Aysgarth 1st XI 61-5 v 60 – all out Cundall 1st XI

Aysgarth 1st XI 125-3 v 124 all out Terrington Hall 1st XI

Aysgarth 1st XI 91-8 v 90 all out Sedbergh 1st XI

Aysgarth 1st XI 70-1 v 68 – all out Mowden Hall 1st XI

Aysgarth 1st XI 121-7 St Olaves 123-6

Aysgarth 1st XI 41-3 v 40 – all out Cundall 1st XI

Aysgarth 1st XI 34-4 v 33 – all out Bramcote 1st XI

Ampleforth Tournament

The Worsley cup was a much bigger success this year for Aysgarth. We played extremely well and were unlucky to go out in the semi finals.

Greshams 61-5 Aysgarth 50-9

Greshams had a strong team with one very fast bowler. We bowled well to them but a couple of fielding errors allowed them to reach a bigger total than they should have. In reply we batted well although their bowling was a little too strong for us.

SMA B 27 Aysgarth 28-1

Our bowling unit really started to kick in and we held them to a low score. Fenwick, Darbishire and Fawcett bowled very straight and gave little for them to hit. In reply Adair and Darbishire saw us through.

Terrington 33-6 Aysgarth 37-4

Again the bowling unit did their job with Smith joining the attack. Darbishire continued to take wickets early on. We gave them little to score from and impressed in all areas of the game. In reply we were walking it and lost 3 wickets with only 5 to win.

Semi Final

St Olaves 46-6 Aysgarth 45-3

This was a fantastic game. Olaves were held to a low score with some top bowling. Hillsborough came into the attack and held the opposition batsman. In reply we got off to a slow start and were below the run rate.  However, Lockyear and Smith started to accelerate the score. We only needed 4 off the last over and 1 off the last ball but unfortunately the ball was skied and left us one short of victory as we had lost more wickets.

Aysgarth 96-8 Red House 95-7

We had a fantastic match against Red House. They batted first on a very nice, quick wicket and got off to a good start. Fawcett came on and slowed the rate down but they still finished on a competitive target. We batted well but our batsmen kept getting in and then getting themselves out. Lockyear (20) stayed for the longest but we found ourselves 72 -8. In came Bostock (15no) and Fenwick (9), the heroes of the day. They batted extremely well against a good bowling attack and helped Aysgarth reach their target.

MoM: George Bostock 

Aysgarth 45 all out Ampleforth 101 all out

The first loss on the circuit this year saw a collapse by the Aysgarth boys. We bowled and fielded adequately but an Ampleforth batsman batted through for 60not out. That knock proved to be the match winner although we had opportunities to get him early on.  Hillsborough was the highlight with the ball taking 5 wickets.

In reply we started well with Lockyear working hard as opener but once a couple of wickets went down the order collapsed.

MoM: Ned Hillsborough

Cundall Manor 180 vs Aysgarth 175

One of the best games of the season led to our second defeat of the campaign. Chasing  180 in 35 overs we fell just short after a fantastic display.

Another Yorkshire player scored a fifty against us (96) which put us under real pressure. We bowled well although dropped catches again let us down. Our spin bowlers kept us in the game, on a wicket which was conducive for pace, spin and batting.

Our reply started slowly as we lost early wickets but captain Hillsborough (36) played his best innings of the season. With some sumptuous cover drives and opportunistic single running. He was backed up ably by a rampant Wright (34) who also ran between the wickets with aplomb. Bateson (20) came in at the end with some lusty blows but unfortunately we fell 5 runs short.

MoM: Ned Hillsborough

Tour report
This years tour to Caldicott was a massive success. The 20/20 tournament was very well organised and many thanks must go to the Caldicott staff for all their help and assistance. The pitches and entertainment was excellent.
We started the first game against a touring side from South Africa, Clifton. They had won 7 and drawn 1 on their  tour up to that point. We took the field with a little apprehension and it showed with our first over which was slightly erratic. However , from that point we were absolutely fantastic bowling with precision and fielder with real class. We finally bowled them out for 140 which was a superb performance on a very nice wicket.
In reply we were on 48-0 after the 6 over power play. Darbishire (18) and Adair (35) got us off to a great start but the wickets soon tumbled and we were left requiring 30 off the last 3 overs, with only 5 wickets remaining. Lusty blows for 6 from Wright and Bateson kept us in the hunt but it was captain marvel, Ned Hillsborough (19no), who scored a 4 off the penultimate ball to win the game.  It was a fantastic result and really set up the weekend.
Our second match was not as close. We bowled Horris Hill out for 101 with a very strong bowling performance. Smith, Fenwick and Bateson bowled well again and along with Jones put them under plenty of pressure.
Our batting line up did well with Fawcett and Adair starring. We knocked off the total within 10 overs, and with Caldicott beating Clifton, we made the final.
After a long night pondering tactics we arose on Monday morning ready for action. We bowled and fielded well again and held them to competitive 154. In response, we started reasonably brightly at 34-1. However, 4 run outs in 2 overs led to a dreadful collapse which we were unable to recover from. We ended up on 80 all out with thoughts about what could have been.
Troy Lockyear won the tournament fielder prize and Rupert Smith won our teams bowling award. Congratulations must go to all the boys as we performed to a very impressive level.

Tour report
This years tour to Caldicott was a massive success. The 20/20 tournament was very well organised and many thanks must go to the Caldicott staff for all their help and assistance. The pitches and entertainment was excellent.
We started the first game against a touring side from South Africa, Clifton. They had won 7 and drawn 1 on their  tour up to that point. We took the field with a little apprehension and it showed with our first over which was slightly erratic. However , from that point we were absolutely fantastic bowling with precision and fielder with real class. We finally bowled them out for 140 which was a superb performance on a very nice wicket.
In reply we were on 48-0 after the 6 over power play. Darbishire (18) and Adair (35) got us off to a great start but the wickets soon tumbled and we were left requiring 30 off the last 3 overs, with only 5 wickets remaining. Lusty blows for 6 from Wright and Bateson kept us in the hunt but it was captain marvel, Ned Hillsborough (19no), who scored a 4 off the penultimate ball to win the game.  It was a fantastic result and really set up the weekend.
Our second match was not as close. We bowled Horris Hill out for 101 with a very strong bowling performance. Smith, Fenwick and Bateson bowled well again and along with Jones put them under plenty of pressure.
Our batting line up did well with Fawcett and Adair starring. We knocked off the total within 10 overs, and with Caldicott beating Clifton, we made the final.
After a long night pondering tactics we arose on Monday morning ready for action. We bowled and fielded well again and held them to competitive 154. In response, we started reasonably brightly at 34-1. However, 4 run outs in 2 overs led to a dreadful collapse which we were unable to recover from. We ended up on 80 all out with thoughts about what could have been.
Troy Lockyear won the tournament fielder prize and Rupert Smith won our teams bowling award. Congratulations must go to all the boys as we performed to a very impressive level.

2ND XI vs Terrington Hall – Saturday 2 May 2009

06-05-09
Aysgarth 2nd XI   versus  Red House
Venue  Norton Cricket Ground
Result:  Aysgarth won by 5 wickets

2ND XI vs Sedbergh Junior School 13 May 2009

2ND XI vs Cundall Manor 20 May 2009

Ampleforth won the toss on a fine, sunny day and elected to bat.  The aysgarth opening bowling attack of Alderson and Trant put the Ampleforth batsman under the cosh from the first over, with Alderson claiming a wicket in his first over, with the score on 2.  Tight bowling and good fielding saw the Ampleforth run rate kept low.  Trant took 3 wickets to end his spell.  Codrington and Williams-Ellis then took over the bowling duties.  Codringtons lofting spin had the batsmen confounded and he took 5 wickets in rapid succession to have Ampleforth all out for 69 off 15 overs.  Burrel and Hill contributed with a fine catch each.

Hill and Sizer were te opening batsman and a bit of indecision and poor communication saw Sizer run out for 0.  The new batsman was Barnard and between the two of them they took the Ampleforth bowling apart, scoring 11 4's and a few singles.  Some wayward bowling cotributed a number of extras and Aysgarth comfortably passed the Ampleforth score in 8 overs.

Well done to all the Aysgarth team on a fine win.

2ND XI vs Cundall Manor 24 June 2009

20-05-09
Aysgarth 3rd XI versus Cundall Manor 3rd XI
Venue: home
Result: Cundall win by 79 runs

Ampleforth 3rd XI 50 All out v Aysgarth 3rd XI 52-4

Aysgarth won by 6 wickets

Ampleforth batted first and reached a total of 50 not out.  The Aysgarth team fielded well with Hector Inglis taking two wickets and Fergus Vaux four wickets and were backed up by a spectacular diving catch by Hector Barrett at square leg.

With the bat both Inglis and Greensit played excellent innings helping the team reach the target for the loss of four wickets.

24-06-09
Aysgarth 3rd XI versus Cundall Manor 3rd XI
Venue: away
Result: Aysgarth win by 13 runs
Top Totty Rules the Manor
Glorious sunshine and a gentle breeze greeted the Aysgarth players as they strolled across the lush playing fields at Cundall Manor. Aysgarth approached the match with some trepidation following their early season mauling at the hands of today’s opponents, little did they realise what riches lay ahead of them.
Ben Collin, Aysgarth captain for the match, won the toss and, demonstrating confidence in his young men, elected to bat.
The Aysgarth upper order, struggled on an undulating wicket, Alex Totty making 7 and Hector Barrett and Chris Greensit contributing 4 and 5 respectively. Jack Kinnaird found foot movement a little difficult to come by and was undone prior to scoring. Upon his dismissal Josef Westgarth strode to the crease in typical phlegmatic fashion. His innings began innocuously, pushing and prodding for opportunistic singles with some strokes, only to play and miss with others. He then found the boundary with a slashing stroke through the covers, leaving the despairing fielder floundering on the turf. This proved to be the renaissance of Westgate’s season, lusty blow following deft defensive play. Even the wild and erratic beamers of the Cundall bowlers failed to halt his progress, with the effervescent Westgarth watching them pass by with disdain. Chaytor-Norris supported his team mate with determination, overcoming original nerves to end on 12. The Cundall bowling attack continued to press and Aysgarth ended their innings on a competitive 76, with Westgarth contributing an excellent 26.

27-06-09
Aysgarth 3rd XI versus Durham
Venue: away
Result: Aysgarth won by two wickets

Aysgarth U11A v Reeds U11A  (Home)

Aysgarth U11A v Terrington U11A

Aysgarth U11A v Malsis U11A

Aysgarth U11A v Sedbergh U11A (25 overs)

Aysgarth U11A v Cundall Manor U11A

Aysgarth U11A v Bramcote U11A (25-over game)

Aysgarth U11A v Merchiston U11A (25-over game)

Aysgarth U11A v Barnard Castle U11A (25-over game)

Aysgarth U11A v Bow U11A (25 over game)

Aysgarth U11A v St. Martin’s Ampleforth U11A  (25 overs)

Aysgarth U11A v Cundall Manor U11A  (25 overs)

Aysgarth U11A v Magdalen College Prep U11A

Aysgarth U11A v Mowden Hall U11A

Under 11B V Cundall Manor
Aysgarth won the toss and elected to field.  The opening bowlers did well and were very economical.  Arthur James got 2 wickets off his 4 overs for just 4 runs and Jamie Wallace – Woodroffe 1 wicket for 2 runs.  Harry Holt and Tom Beaumont got 3 wickets each off just 3 overs and Ed Brook got the last wicket with his 2nd ball.  Aysgarth were set a target of just 29 which was reached for the loss of 1 wicket.  Arthur James and James Francis both scored 10 not out.
 Man of the match:  Arthur James

Aysgarth won the toss and put St. Martin's into bat.  We quickly bowled them out for 21 runs with Arthur James getting 5 wickets in 5 balls! Aysgarth scored 22 without loss and recorded a convincing win. 

Aysgarth U11B versus Bow

Under 11 B’s Versus Ampleforth
Venue: home
Aysgarth won the toss and put St. Martin’s into bat.  We bowled them all out for 53 and the highlight of the innings was the four catches taken by Ewan Hamilton at silly mid on.  Aysgarth reached the target of 54 after 15 overs for 4 wickets.

Aysgarth won the toss and put themselves into bat.  Ed Brook scored a massive 64 (12 4's).  Aysgarth scored 139 from their 25 overs.  Cundall batted very well and after 10 overs were looking as though they might make it (66 runs scored).  A good spell from Tom Beaumont and Ed Brook with the ball secured the victory.  Cundall scored 109.  Result aysgarth won by 30 runs.  Man of the match - Edward Brook.

Aysgarth U11b Versus Mowden Hall
Aysgarth won this fixture quite comfortably.  We scored 82 for 2 wickets from our 20 overs.  Mowden scored 24 from theirs.  George Shepherd was the best with the ball and got 3 wickets for 0 runs from his 2 overs and got man of the match.

