2013 Dowswell Festival

Hi all,

Hope you're all home, warm and dry now after another cold, wet and windy day supporting Sidcup U7s.

I also hope all the kids enjoyed the festival, they certainly did the club proud in terms of their behaviour on the day and also in the performances they put in at the results achieved....I must admit it was a bit tricky trying to keep tabs on both teams, whilst also refereeing games, and also trying to watch my other son in the U8s, but I think the results were as follows - sure someone can correct me if I'm wrong.....

GROUP GAMES:

Team Steve (we were A&B in name only today !)
SRFC 5 vs. Old Colfeians A 3
SRFC 6 vs. Aylesford 3
SRFC 3 vs. Beckenham 4

The team started all guns blazing and secured a couple of comprehensive wins before they came up against a strong Beckenham side and lost by the odd try to finish 2nd in the group and a place in the 'Bowl Final' agains Edenbridge.....more of that later.

Team Christian
SRFC 5 vs. Old Colfeians B 2
SRFC 3 vs. Edenbridge 4
SRFC 7 vs. Beccehamians 2

Also made a terrific start and won the opening game, before a narrow defeat to Edenbridge meant that they had it all to do in the last game vs. Beccehamians. They didn't let us down, with a great performance running in 7 tries to secure top spot in the group and a place in the 'Shield Final' against Beckenham.

FINALS:

In that Shield Final Sidcup held their own, but in the end were undone by a super fast runner on the Beckenham team who, taking advantage of an unexpected last minute change in rules in the final, ran in 3 early tries from which we never really recovered, in the end going down 7-2. However, a terrific effort by the whole team and they really had earned the medals they got at the end.

So back to the Bowl Final, could Sidcup win some 'glassware' which was actually nothing like a bowl? It was a really tight game vs. Edenbridge - some great tagging work by both teams and it ended 3-3 at full time, and so went to 'Golden Try' extra time. Sidcup played ferociously in extra time, there was only going to be 1 winner, and with a superb late surge Frank Heinzel scored the winning try !

So all round both teams can be proud of their achievements - to finish 2nd and 3rd in the tournament was no mean feat. I was really proud of both squads and particularly how well the ex-micros players who've just come up did, and also how well they've been welcomed into the fold by the more experienced players. It sets us up really well for the rest of the season and we also have some real competition for the selective 'Kent Preliminaries' in a few weeks time.

Thanks to all the players, parents, grandparents, friends etc etc who came along and supported and see you all soon; I think many of you at the Etihad Cup at Harlequins next Saturday.

cheers, Stuart
Coach, Sidcup RFC U7s