Hemel Stags vs Gateshead Thunder
Half Time Score: Stags 10 - Thunder 22
Full Time Score Stags 10 - Thunder 30
Stephen Marshall, Mitchell Ayres, Joe Evans, Mustafa Ali, Courtney Watson, Dion Chapman, George Stevens, Cameron Furlong, Wes Read, Jack Kavanagh, Aaron Small, Matt Meek, Stephen Nouari, Tom Grange, Callum Hurley, Jamie Acton, Erik Grimley
It has been a very tough season for the Stags, who are effectively an Under 17’s team, competing in this very competitive Under 18 national league. There have been numerous problems to overcome:
(A) Player’s being banned following “Red cards” on the pitch.
(B) Player’s being injured as a result of playing this tough sport.
(C) Player’s not being available for selection.
All of the above together with the limited number of players at the start of the season has resulted in the Stags have only just being able to field a side for a number of matches. Despite still being affected by all of the above, last weeks match performance was very encouraging indeed as the 17 player squad worked very hard to deliver a true team performance against one of the best and most highly skilled teams in the UK. Unfortunately this weeks 17 players, which comprised a number of returning individuals, appeared to have lost everything that was so promising about the previous weeks performance and simply failed to deliver a team performance.
The resultant display on the pitch was fractious, divisive and totally lacking in inspiration for the younger and less experienced players and resulted directly in the Stags failing to deliver their best performance on the day. The match started well for the home side gaining a very early score that was successfully converted to lead 6:0, but the very organised Gateshead team hit back after 8 minutes to level the scores at 6:6
The next 10 minutes was period of closely contested action covering most of the pitch, before Gateshead moved ahead after repeated and sustained pressure on the Stags line, 6:12 The equality of the continuing contest was broken when Gateshead took an interception ball, which caught the home side completely unaware and the visitors were fortunate enough to run the full length of the pitch and score easily under the posts 6:18
Stags stuck to their task and worked hard to score again after 30 minutes, when a well-timed pass was taken at speed and the ball was powered over the line, 10:18 things were looking good at this particular point. Unfortunately only 3 minutes later slow reactions and sloppy missed tackle “gifted” a try in return to the visitors on the stroke of half time,10:22
The second half saw a very long period of action, but with no scores on either side. Gateshead also won this battle as Stags resorted to back biting and abusing their own team members and descended to the lowest depths of team performance and in the process threw away any possible chance that might have existed for a possible fight back.
The match was played in good nature and at great pace; Hemel Stags look forward to welcoming Gateshead again next season, well done!
Paul Marshall
Hemel Stags.
Hemel Man of the Match: Aaron Small