Date: 1st July 2009
Match: Aysgarth U11 C versus Cundall Manor U11 C
Venue: Away
Result: Cundall Manor win by 21 runs.
The Aysgarth Under 11 C team travelled to Cundall Manor full of high spirits and enthusiasm.  After a little confusion at the beginning of the afternoon, Cundall Manor won the toss and elected to field, and then changed their mind and decided to bat instead – and what a fine decision it proved to be.
The opening Aysgarth bowlers, Tom Scott-Bell and David Austen worked tirelessly on a baking hot afternoon, restricting the hosts to 13-1 from the first four overs. Charlie Stephenson then joined the attack, along with Joss Tricks and both boys gave their all, with Stephenson taking part in a fine run out.  Cundall manor’s Whitworth began to dominate the Aysgarth bowling and made an impressive 20, before retiring to allow his team-mates an opportunity to shine. Harry Rooms bowled with precision, and Ben Saunders also impressed with the ball. James Trevelyan, Ralph Assherton, Fergus Stembridge and James Kendrick all stood up to be counted and contributed an over apiece, and the team captain Charles Nainby-Luxmoore kept wicket admirably.  The final four overs saw the return of Scott Bell and Stephenson. Stephenson continued to work hard, but it was Scott Bell who had magic crackling in his fingertips. His penultimate over saw him bowl three Cundall batsmen out, giving him figures of 4 for 7 from his four over spell, a tremendous effort Tom. Cundall ended their innings on 100 – 7, a formidable total, but not insurmountable.
Tea was taken in the pavilion amidst some very welcome shade.
Austen and Stephenson began the Aysgarth reply with the sun beating upon the perspiring umpires. Both played some classic defensive strokes, indicating that this innings had the potential to enthral the gathered Aysgarth supporters. Unfortunately our early optimism proved a little premature as Stephenson was run out following a collision with a Cundall fielder. Austen continued to play some solid, if ultimately non-profitable shots, and was supported at the crease by Scott Bell. Cundall maintained the pressure throughout the innings and the valiant Aysgarth boys struggled to make headway against some decent bowling and sharp fielding. Austen eventually cracked and succumbed to an electric, diving catch at mid on, for 4. Rooms entered the fray and played thoughtfully to score 6 runs. His dismissal brought captain Nainby-Luxmoore striding purposefully to the crease and within the over he was striding back to the pavilion having conscientiously failed to trouble the scorer. “I wanted to give somebody else a chance to bat” was his stoical comment on the coach home! Tricks replaced his captain and joined the battling Scoot Bell who remained determined to prove that Aysgarth’s depth of cricketing talent exceeded that of Cundall. Together they ploughed on, improving the run rate and raising the crowds hopes of an unlikely victory.
But alas, the final over was bowled a little too soon for our boys to reach the Cundall total and, despite a heroic effort from Scott Bell, who finished unbeaten on 15, and Tricks not out on 6, Cundall emerged victorious. The Aysgarth total of 79 demonstrated that there is talent lurking in the C team, and this can only bode well for the future.
Very well done boys, I was proud of your effort.  Thank you spectators, I hope you enjoyed the match.

Aysgarth U/12 162-8 Ripon 62 All out
Aysgarth won by 100 runs

Aysgarth put in a very impressive performance against Ripon. Batting first Adair and Darbishire both passed 50 which put up a very strong score in 25 overs. In reply there were excellent individual bowling spells especially from Sizer and Adair.

MoM: Freddie Adair

Aysgarth U9A 300 v 236 Reeds U9A

AYSGARTH U9A 370 v TERRINGTON U9A 243

Cundall Manor 214 v 309 Aysgarth U9A

Aysgarth won by 95 runs

A fine all round performance by the U9A saw them record another victory.  The Aysgarth side were sharp in the field, often diving to save boundaries and taking all the catches that came their way.  The bowling performance was also much better with the side taking 10 wickets in total.

The batsman performed well and in particular the pairings of Bertie Turner and Marcus Chapman and Jack Theakston and Otto Stroyan who scored in excess of 30 runs each completing a good afternoon for the side.

Aysgarth U9A 412 v Bramcote U9A 197

Aysgarth won by 215 runs

Another convincing victory for the Under 9A's but they are going to have to perform much better in up and coming games if they are to maintain their unbeaten record.  The bus journey was long and this was reflected in the opening overs where the fielding was not particularly sharp.  However, as the innings wore on wickets, catches and run outs came our way on a regular basis and we restricted the home side to a score of 197.  With the bat all of the pairs contributed decent totals with the team finishing on a massive 412.

Aysgarth U9A 365 v 212 Barnard Castle U9A

Another sound and convincing victory for the U9's.  The highlight of this performance was the fact that all the batsman played sensibly and we only lost one wicket in the whole innings despite theire being some useful bowling.  There are still areas to work on in the field but the team are still improving this is a good sign with some difficult fixtures ahead.

Aysgarth U9A 365 v Ampleforth U9A 235

Aysgarth won by 130 runs 

An outstanding team performance set up this victory.  The Aysgarth side were excellent in the field taking the vast majority of catches and run outs that came their way with the highlight being a stunning diving catch on the boundary by Marcus Chapman which would have graced any cricket field.  All the bowlers bowled well with wickets taken on a regular basis.

With the bat every pair made valuable contributions to the total with some sensible batting.  It was particularly pleasing to see Otto Stroyan and Fraser Brooksbank perform so well as they are a year young and will be returning next year.

Aysgarth U9A 316 v Cundall Manor U9A 230

Aysgarth won by 86 runs

Another solid performance saw the U9 side maintain their 100% record and set up a big climax to the season next Wednesday.  Aysgarth fielded first against a much improved Cundall side from the one we played earlier in the term but the team rose to the challenge limiting the number of boundaries and taking the vast majority of chances that came their way.  This restricted the home team to a total of 230.

With the bat Adair played well at the top of the innings and was backed up with some big contributions from Stroyan, West and Guthe.  The team finally ended with a total of 316. 

Aysgarth U9A 394 v Woodleigh U9A 233

Aysgarth won by 161 runs

A fantastic performance to complete an unbeaten season for the second consecutive year at U9 level.  To see so many young cricketers improve as they have working hard at every session has been a privilege.  In the field the boys were sharp with George West taking three catches , Lysander Adair taking three wickets and Otto Stroyan and Jack Theakston taking two wickts each.

The highlight of the game was the batting with no boy losing a wicket throughout the innings, this will stand them all in good stead for when they start playing with the hard ball next year.

Every pair made a big contribution to the scoreboard, Adair and Furness(49), Theakston and Stroyan(61), Turner and Chapman(44), Brooksbank and West(41).

It was a wonderful end to a fantastic season.  Well done to all the boys.

Aysgarth School U9B vs Cundall Manor U9B

Rawthey Run, Sedbergh School.

Mr Maclelland and I took two teams of runners to Sedbergh with high hopes of success and the boys did not disappoint. On what proved to be an ideal January afternoon for running both teams put in an excellent effort to take 1^st place in the U-11 race and 2^nd in the U-13 race. Full details were as follows...

U-11                                                                                      U-13

4^th G. Holder                                                                      6^th H. West

6^th E. Brook                                                                         7^th  O. Hill                           

8^th S. Hoddinott                                                                                10^th T. Lockyear

18^th G. West                                                                       15^th D. Bateson

25^th G. Hill                                                                          21^st J. Wallace-Woodroffe

Team total: 61pts                                                             Team Total: 59pts

38^th A. Stroyan                                                                  22^nd E. Fenwick

40^th J. Kendrick                                                                 37th  H. Inglis                                

1^st place out of 16 teams                                              2^nd place out of 10 teams

A super effort, and a most enjoyable afternoon at a very well organised event.

Well run everyone!

SPS.

Rawthey Run, Sedbergh School.

Mr Maclelland and I took two teams of runners to Sedbergh with high hopes of success and the boys did not disappoint. On what proved to be an ideal January afternoon for running both teams put in an excellent effort to take 1^st place in the U-11 race and 2^nd in the U-13 race. Full details were as follows...

U-11                                                                                      U-13

4^th G. Holder                                                                      6^th H. West

6^th E. Brook                                                                         7^th  O. Hill                           

8^th S. Hoddinott                                                                                10^th T. Lockyear

18^th G. West                                                                       15^th D. Bateson

25^th G. Hill                                                                          21^st J. Wallace-Woodroffe

Team total: 61pts                                                             Team Total: 59pts

38^th A. Stroyan                                                                  22^nd E. Fenwick

40^th J. Kendrick                                                                 37th  H. Inglis                                

1^st place out of 16 teams                                              2^nd place out of 10 teams

A super effort, and a most enjoyable afternoon at a very well organised event.

Well run everyone!

SPS.

Aysgarth 1^st XI 3 vs 0 Bramcote

Aysgarth finally beat Bramcote with a convincing win. After a close first half Aysgarth narrowly came in ahead through goals from Fenwick and West. In the second half Aysgarth began to dominate but only scored one more through Fawcett. The Bramcote side were well organised and made the most of their players. Unfortunately, Aysgarth took a long time to get going and looked very sluggish. It was a relatively poor performance from a potentially strong side which is something we must remedy.

Aysgarth 1^st XI 3 vs 1 Sedbergh 1^st XI

Aysgarth won again in a very competitive match with Sedbergh. We started the game with a dismal first 10 minutes which did not bode well. Sedbergh had the better chances but did not put them away and we went in one all with a finish from Bateson. After a lively team talk at half time and a move to 4-4-2 Aysgarth sprang into life. The game become very physical and we gave as good as we got. There were some excellent second half displays from Hill, Fenwick and Williams-Ellis but Bateson took the plaudits as he finished with a hat-trick.

Aysgarth 1^st XI 1 vs  1 Cundall Manor 1^st XI

Aysgarth started poorly and failed to get going until Cundall scored their first goal. At this point we began to get out of the blocks and got an equaliser through Adair. In a tense last 5 minutes both teams had chances. Cundall won a penalty in the last seconds but put it over the bar.

Aysgarth 1^st XI 7 v 1 Woodleigh 1^st XI

Aysgarth put out an under strength 1^st XI and mixed up the positions a little so to get a competitive game of football. After an early goal from Woodleigh it turned into a formality as the strong Aysgarth side were too strong in all areas of the field.  This was a good warm up in preparation for a tough encounter coming up this Wednesday.

Aysgarth 1^st XI 2 v 5 St Aidans 1^st XI

Aysgarth had a very competitive match against St. Aidan’s. Losing an early goal kicked the team into gear and we started to play well. Having fought our way back into the game we conceded late in the first half to go in 3-1 down. We continued to play some lovely passing football, on a tough pitch, and created plenty of chances. However the opposition were a little more clinical in front of goal and we went down 5-2. Aysgarth can be very pleased with their performance and i hope the boys learnt a lot from a school with a lot of boys whose main sport is football. 

Aysgarth 1^st XI 5 v Cundall Manor 1^st XI 1

After a 1-1 draw at Aysgarth, and with a few players missing we knew this was to be a very tough game. We started well competing from the first whistle and scored a goal through Mungo Fawcett after some good work down the right hand side. Cundall scored an equally good goal and it was 1-1 at half time. We dominated the midfield, Orlando Hill had a fantastic game in defence and everyone played their part. With width being the key to success we scored a further 4 goals, from Harry West, a penalty from David Bateson, Mungo Fawcett got his second and there was an own goal after some heavy pressure. This was a very good performance from the whole team. Final score, 5-1. Well played.

This was our first game of the season and there had been no training sessions beforehand.  As a rusult, the Aysgarth play was lacking a bit on a number of fronts.  It was a 7-a-side match against the Ripon 1st 7.    Aysgarth had a good enthusiastic start, attacking the opposition with purpose, scoring two quick goals by Harry Sizer and Tom Bilborough.  Ripon then picked up the pace and started to pull their game together, finding the gaps in our defence and making some strong attacks.  Good goalkeeping by Hector Barratt kept them at bay for a while, but eventually their pressure paid off and we were soon 2 - 2. Ripon played the better football today, but A|ysgarth did defend well putting in some despirate tackles.  Just before half time, Aysgarth made a surprise break, attacked quickly and Harry Sizer managed to sneak the ball home.

A lucky win for Aysgarth this time round.  There is lots of work to do, but I am sure that the boys will step up to the mark and give of their best.

We knew this would be a tough fixture, playing against the Moorlands 1st team.  Conditions were muddy and wet underfoot, playable.  Aysgarth won the toss and kicked off.  They were hesitant, however, and allowed Moorlands to dictate the game.  In 50/50 situations the Aysgarth boys hang back and therefore gave Moorlands the upper hand.  Moorlands seized the opportunities with relish and attacked strongly.  Some fantastic goalkeeping from Hector Barrett kept the opposition at bay.  Eventually, Moorlands were able to get the ball into the net, scoring three very good goals in the first half. 

After half time, Aysgarth started with determination, positional play was good and within minutes, Harry Sizer moved into the center forward position, where he received a very good pass and he slotted the ball into the back of the net.  From this stage, Aysgarth played much better football, challenging for the ball a lot more and frequently had the upper hand.  The back three were excellent in defence and the midfielders moved the ball well.  Archie Erskine had a particularly good game and was a continual threat to the opposition.  However, Aysgarth allowed Moorlands to form a seemingly impenetrable wall struggled to gain any positional advantage.  Moorland went on to score two more very good goals.  The final scoreline reflects Moorlands ability to finish well.  Aysgarth had more possession, but did nothing with it.

Aysgarth approached this match with focus, determined to do well.  The game got off to a good start, with both teams testing each other out.  The pace was quick and the ball changed sides frequently.  The teams were evenly matched, a combination of poor decision making and poor passing allowed Cundall to get the upper hand.  They made the most of their opportunities and scored two goals.  During one patch of very good play, Harry Sizer received a great pass up the middle of the field and he slotted home the goal.  Aysgarth had a number of scoring opportunities, but failed in the finish.  A disappointing result for Aysgarth, but I hope that the team will learn from their mistakes and up their game.



