CRFC U18s Crusaders vs Eton Manor U18s

On a beautiful autumn morning our Crusaders U18 Colts welcomed Eton Manor to Coronation Park in a rearranged fixture from earlier in the season.

With another week of tough selection and players unavailable it was to be a tough call against an Eton Manor side who are well coached and play a fast brand of rugby.

Playing up the slope in the first half our Blue Boys always looked threatening with ball in hand.

Robust running was met with stern resistance from the Eton Manor players, and it was Manor who took the scoreboard with a well worked try and conversation.

The Crusaders never dropped their heads and credit to the players who have had a few lessons learned the previous week at Harlow, yet this week felt different for the lads.

With a welcome crowd behind them they were encouraged from the restart pressurising the Manor players into mistakes and territory gains.

Credit to the Chelmsford pack who started to dominate the Manor scrum with enjoyable execution and turn over ball.

It was clear to see The Blue Boys although playing in Blue and Pink today would cross the whitewash and so they did with a fine try from Keir – dynamic as always.

Turning round 5 – 14 at the break and then playing down the 20 point slope was on the teams side and the coaches delivered a subtle message to the lads at half time.

First pressure and pace were met with big tackles that Chelmsford weathered to recycle the ball and it was a barn storming run by the Kian P to cross the line. Conversion slotted 12 – 14 and the game was now changing.

Credit to Eton Manor who never give up and play a good game but Chelmsford were changing the pattern of play and thinking as a team, playing for each other and not trying to be individuals doing too much.

Heads didn’t drop, attitude was spot on we make a mistake we get better and its credit to the players on the field who blocked out last week’s negativity to play in a very positive manner.

Soon the Crusaders scored what can only be described as the try of the match as the lads battered the Manor line its was prop Noah L who caught a telling pass and rather than shipping the ball powered his way over the try line for one of the best tries for this whole squad in a number of years - instantaneously the large crowd erupted and the joy on everyone’s faces was there to be seen.

Conversion slotted and Chelmsford now lead 19 – 14 and it was anyone’s game.

The last 20 mins were frantic and the tussle was mostly in the Manor half and with The Crusaders pressing it was only time before Manor would give away a kickable penalty and when that came up stepped Kian who stuck the ball magnificently bisecting the uprights making the score 22 -14 to the CRFC Crusaders.

The last 10 mins Manor scored a well run in try when the Chelmsford lads missed tackles, the kick converted and the score at 22 – 21 the last few minutes where there to win.

Pressure and consistency and eventually a turnover game the Crusaders the scrum that you would bank on winning and with the clock in the red the pack won the ball and Keir lofted it into the Police grounds and the referee blew for full time.

Final score

CRFC Crusaders (Colts U18) - 22
Eton Manor U18s – 21

Well done all.

We move on again in preparation for next week’s games.

Training will be getting tougher.

Lastly…………………………

Thank you to everyone who came today and watched a good game of rugby especially the non-playing squad who came up to support your mates out there today.

Thank you to Claire and Kim for the first aid support.

Thank you to the water team for keeping fluids available throughout the game.