WORCESTER WARRIORS 42

SAINTS ACADEMY 21

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Sixways

Monday, November 14, 2005

Though the result - if not the margin - reflected the balance of play in the middle 40 minutes and the clinical nature in which Worcester took their scores, the Saints youngsters acquitted themselves well.
 
They dominated the first quarter, and were it not for Garth Fowler's stepping into touch while passing inside, and a good cover tackle on the sprinting Jamie Supple a couple of metres short, Saints would have been well clear, and deservedly so.

Two Ben Patston penalties were scant reward for this, particularly as his opposite number Simon Watling replied immediately each time. And when prop Michael McDonald was driven over in Worcester's first visit to the Saints 22 in the 22nd minute, the pendulum swung dramatically.

Warriors added three more tries before the break from Gavin Hickie, Uche Uduoza and Craig Everett, answered by a solitary Patston penalty for a 30-9 scoreline. But both teams were even in yellow cards - one apiece for Mark Hopley and McDonald, both for killing the ball.

The 21-point margin was maintained through the second half as each side mirrored the other's scoring pattern. Former Saint Mark Tucker crossed in the 51st minute and Patston added a try and conversion to his tally in the 57th. James Collins then sprinted clear to cross in the 65th minute before Hopley atoned for his earlier indiscretion by scoring in the corner eight minutes later.

But despite the final score there were some promising signs for the future. The visitors generated speedy attacking ball - especially from the lineout - and good sustained territorial positions on several occasions. And it also gave a team with an average age in the teens some good exposure against a more experienced opposition.

Teams:
Worcester Warriors - Pennell; Ridgers, C Robinson (Evans 40+3mins), Tucker (S Robinson 58mins), Uduoza; Watling, Runciman (Hallam 48mins); Mullan, Hickie (Clunis 40mins), M McDonald (S McDonald 58mins), Bowley, Wood, Mason (Black 40-43mins)(Cox 48mins), Collins, Everett.

Saints Academy - Fowler; Clarke, Harries (Crosby 40mins), Barnard, Elliot; Patston, Bishop; Holiasmenos (Visagie 10mins (Grove 48mins)), Wernham (Hoadley 60mins), Beech, Powell (Pitfield 35mins), Rae, Kelly (Easter 40mins), Supple, Hopley (capt).

Scorers:
Worcester Warriors - Tries: M McDonald, Hickie, Uduoza, Everett, Tucker, Collins; Cons: Watling (3); Pens: Watling (2).

Saints Academy - Tries: Patston, Hopley; Con: Patston; Pens: Patston (3).

Yellow cards:
Hopley (29mins)
M McDonald (38mins)

CLOCKWATCH:
4mins Saints: Pen Patston 0-3
6mins Worcs: Pen Watling 3-3
11mins Saints: Pen Patston 3-6
13mins Worcs: Pen Watling 6-6
22mins Worcs: Try M McDonald Con Watling 13-6
29mins Saints: Yellow card Hopley
30mins Worcs: Try Hickie Con Watling 20-6
34mins Worcs: Try Uduoza 25-6
38mins Worcs: Yellow card M McDonald
38mins Saints: Pen Patston 25-9
40+2mins Worcs: Try Everett 30-9
51mins Worcs: Try Tucker Con Watling 37-9
57mins Saints: Try and Con Patston 37-16
65mins Worcs: Try Collins 42-16
73mins Saints: Try Hopley 42-21