Despite losing this match 5 - 5, I feel that both sides were fairly evenly matched.  Aysgarth won the toss and started strongly,  they ran well with the ball and moved it around the field.  A few lapses in concentration by Aysgarth and some good long range shooting from the St Aidens players saw the visitors 3 - 0 up at half time. 

Aysgarth workied harder in the second half and worked cohesively as a team.  They had plenty of shots at goal,  but unfortunately most were weak and off target.  Aysgarth did manage to slot home two goals in this half, but so, unfortunately did St Aidens.  To sum up this match, Aygarth played well as a team, but were not goal hungry enough to beat a team who peppered the Aysgarth goal with every opportunity they had.

The Aysgarth 2nd team continue the slow start trend.   From the start, Aysgarth played too wide and left gaps in the middle.  As the wings crossed the ball to the middle, Cundall easily intercepted and launched couunter attacks.  Good defence and some brave saves from Hector Barrett kept them at bay.  Two lapses in concentration in 5 minutes, however, got Cundall ahead with two goals.

In the second half, Aysgarth played much better, making good use of the centre field.  They played much more cohesively asa team and were able to put Cundall under pressure.  One of the surging attacks resulted in a goal by William Westgarth.

Unfortunately, Cundall managed to hold out to win the game.

This was certainly a game of two halves and the scoreline did not do justice to the second half perfomance from the Aysgarth side.  In the first half Cundall were much the brighter winning all the key tackles and making the most of the chances that came their way.  The wind also played a big part and Cundall had it at their backs in the first half and they scored from the last corner of the half to make it 3-0.

The second half was a different story with Aysgarth camped in the Cundall half winning lots of tackles and putting pressure on the visitors.  Unfortunately chances were missed, the woodwork was hit and all Aysgarth had to show for their pressure was a goal from Chaytor-Norris with eight minutes remaining.  Cundall scored in injury time on the break as the home side pushed for more making it a 4-1 victory for the visitors.

Aysgarth 3^rd XI 0 v 5 Cundall Manor 3^rd XI

The Aysgarth 3^rd XI set out to play fast, attacking football against a strong Cundall team last Saturday. On a large pitch in good conditions, play swung from end to end with only one goal separating the two sides at half time. The feeling of the team at the break was optimistic, but alas they failed to counter the more direct style of play adopted by the opposition in the second half. Goals came regularly for Cundall in the second half with Aysgarth unable to sore from some promising attacking positions.  Cundall are to be congratulated on their deserved victory, but the Aysgarth boys can also take credit from the manner in which they played the game.

 The man of the match was George Chaytor-Norris.

Aysgarth U-11 Spirit of Soccer.

Aysgarth ‘A’ 0 v 1 Bramcote

Aysgarth ‘A’ 1 v 0 Barnard Castle

Aysgarth ‘A’ 0 v 0 Cundall Manor

Aysgarth ‘A’ 0 v 1 Woodleigh

Aysgarth ‘A’ 0 v 1 Mowden

A very spirited performance from our boys was not enough to earn in a place in any of the last play-off games, we missed out by just one point. Harry Rooms was inspirational throughout every game and he scored our only goal of the afternoon. James Crewdson was excellent in defence and Ralph Assheton came close to scoring a few times. Andrew and Fergus Stembridge both had spells in goal as well as playing out and did very well. Ben Sanders and Reuben Isle also ran tirelessly all afternoon and if you could win a prize for sheer effort then the Aysgarth ‘A’ team would have done.

Man of the Match: Harry Rooms 

SPS

Aysgarth U11A 3 v 0 Bramcote U11A

Aysgarth U11B 3 v 0 Bramcote U11B

This was a good solid start to the season on a cold afternoon in January for both the Under 11A’s and U11B’s.   The match was moved to the Astroturf due to continued wet conditions and the games were played back to back.  The Under 11B’s played first and started well moving the ball around at speed but space was difficult to come by.  As the game wore on however more space appeared and Aysgarth were able to capitalise with goals from Lysander Adair, Bertie Lawson-Tancred and second half substitute Ewan Hamilton.

The Under 11A’s played next and despite some early hesitancy at times played some fantastic one touch football which opened up the visitors defence.  Unfortunately a lot of chances were squandered and there were some nervous moments at 1-0.  Tom Fenwick opened the scoring and the game was sealed with second half strikes from Archie Stroyan and Fenwick scoring with the last move of the game.

Aysgarth U11A 0 v 3 SJS U11A

This was a really disappointing result and performance from the Under  11A side who were beaten on the day by a side who played at a far greater intensity and with a lot more hunger.  The score could also have been worse if it were not for the visitors missing two penalties.  Aysgarth started reasonably well but could not get into any rhythm as SJS pressed the ball all over the pitch and the home team wanted far too long to get their passes and shots away.  Due to the pressure SJS were able to create a few chances which were taken clinically whilst at the other end Aysgarth were on occasions wasteful in front of goal.  We hope that the boy’s will respond positively in the next few games to get their season back on track.

Aysgarth U11A 2 v Woodleigh U11A 0

This was a fantastic away performance full of hard work, commitment and enough skill when it mattered to secure victory.  The home side created the best of the early chances but some good defending and saves from Fawcett kept the score at 0-0.

In the build up to half time Aysgarth started to look slightly fitter and settled the nerves with a goal from Edward Brook.  In the second half Aysgarth played with a lot more width and the spaces began to appear.  Numerous chances were missed but captain Archie Stroyan secured the victory midway through the second half.

Aysgarth U11A 0 v 1 Cundall Manor U11A

Aysgarth U11A 1 v 0 Cundall Manor U11B

Aysgarth U11B 0 v 0 Cundall Manor U11B

Aysgarth U11B 0 v 3 Cundall Manor U11A

An enjoyable afternoon of football was played by the Under 11 footballers but there was a sense of frustration at the final whistle in each of the games.  Both A teams warmed up against the opposing sides B teams and won convincingly although the Aysgarth B team with a better start and a greater sense of belief could have pushed the Cundall A team harder.

The frustration came as a result of missed chances.  Both the A team and the B team created enough chances to secure victory but were wasteful in front of goal and as a result were made to pay particularly in the A team game.  The work rate and determination cannot be faulted but without a killer instinct in front of goal it is very difficult to win football matches.

Aysgarth U11A 3 v 0 Bramcote U11A

Aysgarth U11B 3 v 0 Bramcote U11B

This was a good solid start to the season on a cold afternoon in January for both the Under 11A’s and U11B’s.   The match was moved to the Astroturf due to continued wet conditions and the games were played back to back.  The Under 11B’s played first and started well moving the ball around at speed but space was difficult to come by.  As the game wore on however more space appeared and Aysgarth were able to capitalise with goals from Lysander Adair, Bertie Lawson-Tancred and second half substitute Ewan Hamilton.

The Under 11A’s played next and despite some early hesitancy at times played some fantastic one touch football which opened up the visitors defence.  Unfortunately a lot of chances were squandered and there were some nervous moments at 1-0.  Tom Fenwick opened the scoring and the game was sealed with second half strikes from Archie Stroyan and Fenwick scoring with the last move of the game.

Aysgarth U11B  5 v 1  SJS U11B

After a slow start the U11B team finally hit top gear and recorded their second victory in three days.  Early on too many players were not at the races and if it hadn’t been for Jake Warburton’s clinical finishing the result may have been different.  Jake ended the match with a hat trick which was a great response to being dropped from the ‘A’ squad.  The side performed well in the second half but must start games better in the coming weeks if they are going to continue winning matches.

Aysgarth U11A 0 v 1 Cundall Manor U11A

Aysgarth U11A 1 v 0 Cundall Manor U11B

Aysgarth U11B 0 v 0 Cundall Manor U11B

Aysgarth U11B 0 v 3 Cundall Manor U11A

An enjoyable afternoon of football was played by the Under 11 footballers but there was a sense of frustration at the final whistle in each of the games.  Both A teams warmed up against the opposing sides B teams and won convincingly although the Aysgarth B team with a better start and a greater sense of belief could have pushed the Cundall A team harder.

The frustration came as a result of missed chances.  Both the A team and the B team created enough chances to secure victory but were wasteful in front of goal and as a result were made to pay particularly in the A team game.  The work rate and determination cannot be faulted but without a killer instinct in front of goal it is very difficult to win football matches.

Aysgarth U11 C  versus Moorland’s U11 A

Date:  06-02-10

Venue:  home

Result   Aysgarth lost 2-7

Aysgarth were outplayed by Moorland’s and lost 7-2. We were 3-0 down after five minutes and goals from Marcus Chapman and William Clark marked the beginning and end of a mini come-back.

TRB

Aysgarth Under 11 C v Cundall Manor Under 11 D

Result       1-1

Aysgarth Under 11 D v Cundall Manor Under 11 C

Result      1-2   Cundall win

Aysgarth Under 11 C  v Cundall Manor C

Result      1-2  Cundall win

Aysgarth Under 11 D  v  Cundall Manor D

Result      1-1

The short trip to Cundall Manor once again provided some very competitive football between four evenly matched teams. Both Aysgarth teams drew a match and lost a match, results which reflected the slight dominance of the Cundall teams. Some excellent work from Charlie Stephenson and Thomas Scott-Bell in the D team, and James Kendrick and Ned Selwyn-Sharpe in the C team ensured that the matches remained close.

Perhaps slicker passing and sharper finishing could have brought a victory for the boys in blue, but it would be churlish to deny that the better teams won on the bright, sunny day.

Aysgarth U11 D   versus   Moorlands U11 B

Date: 06-02-10

Venue: home

Result: Aysgarth came second, by 2 goals to 7.

Aysgarth Under 11 D team welcomed Moorland’s Under 11 B team for an afternoon of footballing fun. The weather was chilly, but pleasant enough for a February day, whilst the ground conditions were soft but comfortably playable.

Both teams began well, with passes and tackles exchanged in equal measure. Aysgarth had the better of the early possession but it was Moorlands who applied clinical finishing to their possession. Charlie Stephenson played well as captain and Hugh Ramsay was resolute in defence, but the first half ended with Moorlands commanding a 4-0 advantage.

During the half time break James Kendrick moved to midfield in a bid to link attack and defence. The switch seemed to work as Kendrick raced around the pitch, tackling hard and breaking up the visitor’s attacks and dashing forwards to set up the Aysgarth front line with several very good passes.

Aysgarth narrowed the deficit when Kendrick finished off a solo run – but Moorlands quickly regained their four goal cushion after some sloppy defending. Charlie Stephenson then re-asserted his side’s determination with a fine goal. As the game opened up the Moorland attack started to find further opportunities to add to their tally and, despite some fine goalkeeping from Ethan Madronal, they finished with a total of seven goals to the host’s two.

The boys all gave everything they had and deserve much credit for their perseverance, but they were simply beaten by a better team on the day.

Man of the match – James Kendrick, a fantastic effort.

Aysgarth Under 11 C v Cundall Manor Under 11 D

Result       1-1

Aysgarth Under 11 D v Cundall Manor Under 11 C

Result      1-2   Cundall win

Aysgarth Under 11 C  v Cundall Manor C

Result      1-2  Cundall win

Aysgarth Under 11 D  v  Cundall Manor D

Result      1-1

The short trip to Cundall Manor once again provided some very competitive football between four evenly matched teams. Both Aysgarth teams drew a match and lost a match, results which reflected the slight dominance of the Cundall teams. Some excellent work from Charlie Stephenson and Thomas Scott-Bell in the D team, and James Kendrick and Ned Selwyn-Sharpe in the C team ensured that the matches remained close.

Perhaps slicker passing and sharper finishing could have brought a victory for the boys in blue, but it would be churlish to deny that the better teams won on the bright, sunny day.

Aysgarth Under 11 E,F,G and H  versus Cundall Manor

Date: 03-02-10

Venue: Away

Result:  Aysgarth won 4 matches and lost 4 matches.

On a bitterly cold afternoon the boys of the Aysgarth Under 11 E, F, G and H teams travelled to Cundall Manor to play in a ‘round robin’ football tournament.

The afternoon began well, except for the warm up, in which Mr Irwin ended up, flat on his rear end, in the middle of the pitch – still, the gathered Aysgarth supporters seemed to find great amusement in the scenario and the boys chortled as well.

A slight mix up resulted in the Aysgarth G team competing against the hosts C team and the Aysgarth H team competing against Cundall’s D team. Despite this we managed respectable 1-0 and 2-0 defeats. A further defeat for the H team was countered by some stunning victories for the Aysgarth E and F teams.

Following the half time change over the G and H teams continued to battle bravely, with Reuben Isle and Hugh Ramsay both giving their all in every match they played. The E and F teams maintained their winning start and concluded the competition in unbeaten fashion.

A special mention to Harry Shepherd, who scored seven goals throughout the competition and would have won the golden boot award – had there been one.

Men of the matches;

E team        Harry Shepherd

F team        Charlie Stephenson

G team       Hugh Ramsay

H team       Reuben Isle

Aysgarth Under 11 E,F,G and H  versus Cundall Manor

Date: 03-02-10

Venue: Away

Result:  Aysgarth won 4 matches and lost 4 matches.

