U14s POWER TO ANOTHER RESOUNDING VICTORY

In another strong team performance Mowden earned a decisive win scoring 10 tries without reply despite strong forward pressure from a powerful Horden pack.

The first try came early in the game from a line out on Mowden’s 22. Mike Hall making a return after injury made a strong run through the Horden line and setting Tamer Fuat to go over from 25m.

Straight from the kick off Mowden were awarded a scrum which they won, Gordon Thompson and Mark Wilson setting Jonny Teague away on a break through the Horden defence and a textbook example of passing down the line set up John Payne to score under the posts. Tamer converted to make the score 0-12.

Again straight from the restart the kick was well caught by Joe Craggs who blasted a path through Horden passing to Tamer for his second try of the game.

Within minutes Mowden had their fourth try. From a Horden scrum, James McLintock took one against the head. Elliot Wanless launched himself into line bursting through several tackles before giving the ball to Mark Harsley who launched on a lovely jinking run past three defenders to score under the posts making the conversion easy.

With less than 15 minutes played Mowden were 24 points up and a cricket score looked on the cards. However, Horden had other plans started a period of pressure on the Mowden defence. Firstly, they improved their tackling before making a few breaks of their own one of which would have led to a try but for a great chase back and tackle from Elliot. Despite a good period for Horden, Mowden’s defence held firm and both forwards and backs made important tackles to take back the impetus of the game.

After a period of 10 minutes with no score, Mowden scored twice more before half time to go into the break with an emphatic lead. From a period of loose play Mike found himself with some space to run. With Horden failing to complete their tackles he ran from 40m to score under the posts and another easy conversion.

Simon Shepherd who had played a great game against a tough opposing front row suffered a strain to his neck and had to come off. A reshuffle of the pack brought on Max Harrison for his debut game for Mowden.

From the restart the forwards drove the ball up-field and another exemplar of passing along the line gave Mark H his second try of the match as he ran from half way to score in the corner.

Half Time Horden 0 Mowden Park 36

Mattie Warr came on for try scorer John shortly after the break Ryan Hall joined the forwards. Mowden almost scored directly yet again from the kick off but Tamer lost track of where he was and placed the ball down on the wrong side of the line giving Horden the chance to fly hack the ball into the safety of touch. Mowden made amends from the lineout when a well executed short throw move saw Tom Lawson break through the Horden line shipping the ball back to thrower Alfie Wilson to touch down in the corner.

Horden again got themselves together and made it a much more even game for the following twenty minutes. Their heavier scrum got a bit of a shove on in the set play but resilient play by Connor Noble and Dominic Gibson in the front row and good foraging by Gordon meant Mowden won their own ball. Horden capitalised on the momentum of their scrum and Mark Wilson was put under a lot of pressure and unable to get the back line moving as it had in the first half.

Eventually Mowden won back the initiative forcing a penalty in the middle of the pitch 30m from the line. Gordon took a short penalty, passing to Callum Oakes at full pace who ran unopposed to put the ball down under the posts. In another change Mark Harsley gave way on the left wing to give Aidan his debut game

Mowden were again completely on top and it was no surprise when a sweet passing move set Mattie away down the right wing but a good tackle bundled him into touch just yards short of the line. From the resulting line out Tom snatched the ball and went over for Mowden’s ninth try.

The tenth and final try saw Tamer get his hat trick from another fine back line move putting him free in the corner not requiring the overlap provided by Aidan.

Final score Horden 0 Mowden Park 58

Another outstanding victory with a good game played by everyone. Next week will be tougher test away to a physically strong Blaydon team with several Mowden players on duty elsewhere.