight games when a simple 3 points from the boot could and should have won them the game.

As the clock was nearing full time and yet another turnover by Southend the ball was kicked high and long and as the Chiefs player was up in the air catching the ball he was taken out in the air should of resulted in the visitors winning a penalty, instead the home side were awarded a scrum.

We will draw a line under this and now concentrate on next week’s home development game when we host a return fixture against Dartfordians Development squad.

Thank you to everyone who came today especially the lads who should have been training but due to low numbers and player commitment was cancelled.
It’s hope we have better commitment from the lads this week when we are back on the training paddock.

Lastly, we must as a group start to tighten up in training and take it seriously.
As a coaching group we have high expectations on standards and expect all players to buy into this approach.
Take individual responsibility to improve your skill set, fitness and rugby mindset as players and improve as a team.
Focus in training and give it 100% to drive up standards.
The results will start to favour this Colts squad as a whole if we do this