On a bitterly cold afternoon the boys of the Aysgarth Under 11 E, F, G and H teams travelled to Cundall Manor to play in a ‘round robin’ football tournament.

The afternoon began well, except for the warm up, in which Mr Irwin ended up, flat on his rear end, in the middle of the pitch – still, the gathered Aysgarth supporters seemed to find great amusement in the scenario and the boys chortled as well.

A slight mix up resulted in the Aysgarth G team competing against the hosts C team and the Aysgarth H team competing against Cundall’s D team. Despite this we managed respectable 1-0 and 2-0 defeats. A further defeat for the H team was countered by some stunning victories for the Aysgarth E and F teams.

Following the half time change over the G and H teams continued to battle bravely, with Reuben Isle and Hugh Ramsay both giving their all in every match they played. The E and F teams maintained their winning start and concluded the competition in unbeaten fashion.

A special mention to Harry Shepherd, who scored seven goals throughout the competition and would have won the golden boot award – had there been one.

Men of the matches;

E team        Harry Shepherd

F team        Charlie Stephenson

G team       Hugh Ramsay

H team       Reuben Isle

Aysgarth Under 11 E,F,G and H  versus Cundall Manor

Date: 03-02-10

Venue: Away

Result:  Aysgarth won 4 matches and lost 4 matches.

On a bitterly cold afternoon the boys of the Aysgarth Under 11 E, F, G and H teams travelled to Cundall Manor to play in a ‘round robin’ football tournament.

The afternoon began well, except for the warm up, in which Mr Irwin ended up, flat on his rear end, in the middle of the pitch – still, the gathered Aysgarth supporters seemed to find great amusement in the scenario and the boys chortled as well.

A slight mix up resulted in the Aysgarth G team competing against the hosts C team and the Aysgarth H team competing against Cundall’s D team. Despite this we managed respectable 1-0 and 2-0 defeats. A further defeat for the H team was countered by some stunning victories for the Aysgarth E and F teams.

Following the half time change over the G and H teams continued to battle bravely, with Reuben Isle and Hugh Ramsay both giving their all in every match they played. The E and F teams maintained their winning start and concluded the competition in unbeaten fashion.

A special mention to Harry Shepherd, who scored seven goals throughout the competition and would have won the golden boot award – had there been one.

Men of the matches;

E team        Harry Shepherd

F team        Charlie Stephenson

G team       Hugh Ramsay

H team       Reuben Isle

Aysgarth Under 11 E,F,G and H  versus Cundall Manor

Date: 03-02-10

Venue: Away

Result:  Aysgarth won 4 matches and lost 4 matches.

On a bitterly cold afternoon the boys of the Aysgarth Under 11 E, F, G and H teams travelled to Cundall Manor to play in a ‘round robin’ football tournament.

The afternoon began well, except for the warm up, in which Mr Irwin ended up, flat on his rear end, in the middle of the pitch – still, the gathered Aysgarth supporters seemed to find great amusement in the scenario and the boys chortled as well.

A slight mix up resulted in the Aysgarth G team competing against the hosts C team and the Aysgarth H team competing against Cundall’s D team. Despite this we managed respectable 1-0 and 2-0 defeats. A further defeat for the H team was countered by some stunning victories for the Aysgarth E and F teams.

Following the half time change over the G and H teams continued to battle bravely, with Reuben Isle and Hugh Ramsay both giving their all in every match they played. The E and F teams maintained their winning start and concluded the competition in unbeaten fashion.

A special mention to Harry Shepherd, who scored seven goals throughout the competition and would have won the golden boot award – had there been one.

Men of the matches;

E team        Harry Shepherd

F team        Charlie Stephenson

G team       Hugh Ramsay

H team       Reuben Isle

A TEAM

B TEAM

Aysgarth U-9 ‘A’ 9 v 0 Bramcote U-9 ‘A’

What a fantastic start to the U-9 football season. After the long journey to Bramcote our U-9 players were not caught napping. Attacking straight from the start Aysgarth soon took the lead with captain Oliver Stephenson crossing from the right and Otto Stroyan running on to volley the ball home.  More of the same followed as Otto began to score goal after goal, however the rest of the team also played very well and were full of running and enthusiasm from start to finish. Harry Canning and Archie Senior helped Oliver dominate the midfield whilst Harry Stephenson playing in defence grew with confidence as the game progressed. Fraser Brooksbank, our goalie made some fantastic saves and his quickly taken kicks and throws often turned defence into attack.

Otto Stroyan has to be Man of the Match for scoring all nine goals but it was a victory created by good all round team work. Well played everyone!

SPS 

Aysgarth U-9 ‘A’ 10 v 4 Sedbergh U-9 ‘A’

The first half of this game was an absolute cracker with both teams really going for it and scoring freely. The Sedbergh pitch was very large which created a lot of space and led to an open and exciting game. Three goals from Otto Stroyan and one from captain Oliver Stephenson just kept Aysgarth ahead at half-time 4-3. The Aysgarth boys kept up the hectic pace and with some lovely flowing moves soon pulled ahead of a now tiring Sedbergh side. Harry Canning and Archie Senior won a lot of ball in the middle of the field to pass forward to Otto and Oliver and Harry Stephenson playing in defence was superb in his positioning and tackling. Fraser Brooksbank again made some excellent saves when called upon. Eventually Aysgarth look to have won the game easily  but it took a lot of hard work and an excellent team effort over the whole game. Otto scored 6 of the goals and Oliver 4. Oliver put in a real Captains performance which has earned him the ‘Man of the Match’!

F. Brooksbank

H. Stephenson

H. Canning

O. Stephenson  Capt.

O. Stroyan

Sub: A. Senior

Aysgarth U-9 ‘A’  14 v 0  Woodleigh U-9 ‘A’

Any trip to Woodleigh is always an enjoyable one as it is such a friendly and welcoming school. They even managed to arrange good weather and it was quite a mild afternoon. After a quick warm up the Aysgarth boys quickly took control of the game and the goals began to come. It was evident that the two teams were quite mismatched but despite that the game was played in a friendly and open manner.

Goals from Otto Stroyan (6), Oliver Stephenson (4), Archie Senior (3) and Fraser Brooksbank sealed an emphatic win but we should not forget the hard work of our defence who kept a clean sheet. For all his good running and impressive hard tackling Harry Stephenson wins this week’s ‘Man of the Match’ award. 

SPS

J. Hopkins

R. Guthe

H. Wilkinson

G. Birkbeck

J. Alvarez

P. Trant

J. Sanders

Aysgarth U-9 ‘B’ 6 v 0 Sedbergh U-9 ‘B’

Inspired by the ‘A’ teams victory the ‘B’ team took to the field in a determined and enthused frame of mind. Robin Guthe and Edward Crowe ran their hearts out to win the ball for Aysgarth who took a simple route to victory. Win the ball, pass it to Freddie Woolgar, stand back and watch Freddie run half the length of the pitch and blast the ball home. This happened six times so the boys won 6-0, football can be such a simple game! Full marks to all the ‘B’ team players, the score line makes it sound like it was an easy game but they all worked exceedingly hard for the whole match. Man of the Match has to be Freddie!

SPS

J. Hopkins

R. Guthe

M. Reeves

F. Woolgar

T. Bowring

E. Crowe

F. Woolgar

T. Regis

W. Tallentire

C. Bell

G. Vivian

H. Chaytor-Norris

M. Reeves

H. Wilkinson

T. Regis

C. Bell

G. Vivian

H. Chaytor-Norris

G. Birkbeck

Aysgarth U-9 A+B v Barnard Castle A +B

                                                                                                                        Mr Smith

Aysgarth had a wonderful day at St Martins Ampleforth where they played Hockey against a weakened Ampleforth side.  The 1st team drew 2-2 with goals fro Madden and Tyson.  Brookie Trant also played well in goal as did Orlando Hill as sweeper.

TERRINGTON HALL SEVENS

LOST IN QUARTER-FINALS

This was a fantastic effort from a group of boys, some playing sevens for the first time and many playing out of position.  Injuries have ravaged the Aysgarth 1^st VII with five players missing from the team that started the final at Woodleigh the week before.

That should not take away from the commitment, skill level and attitude of those who took their place and who won the group.  Victories were secured against Harton, Reeds and Fylinghall which set up a quarter final against Easingwold.

Despite playing some good sevens when we had the ball, all our mistakes were capitalised on by the opposition and we ended up losing the game 24-7.

Training Game - no report

Training Game - no report.

RESULTS

GROUP STAGES

Aysgarth 15 v 0 St Mary's Hall

Aysgarth 10 v Witham Hall 0

Aysgarth 5 v Durham 17

In a tough group the 1st XV played very well in their opening two encounters and it set up a pool decider against a big Durham side.  Unfortunately the team did not start well in the opening minutes of the game and left themselves too much to do.  In a normal year this would have been enough to qualify for the main semi-final but this year it meant a place in a very strong plate competition.

PLATE RESULTS

Q-Final Aysgarth 33 v 0 St Martin's Ampleforth

S-Final Aysgarth 14 v 12 St Olave's

Final  Aysgarth 21 v 0 Witham Hall

A fantastic response to the defeat against Durham saw the team retain the plate for the second consecutive year.  St Martin's were defeated in a one sided encounter but the match against St Olave's was first class.  The team started at speed and strung together 5 phases to go ahead straight from kick off.  St Olave's responded with two tries of their own going into the second half, but a fantastic break by Freddie and Adair and good support by Troy Lockyear put the team 14-12 ahead with a minute to go.  The team saw out the remaining minute to enjoy a fantastic victory.  This set up a final against Witham Hall.  Cheered on by lots of parents and the victorious Under 11 team the 1st XV were in control for most of the match finally winning the game 21-0.  It was a fantastic day of rugby and sets the team up nicely for the matches in the upcoming weeks.

Aysgarth 1st XV 60 v Sedbergh Junior School 1st XV 0
Another sound performance from the 1st XV resulted in a comfortable victory.  It was a particularly pleasing result for the boys who had struggled last year against older opponents and who are now benefiting from the experience.  Tries were scored at regular intervals and even the introduction of several substitutes did little to stem the tide of tries being scored.  There is still a lot of hard work ahead and there are still many areas of our game to work on in the coming weeks.
Try Scorers:  F.Adair(3), A.Erskine, D.Bateson(4), J.Wallace-Woodroffe

AYSGARTH 1st XV 58 v 0 BARNARD CASTLE Another excellent performance cemented a third successive victory. The result suggests a one sided game of rugby but this was not the case, particularly in the first half where the team had to match their abrasive opponents physically in order to play the style of rugby they wished to. After a competitive first half, the team continued to play with width and kept upping the tempo and as a result started to find lots of holes in the opposition defence. Tries were scored at regular intervals throughout the second half. This team is improving and we hope for another sound performance on Saturday.

AYSGARTH 1^st XV 37 v 20 ST MARTIN’S AMPLEFORTH

As the old sporting cliché goes, ‘this was a game of two halves’.  With a gale force wind sweeping straight down the field, it was never going to be easy to play a fluent style of rugby.  After winning the toss Aysgarth decided to play into the wind, but within a minute of kick off were 5-0 down due to an interception.

However, the team then produced an excellent 20 minutes of rugby playing with control and aggression.  By half time the team had scored 6 tries and led 32-10.  Unfortunately the second half was dominated by Ampleforth as Aysgarth playing with the wind struggled to reach the intensity of the first half performance.  It was a scrappy affair and some poor defending allowed Ampleforth another couple of tries giving a final score of 37-10.

The team will have to learn valuable lessons from the second half particularly in defence and this is something we will be working on over the coming week.  Nevertheless, it is now 4 straight wins and the season has started brightly.

AYSGARTH 1^st XV 65 v 0 RED HOUSE 1^st XV

Another solid performance brought a fifth consecutive victory.  It was a great opportunity to give boys experience of 1^st XV rugby and to use 25 players who all competed and played in a similar style to the starting side was particularly pleasing.   Tries were scored at regular intervals and the defence stood up to some concerted pressure in the second half.   A special mention must go to Alex Villiers Smith who scored on his debut and to Josef Westgarth who was outstanding at openside.

Match Cancelled

Training game - no report.

Training game - no report.

Aysgarth 15 - Barnard Castle 5

This was a very hard fought match. It was the first that Aysgarth had played together as a team. The first half saw some very scrappy play and although Aysgarth dominated in the rucks and mauls, they seldom spread the ball wide, choosing instead to keep the ball amongst the forwards. There were plenty of errors and it took a while for the Aysgarth team to show any form of cohesiveness. They slowly gound their way towards the Barnard Castle try line and were eventually successful in scoring when Kit McCrystal dotted down his first try for Aysgarth.

The second half was a much better effort with both sides playing hard rugby. The Barnard Castle team were uncompromising and they put lots of pressure on Aysgarth, eventually scoring a try. Aysgarth came back strongly and after prolonged period of furious play amongst the forward within the Barnard Castle 5m, suddenly decided to spread the ball wide and were rewarded with a excellent try by Jamie Wallace-Woodroffe. Shortly after the resart, the Aysgarth forwards secured the ball - it was spread wide and after some great running and passing amongst the backs, Harry Adair dotted the ball down on the right wing. The final whistle went a minute later and Aysgarth secured the win. Lots was learned in this game that I hope will be carried into the next.

