Sat 27 Oct 2018
DK Development v Moseley Acadamy
Saturday 27th Oct 2018
With snow flurries before the game had started, a wet ball with cold hands was going to make it a difficult Saturday afternoon game. Playing on the 2’s pitch with a strong wind blowing across the pitch with no protection DK were up for a tough game against Moseley Academy their 2nd team.
Moseley Academy is made up of a young talented team with only 2 players over 21 trying to break into Moseley first team but DK were equally young, except for Chivs and Parker, with 9 players 19 years old or younger, 3 still only 17.
The game started as usual with DK under early pressure and giving away silly penalties, fortunately Moseley missed 2 from straight in front, but it was not a day for kicking! What impressed early was DK’s defensive line, up quick and disrupting Moseley’s back line.
As the half progressed DK started to apply more pressure, keeping the ball tight and the forwards starting to dominate the game, winning our own line outs and stealing several of Moseley’s, also dominating the scrum which helped Chivs, our stand in skipper, get good ball out.
Moseley Academy is made up of a young talented team with only 2 players over 21 trying to break into Moseley first team but DK were equally young, except for Chivs and Parker, with 9 players 19 years old or younger, 3 still only 17.
The game started as usual with DK under early pressure and giving away silly penalties, fortunately Moseley missed 2 from straight in front, but it was not a day for kicking! What impressed early was DK’s defensive line, up quick and disrupting Moseley’s back line.
As the half progressed DK started to apply more pressure, keeping the ball tight and the forwards starting to dominate the game, winning our own line outs and stealing several of Moseley’s, also dominating the scrum which helped Chivs, our stand in skipper, get good ball out.
It took till the 32nd minute for either side to get over the line, DK’s pressure increased with one of our 17 year olds, Dev Maduagwu going over in the corner, Jack Evans converted excellently from the touch line. DK 7 Moseley 0.
This score boosted DK and confidence was growing and the defensive line lead to several turnovers again DK worked towards the Moseley line, on one drive from the forwards in the 35th minute Parker attacked the line and was just short, but Jack Evans joined the ruck, some say his first for a long time, picked the ball up to dive over, conversion missed. This remained the same till half time so the score was DK 12 Moseley 0.
The second half got under way and Moseley improved and started putting DK under pressure, they changed to a kicking game to turn DK and make it difficult to get the ball out in the strong wind. This led to two outstanding plays from the same player Dev Maduagwu, the first a high kick by Moseley being chased by three fast lads, Dev not only caught the ball but also called for the mark on our own 5m line, then cleared the ball well out of the 22.
Just a few minutes later he was given the ball on our own 22, he stepped the winger and with 2 players in front of him he chipped over right on the touch line ran round them and collected the ball on the bounce to go the length of the field for an excellent individual try. Conversion missed but DK now led 17-0.
DK continued to apply pressure and were unlucky to have a try by Adam Perks disallowed, the ref admitting later in the bar he may have got it wrong!! This just got our forwards fired up leading to Parker breaking the line to go over, conversion missed so DK led 22-0.
In the last quarter of the game as DK tired Moseley increased the pressure but probably the most satisfying part of the game was DK’s defensive line which held a good team to a zero score. Final score DK 22 Moseley 0.
This was the best team performance of the season, the pack, with 6 under 19’s, a back row of one 19 year old and two seventeen year olds, led by PP was outstanding and the backs played their part to but man of the match was our 17 year old Dev Maduagwu, one to look out for in the future. The combination of youth and a few older players is working and the future looks good for DK.
John Taylor.
This score boosted DK and confidence was growing and the defensive line lead to several turnovers again DK worked towards the Moseley line, on one drive from the forwards in the 35th minute Parker attacked the line and was just short, but Jack Evans joined the ruck, some say his first for a long time, picked the ball up to dive over, conversion missed. This remained the same till half time so the score was DK 12 Moseley 0.
The second half got under way and Moseley improved and started putting DK under pressure, they changed to a kicking game to turn DK and make it difficult to get the ball out in the strong wind. This led to two outstanding plays from the same player Dev Maduagwu, the first a high kick by Moseley being chased by three fast lads, Dev not only caught the ball but also called for the mark on our own 5m line, then cleared the ball well out of the 22.
Just a few minutes later he was given the ball on our own 22, he stepped the winger and with 2 players in front of him he chipped over right on the touch line ran round them and collected the ball on the bounce to go the length of the field for an excellent individual try. Conversion missed but DK now led 17-0.
DK continued to apply pressure and were unlucky to have a try by Adam Perks disallowed, the ref admitting later in the bar he may have got it wrong!! This just got our forwards fired up leading to Parker breaking the line to go over, conversion missed so DK led 22-0.
In the last quarter of the game as DK tired Moseley increased the pressure but probably the most satisfying part of the game was DK’s defensive line which held a good team to a zero score. Final score DK 22 Moseley 0.
This was the best team performance of the season, the pack, with 6 under 19’s, a back row of one 19 year old and two seventeen year olds, led by PP was outstanding and the backs played their part to but man of the match was our 17 year old Dev Maduagwu, one to look out for in the future. The combination of youth and a few older players is working and the future looks good for DK.
John Taylor.
