Milford Marlins U13s 32 v Stanley Rangers U13s 16
04.05.19

Stanley Rangers u13s were left feeling that a number of decisions went against them during a hard-fought away game against Milford Marlins which resulted in a 32-16 loss.  

This was not to detract from a solid Milford performance, comfortable on their large artificial pitch, but team, coaches and parents alike finished the game wondering what ‘might have been’ on other days.  However, this should not overshadow the boys’ performance on a day when Rangers could name just 16 players, including Harrison Lindsay and Logan Colley in only their second matches and returnee Lewis Robinson in his first since rejoining the club.  Elliot Dixon-Griffiths took his first game as sole captain and this relived pressure on Olly Fitzsimons, who put in a hard-working display at second row.  Thomas Leaver excelled especially in defence and Colley and Mason Hindle, supported by Haroon Khan off the bench, took their opportunities well on the wings.  Robinson’s promising arrival off the bench was cut short by an ankle injury but head coach Craig Williamson will be working out his best position in games to come.  Luke Nicholls was again difficult to control going forwards and scored the first points of the game under the sticks, giving Thomas Hayes a straightforward conversion.  

Milford produced a good team display throughout, with some clever offloading, and scored twice in reply to lead 10-6 at half-time before Dixon-Griffiths pulled one back with Rowan Keenan converting a difficult kick.  

In the meantime Kyan Denton had been unlucky not to add to the scoresheet.  The rest of the game was a different story though and Milford forged ahead with Rangers becoming increasingly frustrated at decisions on the pitch.  However, Rangers kept playing and determined displays by Keenan at full-back (including a try-stopping tackle on Milford’s opposition man of the match and his own try towards the end of the game) and Will Dobson across the pitch from second-row meant that Rangers could leave the game with their heads held high about the performance if not the scoreline.  Defence was much improved throughout, Will Davies putting in some solid tackles alongside Leaver, Dobson and hooker Tylor Lindsay, and even Hayes and Harrison Lindsay, two of the smaller men on the pitch, getting stuck in together.  

Thomas Leaver reclaimed his usual Players’ Man of the Match award alongside Man of Steel and Opposition Man of the Match; Coaches’ Man of the Match went to Will Dobson.  

With a performance like this Rangers would have won on another day and will look forward to seeing their hard work pay off in the next game.

 Match Report sent in by Kath Hayes.