Aysgarth 0 - St Martins Ampleforth 0

This match was played in gale force winds, but still turned out to a good, entertaining game of Rugby.  Aysgarth dominated throughout the game and with the amount of posession that they had should have won the game.  However, St Martins tackled very well and were able to contain the continual onslaghts of the Aysgarth machine.  Aysgarth rucked and mauled well and spread the ball wide, gaining plenty of ground and territiry, but unable to finish off.  I was particularly impressed with the Aysarth lineout, with Kit McCrystal finding his man every time in very difficult conditions. 

A disappointing result for Aysgarth, but they can be proud of the way they played.

Match Cancelled.

Aysgarth 10 - St. Mary's Hall 19

The Aysgarth 2nd team continues to suffer from that debilitating illness - "slowstartitis".  They effectively lost the game in the first 15 minutes of the match.  Rucking and mauling were poor, tackling was weak and poor decisions were made.  As a result, St Mary's Hall got plenty of ball and their strong backline was able to run though the Aysgarth defensive line, resulting in two tries for the home team.

Eventually, however Aysgarth started shrug off the symptoms and began to claw their way back into the match.  A superb passage of play ended when Humphry Codrington picked up the ball from the base of a scrum and barge his way over the line in the corner.  After half time, Aysgarth played some very good rugby, putting the St Mary's boys under plenty of pressure.  Aysgarth proceded to create wave after wave of attack, but the St Mary's defence held firm, forcing the Aysgarth boys to make errors.  St Mary's Hall managed to sneak in another try.  Aysgarth kept their heads up and fought back, with Humphry going over once again. The second half was so much better and I hope that Aysgarth will shake off the bug for the rest of the season.

In all, a great game of rugby.

Aysgarth 25 - Durham 5

A vastly improved start from the Aysgarth team.  Today they were firing on all cylinders from the first whistle.  The put Durham under tremendous pressure and didn't give an inch.  Any ball taken by the Durham players was quickly recovered.  The Aysgarth forwards gace their all and gained plenty of possession.  This was put to good use and three good tries were scored, one each from William Westgarth, Hector Inglis and Harry Adair.

In the second half, Durham came back strongly, but Aysgarth were ready for them.  They tackled hard and turned the ball over.  Durham managed to break through the defences early on however and scored a good try through one of their Centres.  Aysgarth responded well and came back to score two more tries (William Westgarth and Jack Kinnaird) to finish off a resounding victory.  Both sides are to be congratulated for playing good hard rugby.  I hope that Aysgarth have finally gotten rid of the bug!

A very bruising encounter.  Both teams were up for a very physical match.  Good, hard rugby was played by both sides, with neither team wanting to give an inch.  The scoreline slightly flatters St Mary's Hall, but they definately were the better team on the day.  Aysgarth made a few tactical miscalculations that gave St Mary's Hall a couple of easy scoring opportunities which they pounced on with relish.  The Aysgarth forwards were awesome in their play, gaining plenty of ground.  Charles Nainby-Luxmoore and Hector Inglis were particulalry good in driving forward and providing good ball.  Aysgarth were put on the back foot quite a bit, but never gave up and each boy can be proud of the part he played.   A few aspects to look at in the future:- rucking body position, first time tackling, changing tactics and spreading the ball wide.

The Aysgarth 2nd XV play with plenty of heart and fire.  They will reap the benefits of their hard work.

This was a very determined effort by the Aysgarth 2nd XV.  They managed to get going right from the first whistle and produced a very good display of rugby.  Aysgarth put the St Olaves team under continual pressure and gave them very little room to move.  The fowards were excellent in retaining possession and giving plenty of ball to the back line.  Each and every player in the team made a good, strong contribution towards the success of the team.  Play was characterised by good body positioning, great support play, running onto the ball and excellant defence.  This was the best that the boys had played all season, and I hope that this game will stir them on to greater things.

The following boys rounded of great team efforts by scoring tries:  Harry Adair, Humphry Codrington (2) George Shepherd and Kit McCrystal.  Tom Bilborough converted two of the tries.

Well done on a great game of rugby.

This was a very wet encounter.  Aysgarth played hard from the first whistle, but struggled to dominate.  Five minutes into the game, Cundall managed to burst through the Aysgarth defences and score their first try.  A few minutes later, the same thing happened and Cundall were up 10 - 0.  Aysgarth responded magnificently.  They took on the bigger opposition and didn't give them an inch.  Tackling was powerful, although they do need to work at getting hold of the legs a bit more. 

Aysgarths first try came after a number of phases of solid rugby, with Max Jackson collecting a nifty offload from Jack Kinnaird and going over in the corner.  Cundall were now firmly on the back foot and started making mistakes.  A mis-kick by the flyhalf in their 22 saw the ball going very high.  It was well caught by Orlando Hill who went over for the second try under the post.  At half time Aysgarth were a deserved 12 - 10 up.

The second half was characterised by intense pressure from Aysgarth who kept Cundall on the back foot.  Every so often, Cundall managed to control the ball and attacked strongly, but were unable to breach the defences.  Aysgarth counter attacked well and after a particularlt good period of mauling, Diego Urgel broke free to run un the final try of the match.

Well done to all the Aysgarth Boys on a fabulous win.

The Ripon team only had 8 members today, so it was decided to field a combined 2nd/3rd team comprised of 5th Formers.  Seven of the starting 8 were 2nd team players and they were far too strong for the Ripon team.  Aysgarth dominated in all aspects, and Ripon seldom got the ball.  The Aysgarth boys ran in 5 tries in 15 minutes, totally ovewhelming their opponants. 

At half time, the Aysgarth team was changed, with only 1 regular 2nd team player in the lineup.  Aysgarth struggled at first, with most of the boys playing out of their regular positions.  Poor tackling from some of the Aysgarth player allowed some of the faster Ripon boys to break through the defences.  Ripon took their chances with relish and ran in 4 quick tries, two of which were converted.  The Aysgarth boys, however rallied and started to get into the stride of the game replying with 4 tries of their own.

A hard game in very unpleasant conditions.  Well done to all the players who gave of their best.  The following players scored for Aysgarth:  Bilborough - 2 tries, Hill - 2 tries one of which he converted, Luque Toledo - 2 tries, Webb - 3 tries, Inglis and McCrystal scored a conversion each.

Training game - no report.

Aysgarth: 0 - Barnard Castle U12A: 57

This was a tough fixture for the team as there had been a mix up concerning this match and our 3rds ended up playing the Barnard Castle Under12A side. We went down to a try in the first minute but then played some reasonably organised rugby, our forwards in particular doing well in the loose play. Sadly for us Barnard Castle had some very useful and very fast players and they ran through our lines a number of times. Tackling on our side was weak, and is certainly an area we need to work on but hopefully we will not take on anyone as strong as this again, this season. We learned from the game and we battled hard, and although a heavy defeat we did play well in parts. Well tried.

Aysgarth:  56  -  St Martin’s Ampleforth: 5

We do not often start a game of rugby with a stick clearance of the pitch, as a result of howling gales but we did on this occasion! Sadly, the high winds continued throughout the game and it made life very difficult for all the players. We started playing with the wind at our backs and managed to score 5 tries with Dominic Webb crashing over for our first try, and we wondered if that was going to be enough. Our wonder turned into a worry after just one minute of the second half played when Ampleforth ran through our players and scored. We then started to play some good rugby, with the forwards winning more of the ball and when we lost it some telling tackles were being made. Diego Urgel and Diego Lopez had particularly good games and scored 7 tries between them. This was a convincing victory in the end but it was hard fought, with plenty of temporary injuries, and it could definitely have all gone wrong had we not started to tackle properly. Well played, particularly into the wind.

Tries: Dominic Webb, Diego Lopez 3 and 3 conversions, Diego Urgel 4, Arthur James, Salvador Luque

Aysgarth :  34 – 0 Durham School. H

With a return to health for a number of boys, the 3^rd XV could actually be a ‘mighty multi- national XV’! This was a very tough match, certainly in the first half when we scored a couple of tries courtesy of some gutsy running from Diego Urgel. We had our work cut out as they had some large boys who managed to rampage rather too freely on occasion. However, the second half saw us start to move the ball more as the game wore on, the forwards dominated in the set scrum and loose play. This was a very impressive performance by the side with lots of skills and running with the ball with accurate passing on display. Well played everyone.

Tries: Diego Urgel 2, Salvador Luque 2, Harry Lowther and Alexander Villiers-Smith. Conversions Diego Lopez 2.

                                                                                                            PJS

There are times when things do not go according to plan.  The match against St. Mary's Hall 3rd XII was one of these.  The opposition was very strong and proved too powerful for our emerging young team.  The Aysgarth boys, ably led by Charlie I'Anson, battled bravely and never gave up, but this was not to be our day!.  The match provided a great deal of opportunities for us to practise our defensive patterns.  We hope that our next game will enable us to display our attacking flair.

Aysgarth 3rd XV 37 v 0 St Olave's

A fine autumn afternoon provided a perfect setting for an impressive performance by the 3rd XV.  Both teams were aiming to play an open game full of passing and good support.  Aysgarth reaped the benefit of some very positive training sessions, producing an impressive performance.  Congratulations must go to the whole team with a special mention to Ned Southall who had an excellent game at scrum half.

Tries:  S.Luque-Toledo(2), N.Southall(2)J.Clark, H.Lowther, D.Webb

U11 7’s Tournament at Terrington Hall

Aysgarth stated the tournament well with a win against Ampleforth, playing some positive 7’s rugby.  Tries from Hoddinott, West and Stroyan helped Aysgarth win their first game.  Against Bramcote Aysgarth also played well and Hamilton, Hoddinott, West Theakston and Legard all scored.

Aysgarth drew their last match with Bow 7 points each.  Aysgarth took the lead early but failed to hold on in the dying seconds.  Aysgarth then unfortunately lost to a very strong Lyndhurst team in the quarter finals.

Well done to all the boys.

Training game - no report.

Training game - no report.

Aysgarth U11 XII Tournament @ Sedbergh

The U11 A team had a wonderful time at Sedbergh winning all their matches against Bow, Malsis, Terrington, Yarm and Sedbergh.  The boys played free flowing attacking rugby with tries coming from both the backs and the forwards.  Archie Stroyan and Sam Hoddinott did most of the damage in the back line while Ewan Hamilton and Freddie Corner were very powerful at the breakdown.  The boys will need to up their game though over the next weeks and most of these schools need to be played again on the normal circuit.

Aysgarth U11XII 41 v 5 Sedbergh U11XII

Man of the Match: Sam Hodinott and Archie Stroyan

This was always going to be a tough fixture and with two of our players and coach missing it proved to be exactly that.  After a curtailed warm up due to an unexpected early start we found ourselves playing the first half in to the wind which made life difficult against strong opposition.  The breakdown area was messy with players disrupting the clean fast ball that has been the platform upon which we have built our game this season.  We turned around at half time one try down but having also crossed the oppositions line once, unfortunately only to drop the ball before it was grounded.

The second half proved to be a tenacious battle between two evenly matches sides with each team scoring once, our try being scored by George West after some good follow up support play.  Our boys can be very proud of their performance and gave of their very best on a day when things did not always go their way.  They will all learn from this and be stronger for the experience.

Well done to St. Martins Ampleforth who took the spoils on the day.

The man of the match chosen by Mr. Reynolds was James Francis

Aysgarth School U11 XII 10 v 12 Bow U11 XII

This was a fantastic game of rugby which finished up with Bow winning by 2 points.  Aysgarth started well but Bow scored the first try.  Aysgarth fought back well and scored two tries (Hoddinott/Turner) in the second half before Bow scored in the last stages of the game.  An excellent performance by both teams playing a high standard of Rugby.

Man of the Match: George West

Aysgarth U11 XII 40 v 0 Mowden Hall U11 XII

Aysgarth played very well against a good Mowden side.  Early on in the game both defences stood up strong and both teams found it difficult to score.   However, Aysgarth soon work an overlap on the left wing and George West came in for the first of his 3 tries.  Aysgarth scored again before half term with a try from Ethan Madronal.

In the 2^nd half Aysgarth played some fantastic rugby and dominated the game.  Aysgarth scored 4 more tries with Archie Stroyan sneaking in and Charlie Stephenson scored on his debut for the U11 A XII.  Tom Fenwick scored 2 conversions and Ewan Hamilton and Archie Stroyan added to the total.  We will not ask about Sam’s conversion!

Man of the Match: Archie Stroyan & George West

Aysgarth U11A XII 15 v 17 Bronte House U11A XII

Another great game of rugby unfortunately finished with Aysgarth losing by 2 points again.  Bronte took the lead early before Ewan Hamilton equalled the score with his first try in Aysgarth colours.  Aysgarth went onto dominate the half with two more excellent tries from Bertie Turner and Archie Stroyan.  In the second half Bronte fought back and Aysgarth failed to move the ball wide.  Bronte converted one of their tries giving them a 2 point lead.

Man of the Match: Ewan Hamilton (for his first try)

Aysgarth U11XII 5 v 42 St Mary’s Hall U11XII

Aysgarth struggled on a cold and wet day in Lancashire.  St Mary’s were too strong and fast for Aysgarth who struggled to get into the game.  Sam Hoddinott scored the only try for Aysgarth late on in the first half.  The Aysgarth pack played very well in the second half and fought hard against a strong side.  Aysgarth now need to pick themselves up ready for a match against Terrington.

