Pinley held their first ever Junior festival on Sunday 23rd April. The day ran absolutely to clockwork with Pinley, Atherstone, Old Coventrians, Willenhall, Broadstreet, Newbold, Belgrave and Earlsdon all taking part. We were also blessed with fine weather.
We had 4 Warwickshire Society Referees booked for the day, so us Coaches could focus on our teams. With thanks to Luke Haskins, Martin Nailor, Sam Kincaid and Dean Randall who all gave up their time to help make the day an enjoyable success.
The format was a main Trophy and Medals supplied for the ‘Cup’ Winners and losing finalists, and also for the ‘Shield’ winners and losing finalists.
All games were very close with a very high standard of rugby being played by all the U15's.
We came through our group to be placed in the semi's vying for the Cup, with the pick of our three games being against Earlsdon who also came through, there really was nothing between the two teams, it ended as a draw with only one Try a piece.
We beat Newbold in our Semi, and Earlsdon beat Pinley in theirs. So the final was set for another head to head between two very capable sides, a twenty-minute decider. Broadstreet vs Earlsdon.
The game started as the previous clash between us ended, very fast and direct, powerful and determined. We went ahead after five minutes for them to level it up in the tenth. The next ten minutes could of went either way with us having to produce some very determined defence from their very fast powerful backs, and them struggling to cope with our dominant scrum and mauls.
On the twentieth minute and final play of the game, we found ourselves on their five-meter line with another lineout, with them all expecting another dominant drive and maul our boy took it off the back and ran a very powerful line to score. Yes, the crowd and players went wild (or at least we did).
It has to be said that this was a great victory for the boys, who have had a tough season, losing players and not having enough boys to put out a team in the first third of the season, for the remaining lads to stick with it, us gaining some very good prospects, and with a couple of lads returning, including an addition to our coaching team, things started to look up. And for all the boys to keep the faith and believe in themselves and the Team, improve as individuals, and then improve as a Team. It really was a special moment to witness them achieve, what was arguably their finest hour.
A massive thank you to the boy's who were tasked with recognising the opportunity they had as a team in reaching the final, and not to leave any regrets on the pitch. They didn't and they delivered...
Broadstreet U15's 2016/17 'Cup Winners'