Man of the Match: James Francis

Aysgarth School U11 A XII 27 v 10 Terrington Hall U11A XII

Aysgarth played some of their best rugby against a strong and large Terrington side.  Aysgarth new they had to move the ball wide and stretch the Terrington side.  The Aysgarth pack soon got warmed up to the challenge and began to win quick ball at the breakdown.  The backs enjoyed having some time and the ball and Tom Fenwick and Charlie Stephenson ran home some well worked tries.  Terrington fought back hard and also scored before half time.

In the second half the Aysgarth forwards continued to win ball against a larger pack and this gave the backs time to run through a few set plays.  Alex Legard and George West scored early on and then James Francis was the quickest to react at a breakdown, swooping in to pick up the ball and score in the corner.  Terrington finished well scoring in the last minute of the game.

Man of the Match: The Forwards & Charlie Stephenson.

Stephenson

Turner

West mi

Hoddinott

Fenwick mi

Stroyan

Legard

Francis

Warburton

Fawcett mi

Hamilton

Corner

Madronal

Guthe 

Aysgarth School U11 A XII 42  v 0 Woodleigh U11A XII

Aysgarth played very well against Woodleigh and scored points early.  This gave the opportunity to mix around the positions and give the boys a new experience.  It was great to see Hamilton and Francis playing centre and Fawcett and Corner on the wing.  Sam Hoddinott also enjoyed playing second row!

Aysgarth School U11 A XII 44 v 0 Red House U11A XII

In the final game of the season Aysgarth played very well to round off an excellent season.  All the boys gave 100% and it was probably their best performance to date.  Tries were scored by a handful of boys but it was great to see Ethan Madronal score his first try of the season.  George Trotter stepped in for the injured Alex Legard and had an excellent game rounding it off with the last try of the game.

 Man of the Match: George Trotter

Training game - no report.

Ampleforth U11B 17 vs 32 Aysgarth U11B

Aysgarth won a very competitive game against Ampleforth. We made a very good start and scored an early try, however Ampleforth struck back straight away. From that point the first half was all Aysgarth’s and we went in 5 tries to 1 up. In the second half we had some injuries which restricted us and Ampleforth got back into the game. In the end we deserved the victory.

MoM: George Hill

07-10-09

Bow U11 B  versus  Aysgarth U11 B

Venue: Away

Result; Aysgarth won  41-17

We arrived in Durham after a refreshingly short journey and the boys quickly got changed and were keen to begin their warm up and get things under way. Captain George Trotter organised his team in preparation to receive the kick off and the match began.

Bow swiftly exerted their authority in the opening exchanges, running the ball from deep and repeatedly evading Aysgarth’s torpid tackling. It was no surprise when the domineering Bow number six crossed our line to claim the first try of the match. Trotter urged his team to lower their body positions when tackling, often leading by example and throwing himself at the opposition knees. Unfortunately several boys were still not on top of their game yet and further tackles were missed. Bow crashed repeatedly into the Aysgarth back line, often requiring two or three boys to bring them down, only to recycle the ball more swiftly than Aysgarth and begin their attack once more. Upon securing possession at a line out, Bow spun the ball out wide and crossed the Aysgarth line in the opposite corner for their second try. Aysgarth regrouped under the posts and rallied themselves as the conversion sailed wide.

The kick off was received by Bow and a determined Tom Scott-Bell charged up the pitch to make a fantastic tackle. The unfortunate Bow player seemed a little surprised at this sudden improvement in the Aysgarth approach and subsequently spilled the ball. As the hosts scrambled to regain possession another stupendous tackle came in from Charlie Stephenson followed by another from the ubiquitous Trotter. Aysgarth picked up the ball in the loose and Trotter made a jinking run reduce the arrears to 10 – 5. An amazing conversion attempt from Jack Theakston narrowly glided past the wrong side of the post. Galvanised by this success the Aysgarth team now demonstrated their true abilities, rucking the boys in green and white hoops off the ball on numerous occasions. The backs demonstrated some fluid handling, attacking down one flank and then recycling the ball to attack on the other. The Aysgarth forwards were now playing as a unit, hitting rucks and tackles in unison and driving the bow players backwards in the loose. Harry Bolton demonstrated some fine mauling and Marcus Chapman began to make tackles count as he strove to break up Bow’s attacks. It was fitting that Aysgarth’s second try was scored by prop forward Harvey Furness. Once again a superb conversion effort scraped the outside of the post – indeed some of crowd thought it a snuck in. Aysgarth continued to dominate and Charlie Stephenson scored a fine try, coming into the line and taking the ball at pace, crossing the line by the corner flag. This time ‘dead-eye Jack’ made no mistake as the conversion flew high over the bar to take the boys in black and blue into a 17 - 10 half time lead.

The second half began where the first had ended. Aysgarth made a substitution as Rory Dixon replaced Tom Scott-Bell, with Reuben Parry having already replaced the injured Bolton earlier on. The Aysgarth forwards recycled the ball with great technical aplomb, allowing the backs to demonstrate their  attacking flair. Stephenson crossed for his second try and this was followed by George Hill also touching down. Theakston added another conversion taking the score to 29 – 10. Bow were not beaten yet, and they fed off scraps of ball which they ran with pace and vigour. After Aysgarth conceded a penalty Bow scored their third try of the match, their number six touching down for his second try. The conversion was added with some confidence as the scores were narrowed to 29-17. Dixon was keen to impress in this physical encounter and he broke up several periods of Bow possession with some crunching tackles, knocking the ball from the Bow hands on one occasion. Stephenson was not yet content with his two tries and he crossed for a third after battling through three Bow defenders and remaining on his feet. A thoroughly deserved try Charlie, very well done and some great determination! The final Aysgarth try was secured by Theakston, who touched down following a long, mazy run by Bertie Lawson-Tancred and some fine support from Dixon. Jack then proceeded to convert the conversion from under the posts to end the contest 41 – 17.

There were many good points to come from the match, most notably the boys’ determination to hang on when things were looking bleak. In addition to this, it was pleasing to see some of the smaller players such as Trotter, Theakston and Harry Shepherd stand up and make big tackles on the large Bow players.  We must however remember that we need to start matches with the urgency we showed in the second half of this match and also remember to have confidence in our own abilities.

Man of the match: Charlie Stephenson, (narrowly ahead of George Trotter and Jack Theakston)

VRI

Aysgarth U11B    versus     St Mary’s Hall U11

Venue:  Home

Date:  10-10-09

Result: Aysgarth lost  12 – 36

The boys were grateful to be spared a long coach ride for this fixture but the afternoon was to prove rather a bumpy journey. Injury and illness had necessitated a couple of changes to the Aysgarth starting line up with George Hill replacing George Trotter at scrum-half, Tom Mawson made his B team debut at outside centre and Digby Guthe returned to the front row.

SMH began the match in determined fashion, running from deep and carving holes through the Aysgarth defence. Despite some desperate tackling from Tom Scott-Bell and Jack Theakston in the opening exchanges, Aysgarth quickly found themselves 12-0 down. The SMH forwards continued to ruck well, setting up a solid platform for repeated waves of attacking back play. It was pleasing that many of the Aysgarth players refused to be intimidated by the dashing runs of their opponents and Charlie Stephenson, captain for the match, typified this fighting spirit by scoring in the corner after some strong running.  Unfortunately a lapse in concentration resulted in several missed tackles from our boys in blue, culminating in another try from the SMH centre. This was swiftly followed by another, converted try, to leave the score 24-5 in our guest’s favour.

Half-time saw the introduction of Rory Dixon, Harvey Furness and Ruben Parry. Marcus Chapman replaced Harry Shepherd on the wing, with Shepherd replacing Mawson in the centre. Aysgarth began the half strongly, running at the SMH back line and making ground in so doing. Stephenson undertook many fine bullocking runs and retained possession well. Guthe was at the heart of much of Aysgarth’s best work in the tight and he was well supported by Dixon and Parry. Despite some fine Aysgarth tackling SMH were able to break free to touch down for another try and this was successfully converted to stretch their lead to 31 – 5. Still undaunted, Aysgarth counter-attacked strongly, with Hill growing in confidence and stature throughout the match. It was fitting that he crossed the line to score Aysgarth’s second try, which Theakston did well to convert, reducing the arrears to 31-12. As Aysgarth’s presence in the match continued to flourish, SMH made a break from defence and scored the final try of the match, resulting in a final score of 12-36.

It was a tough test for our boys, SMH were extremely well organised, well disciplined and had some backs who played wonderful flowing rugby. Despite this, the Aysgarth team played with commitment and bravery, making many fine tackles and, I believe, learning a great deal about themselves and as a team.

Often there is no shame in defeat. When you have given your all, but have tasted defeat at the hands of a superior adversary, it is right to take pride in your valour, your commitment and your perseverance.

I believe that this was one such occasion.

Men of the match – Jack Theakston, who is growing into a fine fly-half, and Digby Guthe who refused to yield throughout.

VRI

Aysgarth U11B  versus  Mowden Hall U11B

17-10-09

Venue:  away

Result:     70-0 Aysgarth win

This was a fixture which was eagerly anticipated by the Aysgarth team, with several family connections to Mowden, it was a chance for brothers to briefly catch up with sisters – but not before the matter of rugby had been addressed. Aysgarth fielded a much changed team from recent matches with Charlie Stephenson and Digby Guthe  both representing the U11 A team, whilst Brook, Lawson-Tancred, Dixon, Chapman and others took a break this week, thereby allowing other boys to participate and to play in unfamiliar positions.

The match was unusual in that it was truncated to the seven a-side version of the game, owing to injuries and illness amongst the Mowden squad, but the boys were very grateful for the opportunity to represent the team in any form.

The match kicked off and it soon became evident that Aysgarth were to hold the upper hand in this fixture. Tom Scott-Bell playing at hooker for the first time, alongside Reuben Parry and Harvey Furness,  ensured that we won clean ball in the rucks. Aysgarth’s scrummaging was also dominant and some swift and determined running ensured that tries were scored on a regular basis. Half time saw Harry Bolton and Jack Wallace-Woodroffe replace Parry and Furness, with Bolton playing in the unfamiliar position of prop. George Holder made a welcome return following a period of illness and replaced George Hill. The play in the second half reflected Aysgarth’s physical dominance and further tries were scored throughout the half. Harry shepherd played for his first full match of the season and did well to score his first try. Indeed, all the boys managed to cross the hosts try line, with the exception of Hill and Wallace-Woodroffe, but perhaps Tom Scott-Bell deserves a special mention for grabbing his three tries. At the final whistle, Aysgarth found themselves 70 – 0 in front of Mowden, and this was indeed a true reflection of their superiority in all areas of the field.

The boys talked after the match about the result and showed great maturity when stating that they sometimes take greater pride in a narrow, hard fought defeat, than a one-sided victory. There have certainly been lessons learned in our previous fixtures and also, it seems, in this one.

It was hard to identify a particular player as a man of the match, although it was very promising that so many Form Two boys played for the whole match. George Trotter, however, worked tirelessly at scrum-half and maintained his focus and determination throughout the match. Well done George.

VRI

Aysgarth U11 B  versus   Bronte House U11B

Venue: home

Result  Aysgarth win 29 - 7

Date:  04-05-11

The Aysgarth under 11 B team welcomed their opponents from Bronte House amidst weather most foul. Grey clouds filled the sky and the rain fell in abundance, yet the precipitation preceded the most polished performance of the season so far.

Our guests began the match in lively fashion, turning over Aysgarth possession and demonstrating some decent pace in their back line. One or two high and rather weak tackles from the Aysgarth players allowed Bronte to cross for the first score of the match. An excellent conversion extended Bronte’s early lead to 7-0, the game was only two minutes old and the rain had, if anything, intensified.

Aysgarth, who are now accustomed to conceding the first try, responded splendidly, taking the ball deep into Bronte territory and retaining possession far more successfully. After a powerful run Edward Brook managed to score a try in reply to Bronte’s. Jack Theakston then slotted the resulting conversion with aplomb. The score-line now read 7-7 and still the rain fell. Throughout the rest of the half Aysgarth grew in confidence and began to develop a firm strangle hold on the game.  The forwards highlighted the improvements that they have made in their rucking and their scrummaging, winning Bronte ball on several occasions. The tackling throughout the team was far more assured than in previous matches and the backs managed to move the ball with great pace, despite the atrocious conditions. When Bronte did gain possession it was very pleasing to see a real determination in the boys to tackle hard and regain the ball. This spirit was typified by the ubiquitous George Holder, who made three crunching tackles in the space of ten seconds. Following an extremely positive passage of play, it was no surprise when George Hill emerged from under a pile of bodies to score Aysgarth’s second try.

Half time:  Aysgarth 12  Bronte 7

The boys continued their fine play into the second half. The forwards dominated the Bronte pack with increasing authority and the backs found a little more space in which to exploit the pace of Brook, Holder, Theakston and Adair. After a period of Aysgarth dominance, Jack Theakston danced through the visitors back line to snatch our third try, which he duly converted. At this point in the match the early spirit of Bronte seemed to have been broken and the Aysgarth pack won ball against the head in all areas of the field. The rise in quality of Aysgarth’s play heralded a break in the clouds and, as the sunshine shone down on the greasy field, tries by Theakston, Brook and Trotter ensured that the boys with the black hooped shirts emerged victorious.

Final score  Aysgarth 29  Bronte  7

This was the U11B team’s finest performance of the season, by some margin. I cannot praise the pack highly enough for their determination and contribution to this outstanding result. The front row of Chapman, Furness, Parry and Bolton, coupled with the second row of Scott-Bell and Dixon showed that, when they work as a unit, they are a match for anyone at this level. The backs also played exceptionally well, especially given the slippery conditions. Trotter and Theakston distributed the ball well and Brook, Hill, Lawson-Tancred, Shepherd and Adair all contributed in both attack and defence. This week we shall be concentrating on our lines of running, trying to attack the open spaces – instead of running at our opponents. We will also examine whether we can be more ruthless in the forwards and analyse our scrummaging technique.

Finally, I must mention George Holder. George has not played as much rugby over the years as some of the other boys, and yet in today’s match he was outstanding. He tackled feverishly at times and the expression on his face demonstrated his commitment to the team. When he had the ball in ran very strongly creating huge inroads into the Bronte defence and, when eventually he was stopped, he always sought to retain possession or off-load to a team mate.  For these reasons, this week’s man of the match is George Holder.

VRI

Aysgarth U11B  versus  St Mary’s Hall U11B

Date:  07-11-09

Venue:  away

Result;  St Mary’s Hall 5  Aysgarth 52

  This fixture required the Aysgarth team to endure their longest trip of the season, and the boys found it difficult to make the transition from luxurious coach to soggy pitch.

The conditions for this match were overcast, with sporadic drizzle. The contest was played out upon a pitch made heavy and lubricious with earlier rain. A gusting breeze, carrying with it the first chilling breaths of winter, swept across the fields as St Mary’s Hall kicked off. Early possession was squandered by both teams, with many boys struggling to adapt to the weather and to each other. It was unsurprising that the first score came from a determined and indomitable forward, fortunately for Aysgarth, Digby Guthe was that player. Jack Theakston struck a successful conversion and Aysgarth had taken a deserved, although scrappy, lead. Guthe continued with his commanding runs and his powerful play made light of the conditions and he repeatedly carried the ball towards the host’s defensive line. George Trotter also relished the opportunity to exhibit his ability demonstrating this in scoring Aysgarth’s second try – which Theakston once again converted.  At this point of the match Aysgarth seemed secure in their domination. George Hill was tackling like a dervish and time and again he disrupted the possession of the hosts back line. Following one such tackle, Aysgarth reclaimed the ball and fed it through chilly fingers to the lurking George Holder. Holder exploded from his wing, like a pheasant breaking cover, breaking tackles and maintaining a fine balance on a treacherous surface. He crossed the line to score beneath the posts, enabling Theakston to add to his conversion tally. Despite the dominance of the Aysgarth team, the boys from St Mary’s refused to surrender on their home patch. They forced the visitors into several unnecessary mistakes, exposing weaknesses that need to be addressed. At times we were guilty of a failure to present the ball correctly on the ground, preferring instead to maul. At other times we were a little high in the tackle and occasionally we chose to take the ball back into the middle of the pitch, when perhaps the wings offered greater profit for our nippy and expectant back line. However, despite some minor imperfections (that their fussy coach observed) the Aysgarth team continued to press their opponents and add to their tally.

The half time score supported this assertion - 21 – 0 to Aysgarth

The second half proved to be a wake up call for the visitors. From the Aysgarth kick-off, the St Mary’s pack secured possession and fed their backs, who then crossed under the posts for their first try of the match.  This roused the Aysgarth team into life and Bertie Lawson-Tancred re-affirmed Aysgarth’s commitment to the cause with a fine try, which Theakston once again converted. Aysgarth slowly began to turn the screw and as the forwards began to operate more cohesively, the backs were able to find their own rhythm. Holder was unleashed to score two further tries, both out on the wing and very nearly converted by Theakston. Hill was operating well at an unfamiliar inside centre role and he fed Harry Shepherd to score a fine try, under the posts, after a surprisingly strong and determined run. Edward Brook, operating at fifteen for the first time this season played with authority and panache, counter attacking well and taking the high ball with confidence. It was therefore, especially pleasing to see him finish the match with a wonderful solo try, having taken the ball in his own twenty two and returning it from whence it came, with interest. Very well done Edward. Jack Theakston managed to convert the final two Aysgarth tries, culminating in a final score of 52 – 5 to Aysgarth.

It was a strange day, a strange match and a strange result.

The journey clearly had an impact upon the players and we were not at our sharpest, either mentally or physically. We were guilty of fundamental mistakes throughout the game and yet we had the character and resolve to dig deep and get the job done. As for the result – well, we weren’t forty seven points better than the St Mary’s Hall boys. However, at other times this season we have lost by large margins and those scores have also failed to reflect the true nature of the match. So on balance perhaps this was one of those matches where fortune smiled upon us.

As the famous golfer, Gary Player once said, “The more I practice, the luckier I seem to get.”

Man of the match: George Hill, for his tenacity and fervour.

VRI

Aysgarth U11B  versus  Bronte House U11B

Date:  11-11-09

Venue:   away

Result : Aysgarth win 29-5

The boys from Aysgarth arrived at the ground a little later than envisaged, owing to unavoidable transportation difficulties. Despite this inconvenience they were changed, and prepared for the match in record time.

It was pleasing to see Harry Shepherd, starting only his second full match of the season, and Lysander Adair, playing at full-back for only the second time, both involved in the opening exchanges. The Aysgarth pack were swiftly into their rhythm, recycling ball and setting a secure platform for the fluid back line to launch attack after attack. One such attack saw Shepherd threatening the blind side, but the quick thinking George Trotter cleverly switched play and unleashed the ball into the open side. The ball was deftly shipped to George Holder on the wing, whose mercurial pace propelled him beyond the grasp of the Bronte defence. The try provided a chance to settle the nerves and to establish the upper hand. Aysgarth ensured that they did not relax, they stifled Bronte possession with crunching tackles and ran the ball with determination and flair. It was no surprise when, following a period of Aysgarth pressure, George Holder again crossed. This was an especially pleasing try as George had beaten his man on the inside, before re-aligning his run and attacking down the wing, a move he had been practising earlier in the week. Theakston converted from underneath the posts to extend our lead. The black and blue shirts continued to dominate and Holder completed his hat-trick of tries shortly before the half time whistle blew. Theakston converted to extend the lead to 19 – 0.

The second half began with Aysgarth once again dictating play. Edward Brook showed great composure when receiving the high ball from kick off, returning the ball deep into Bronte Hall territory. Rory Dixon repeatedly rampaged through the heart of the Bronte defence, often requiring three defenders to finally bring him down. Ruben Parry and Harvey Furness worked hard in the tight play, limiting our opposition possession and slowing down their ball considerably. Jack Theakston tackled beyond his weight, making four consecutive tackles to foil one Bronte counter-attack. The heroic work of the Aysgarth pack was rewarded when Harry Bolton completed a fine, bullocking, run that saw him beat his tackles and crash over the line. Bronte House showed great resolve and were justifiably delighted when they scored a try after a fine, solo, effort from midfield. There was still time for Aysgarth to respond and to re-establish their lead, if their desire remained in tact. It did, and it was perhaps fitting that Holder should be the player to grasp the final try, after another scintillating run.

Final score:  Bronte House 5  -  Aysgarth  29

Men of the match: a difficult choice, with so many fine performances,

George Holder for scoring 4 tries and Rory Dixon for numerous tackles and many fine attacking runs 

Date:  18-11-09

Result: Aysgarth win 28 – 7

Following persistent rain for several days, all home fixtures were cancelled due to water-logging. The Cundall pitches however were free from surface water and the away fixtures were therefore, eagerly anticipated by the Aysgarth boys.

Rory Dixon, a stalwart of earlier games was unwell prior to the match and so Digby Guthe was hastily called up to play in the unfamiliar position of lock.

The opening exchanges of play suggested that this would be a hard fought contest, and so it proved to be. The slippery ball was spilled by both sets of players early on and the game seemed destined to be determined by two evenly matched packs. Cundall fought hard to gain Aysgarth possession and Aysgarth fought with equal determination. Following one decisive moment, when Aysgarth secured quick ball, George Holder seized the ball, beat his opponent on the inside and raced towards the Cundall Manor try-line. His try, under the posts, was nonchalantly converted by Jack Theakston. The match ebbed and flowed with few moments of excellence, until Holder launched a truly wonderful pre-meditated attack. The Aysgarth pack secured possession from their own scrummage, fifteen metres in from the touchline and just within the host’s half. As George Holder stooped to collect the ball Holder raced between Edward Brook and George Hill, playing inside and outside centre respectively. A canny popped pass almost fell short of Holder, who stooped to collect the ball at his ankles and without breaking side. There were gasps of disbelief from several spectators who struggled to comprehend the quality of this run. Upon correcting his body position, Holder screamed through the bemused Cundall defence, who had no chance of preventing his second try of the match. As Holder had conveniently scored once more beneath the posts Theakston was able to extend the visitor’s lead by a further two points. Cundall, are a disciplined and well coached team, they refused to buckle and ended the half with a fine try of their own, and this was converted to leave the first half score-line 14-7 in Aysgarth’s favour.

The second half began in a very similar manner to the first. Whilst both teams seemed a little more accustomed to the tricky conditions, errors and minor miscalculations cost both teams heavily. A period of Aysgarth forward pressure, coupled with some slick hands from the Aysgarth back line allowed Holder to cross for his third try of the match, yet again beneath the posts. Theakston slotted the conversion to restore the lead to 14 points. As the half wore on Aysgarth proved to be tremendous in defence, repeatedly resisting an onslaught from Cundall on our line. George Hill restricted the Cundall backs with many fine tackles and Digby Guthe ran his heart out for the whole match, both in attack and defence. The final score of the game came through some determined and powerful running from Edward Brook. Brook shrugged off several tackles, whilst running fully sixty metres, to cross the Cundall line. Dead-eyed Theakston, once again, converted.

When the final whistle blew Aysgarth held a 28-7 lead. Some in the crowd expressed a little surprise at the margin of our victory, with the match having been played very competitively by both teams.

It is difficult to look beyond George Holder for this game’s man of the match, and yet without the fervour shown by the forwards, most notably Digby Guthe and the fearsome tackling of George Hill there would not have been the platform for George to work off. This week, therefore, each boy is man of the match for his own contribution in a powerful Aysgarth display.

VRI

Aysgarth U11B’s versus Newcastle Boys Prep School

Venue:  away

Date:  25-11-09

Result: Aysgarth win  40-30

The penultimate fixture of the season saw our adventurous boys heading north, deep into the wild and windswept heart of ‘Geordie-land’. Our arrival brought with it a slight confusion, as Newcastle play under ten rules, which stipulate only nine players a-side and no kicking whatsoever. A hastily reorganised team selection resulted in several boys fulfilling the substitute role a little more fully than they may have anticipated, but their maturity in adapting to the situation was admirable.

     Unfortunately the chaps on the field took slightly longer to adapt and we were five – nil down inside the first minute.

    The swift opening by our hosts awoke the blue clad visitors and for five minutes Aysgarth dominated proceedings. Progress was difficult against a much larger, although marginally younger, team – but the boys stuck to their task. Lysander Adair eventually crossed the line to score Aysgarth’s opening try. Possession oscillated between the teams throughout the half, with both sets of players running the ball at every opportunity. Tackles were rarer than tries today and it was unsurprising when Newcastle raced the length of the pitch to re-establish their slender lead once again. Edward Brook demonstrated his strength in carrying the ball and one of his numerous powerful forays resulted in Aysgarth’s second try. George Holder began this half in unusually subdued form, this was a rare occasion in which his pace was equalled by the hosts and their covering defence was able to snuff out our most potent attacking threat. However, George is a patient adversary and when an opportunity arose for him to strike deep into the heart of our hosts, he seized the moment. Racing clear of despairing grasps to the sound of disbelieving gasps George snatched the lead for his relieved team.

      The lead was held for approximately thirty seconds, as Newcastle stole the ball in a scrappy ruck and ran through the Aysgarth team like a comb running through Mr Irwin’s hair.  (I.e. There was simply no resistance!!!)

   Holder was determined to demonstrate to Newcastle that Aysgarth boys are made of stern stuff and he worked hard to score another try, which once again took his team five points clear. The indomitable George Trotter, playing with tenacity and bravery scored another try to give Aysgarth a lead of 25-15 at half time.

The second half brought a swift response from Newcastle who reduced the deficit with another try that could have been prevented with a single, low tackle from any of the boys from the Dales. It was Holder who subsequently calmed his teacher’s frayed nerves with another fantastic run down the left flank. This time it was the hosts who failed to tackle. The tension in the visiting spectators was evident as the match progressed, with several enquiries as to the score and who might be winning. This became more of an issue when yet again Newcastle sailed through the Aysgarth back line to score once more. The ball was carried forward by both teams, though not at the same time, and once more the pendulum swung in Aysgarth’s favour, this time Harvey Furness crashed over the line, carrying two defenders with him, to extend Aysgarth’s lead to ten points. Still Newcastle failed to buckle and another rampaging charge resulted in five more points for our hosts, this brought the impressive Newcastle side to within a single score of Aysgarth. With time running short, Edward Brook made a strong run, deep into the hosts half and crossed to score the final try of a pulsating contest. After a quick consultation with the splendid Newcastle referee, it was confirmed that Aysgarth had squeaked home 40-30 ahead.

Both sets of boys were exhausted and caked in mud after a thrilling and very hard fought match. The boys from both teams gave their all and contributed to an enormously exciting game of rugby. Despite their natural relief and delight at securing the win, several of the Aysgarth boys commented that we did not tackle at all well during this match – a view echoed by their jibbering wreck of a coach.

Very well played boys – one match left!

Man of the match: Thomas Scott-Bell, for his endless energy, enthusiasm and endeavour.

VRI

Under 11C versus Cundall Manor
This was a good start to the season for the mighty C team, winning their first match.  The biggest difference between the two sides was tackling.  Aysgarth, I thought were fantastic.  We were 21 – 0 up at half time and won the game 38 – 5.  The try scorers were Ned Selwyn Sharpe x2, Adam Palmer x2, Tom Mawson and Joss Tricks.  Connor Hauges managed to convert four of the six attempts.  I was very pleased with all the team and it was very difficult to pick a man of the match but after careful consideration I decided to award it to the captain, Ned Selwyn Sharpe.

Aysgarth U11C versus St. Mary’s Hall

St. Mary’s had the perfect start with Ned Leatham throwing the ball forward from the kick off on the try line.  SMH scored from the resulting scrum and we were 7 – 0 down after 309 seconds.  A try each from Ned Selywn Sharpe and Josh Page gave Aysgarth the lead but only for a few minutes.  The score at half time was 12 -12.  The second half was fantastic with Aysgarth attacking for most of it but the SMH defence was superb.  I am really looking forward to the re-match in a few weeks time.

Final score 12 -12. 

Man of the match Adam Palmer, unbelievable tacking throughout the game

TB

Aysgarth Under 11C 26 v 26 Bronte House U11C

This was a great game of rugby in which the lead changed many times.  I was particularly impressed because both sides did not let the weather get them down on such a dismal wet afternoon.  The final score was 26 all.  Tom Mawson was man of the match and Charlie Doyne won tackle of the game.

Under 11C versus Bronte House

This was a comprehensive victory over a side who we drew against only seven days earlier.  Aysgarth scored eight trys.  Bertie Lawson Tancred scored four of them and Tom Mawson two.  Harry Rooms scored his first try for the school on his first appearance for the C team but the best try of the afternoon was scored by Charlie Doyne; Aysgarth had a scrum 10 yards from their line.  We won the ball and it was passed from scrum half all the way down the line for Charlie (outside centre) to score in the corner:  textbook try.  Unfortunately we only managed to convert 1 of our seven attempts.  Final score 42 – 0.

Man of the match:  Bertie L T

Under 11 C versus St. Mary’s Hall

 Score 79 – 5

Aysgarth were quite simply outplayed by this slick St. Mary’s C team.  The less said about this game the better.  No man of the match.

TB

Under 11C versus Cundall

Trevelyan man of the match repeat Trevelyan man of the match!  This was a great game.  The sides were equally matched and either side could have won.  Aysgarth started very well and managed to score 4 trys before half time (Sanders, Selywn Sharpe X2 and Crewdson.  Unfortunately we didn’t have a kicker but at least four different boys had a go at trying to convert.  Cundall must have had a stern team talk at half time because they upped their game and soon were only 3 points behind Aysgarth and looking dominant.  Shrewd tactical substitutions by the manager (Bullas) brought on Crewdson and big Ben Sanders who made that small difference.  Mighty David Austen somehow managed to pick up the ball from the back of a mall and ran 40 yards skipping passed five Cundall players to give us an eight point advantage.  However Cundall scored within 3 nano-seconds of the restart.  This led to a frantic nail-biting finish.  Aysgarth managed to hold on but really it could have gone either way.  Superb team performance but why did Tricky Trev get man of the match?  Quite simply he was a powerhouse in the rucks and mauls and tackled like a man possessed.  Well done everybody – if this doesn’t secure Mr Bullas as Coach of the Season then what will?

Final Score 25 - 22

Under 11C versus Ripon Choir School

This was an additional fixture, added to the calendar just a week ago.  This was a fantastic game.  Either side could have won but it was Ripon who edged it in the end.  They scored 3 tries and Aysgarth scored 2 (Joss Tricks and Ned Selywn Sharpe) but we managed to convert both attempts with Ripon failing to get any.  Final score was 14 – 15.  The best feature of this fixture was the commitment shown by both sides.  We had 24 men mauls which lasted minutes, some great try saving tackles from both sides, rucks which went one way, then the other and then back again.

I was very proud of my team’s performance.  We had boys shedding tears because they thought that had let the side down.  We had boys who played on even though they were injured and we had two boys who played one half each for the opposition and in true Aysgarth fashion played to the best of their abilities.  Well done Connor Hagues and George Bourne-Arton.

It is very hard for me to me to pick a man of the match but with a great deal of deliberating I decided that Joss Tricks should have the honour.  Despite being injured and obviously in pain he carried on right till the end.

It is a pity that the season has come to a close.  The Under 11C team must be the most improved side in the school. Well done to all the boys involved.   

Training game - no report.

Aysgarth U9A v Sedbergh U9A
This was very much a match of two halves.
In the first the Aysgarth boys tried really hard, but there was little cohesion and too often we either gave the ball away too easily or we expended too much energy running backwards and forwards across the field  instead of towards the opponents’ try line. Hence we made life a little too easy for Sedbergh, allowing them to score 4 tries without any in reply from us.
However, in the second half we were far more purposeful. We protected the ball better in contact, and at last we saw several Aysgarth boys running hard and straight. Excellent tries were scored by Gus Birkbeck (2), Edward Crowe and Jack Hopkins. Better defence also restricted Sedbergh to just 2 tries, so we actually won the second half.
The overall result was a win to Sedbergh by 30 points to 20; and a good time was had by all.
Man of the match: Gus Birkbeck

Match Cancelled

Aysgarth U9A v Newcastle Boys U9A

It was wonderful to see our boys playing far more organised and determined rugby. The forwards won a tremendous amount of good, clean ball and this allowed our backs more space in which to put in many exciting runs. The boys seem at last to realise that rugby is a team game that requires each individual to play his part within the whole.

We won the game 20 – 15.

Man of the match: Otto Stroyan

Aysgarth U9A v Mowden U9A

We showed most conclusively in this match that when we play as a team and try to do what has been drilled in practice sessions, we can play really good rugby. Sadly this was only the case for the first few minutes of each half. Hence we were soundly beaten by a very useful Mowden side.  The boys must be congratulated on the effort that they put in; they certainly tackled hard throughout the game. However, they will only show their true worth when they stick to instructions rather than all trying to do their own thing.

Man of the match: Fraser Brooksbank.

Aysgarth U9A v Bronte House U9A

For the first five minutes or so this match looked as if it could go either way. At one stage the scores were even at 10 all. Then, unfortunately, the Aysgarth boys lost their shape and composure and so the game gradually swung Bronte House’s way. This was a great pity as, although we probably didn’t have quite the fire-power to win, we could certainly have kept the game a lot closer than 10-50, which was the final score.

Harry Stephenson and Otto Stroyan both scored fine tries, and every member of the team had his moment. However, only Harry Canning and Fraser Brooksbank could honestly be said to have given their all for the whole game.

All in all, the team showed encouraging signs of improvement, but if we are to show how good we really  are, we shall have to play (and think) hard for the whole game and not just for the first five minutes.

Man of the match: Harry Canning

Aysgarth U9A v St. Mary’s U9A

A two hour journey in the bus, very chilly weather and a soggy field prevented us from playing anywhere near our best rugby in the first half. A lively St. Mary’s team scored five tries against us without reply from us and it looked as if we were heading for a really heavy defeat.

Happily, the boys showed great character after the break, rucking like men possessed and running with far more purpose. We were all really proud of the fact that the score in the second half was one try apiece, so the final result was a 5-30 loss.

We all look forward to a match in which the U9A team plays with such determination in both halves.

Man of the match: Tom Regis

Aysgarth U9A v Terrington U9A

At last the boys showed their true worth! At last we saw them playing with commitment and focus for the entire game! (Well most of it.) At last we won!

This was a great team effort, with every single boy playing his part. Yes, Harry Stephenson did score all 4 tries and well done to him.  However, time and again we had to defend mightily, and time and again we were pulled up just short of the line. In the past we would have tended to lose our nerve, but this time we showed great tenacity right to the final whistle.

We won the game 20 – 15.

Man of the match: Team award!

Aysgarth U9A v Cundall Manor U9A

Sadly this was just not our day. We started well enough, and for the first 10 minutes we looked every bit as good as our opponents, but from then on it was all downhill. Not that the boys stopped trying; indeed they fought mightily to the final whistle. Unfortunately though, things just didn’t go their way and they were steadily ground down by a lively Cundall team. We lost the game by 12 tries to 2.

I feel certain however, that the boys will show their usual resilience and bounce back enthusiastically next week.

Man of the match: Harry Canning

Training game - no report.

Aysgarth U9B  versus Newcastle U9B

Venue:  Home

Result: Aysgarth win 10 tries to 6

14-10-09

The Aysgarth Under 9 B team faced Newcastle in the first competitive fixture for either team this season. Newcastle began strongly and our boys in blue quickly found themselves two tries to nil down. This setback seemed to rouse Harry Stephenson who began tackling the visitors at every opportunity, knocking our opponents backwards with thunderous, shuddering tackles. Tom Regis took his lead from Stephenson and also began tackling the visitors. It was not long before parity was restored and Aysgarth began to threaten the Newcastle try line more frequently. As the match progressed Aysgarth asserted their dominance more and more forcibly, with attacking runs from all corners of the field resulting in a succession of tries. The half time score was six – four in Aysgarth’s favour.

The second half began as the first had ended, with strong running from Aysgarth, most notably Jake Sanders, Harry Stephenson and Oliver Stephenson. Newcastle refused to yield and they also embarked on several determined attacking runs, but the Aysgarth defence made several outstanding tackles. It was especially pleasing to see the boys from Pre-Prep, Archie Senior and Henry Wilkinson, contribute to the defensive effort, with vigour and bravery.

The score at the final whistle was ten tries to Aysgarth and six tries to Newcastle.

All the boys acquitted themselves well during the match. However, some performances were especially noteworthy. Jake Sanders scored four tries whilst Oliver Stephenson played well at scrum half and also contributed a try. Archie Senior tackled superbly, as did Henry Wilkinson and both boys scored a try apiece. However, the performance of the match must surely go to Harry Stephenson who tackled with immense determination and also scored three tries as well.

Very well done boys

VRI

Aysgarth U9B  versus Mowden U9B

Venue:  Away

Result: Aysgarth lose 5 tries to 6

17-10-09

An absolute classic Under 9B rugby game was witnessed on Saturday. Two evenly matched teams locked horns with enthusiasm and endeavour, but unfortunately one team has to lose. Aysgarth can be proud of their commitment and I think everyone enjoyed their day out.

Oli Stephenson ran extremely well with the ball as did Archie Senior and Jake Sanders. The majority of the tackling was executed by the robust Tom Regis and the two junior players Wilkinson and Senior. 

Very well done boys

BW

Aysgarth Under 9B’s 30 vs 25 Bronte House

Aysgarth contested an absolute classic rugby game against Bronte House. It went from end to end with tries coming from all positions. Birkbeck and Trant scored the majority of the tries and they were well backed up by the tackling might of the Pre Prep trio of Senior, Wilkinson and Hamilton. The latter, on debut, made a last gasp tackle to save the game for Aysgarth which led us to victory.

MoM: Henry Wilkinson

Birkbeck

Wilkinson

Trant

Bell

Tallentire

Senior

Sanders

Alvarez

Hamilton

Vivian

Chaytor Norris

                                                          Swimming Gala Report

On the 30^th of November 2009, the Aysgarth School  swimming  team  went  to  Cundall  Manor,  for  a  swimming  gala. Unfortunately  we  lost  by  40 points  but  we had  some really  good  swimmers  who  won  the  team  some  of the  races.  Anyway,  the  swimmers  from  the  Cundall  Manor  team  train 3 times  a  week  whereas  we  only  train  once  a  week.  It  was  good  fun  and everyone  in  our  team  enjoyed  it.  I  reckon  everyone swam very well,, but in particular Dominic  Webb,  Charlie Johnston,  George Holder, Freddie Corner  and  Jonathan  Vincent.  Dominic won  his  race,  Charlie  came  third  in his  race and  finally in a separate race Jonathan  won.  Our U11 team won their  relay  which was great. 

Swimming Report
Gala between Aysgarth and Queen Mary’s held on Thursday 11th Feb 2010
Two teams from each age group swam in the gala against Queen Mary’s.  It was a very close contest which made it all the more exciting.  Aysgarth A’s beat Queen Mary’s A’s 85-80, and Queen Mary’s B’s beat Aysgarth B’s 54-51 enabling Aysgarth to win 136 to Queen Mary’s 134.  Our u13A’s consisting of Dominic Webb, Harry West, Johnny Vincent and Freddie Adair, won all their relays and the u11A’s, Digby Guthe, George Holder, Freddie Corner and Jake Warburton won their frontcrawl relay, with the u11B’s coming second.  We had plenty of firsts and seconds in the individual races with a special mention of Robin Guthe from pre-prep who won all his races.