WIGAN ST JUDES ARLFC - MATCH REPORTS ROUND UP

A Team

NWML Division 3 Play Offs 

Wigan St Jude’s A 70-6 Chester Gladiators 

Wigan St Jude's A made the step into the Grand Final Play off at Widnes Select Security Stadium on Saturday 22nd October with a convincing 12 try, 70-6 victory against a valiant but outclassed Chester team. After only 2 minutes Adam Lavin posted the first score, powering through on the left hand side after neat build up play. With great performances emerging all over the pitch, the team grew in confidence and delivered some top drawer rugby to post four more first half tries from Barry Gregson (2), John Whalley with his first touch and captain Danny Clayton. All of these were neatly converted by Stand -off Rob Collier to give a half time lead of 30-6.

The second half continued in the same way, the forwards laying the platform for some neat expansive play across the entire back line, although some ill-discipline through back chat and professional fouls caused the team to play for 20 minutes with only 12 players, something which needs to be eliminated before next week’s game. Solid positional kicking and structured back line shots took control leading to seven second half tries, the first from leading try scorer Chris Pimblett who followed a towering kick from Rob Collier and collected to score at the side of the posts. Further tries took the game out of range, two from Vice-captain Danny Holmes, one each for centre Lavin and Pimblett stretching over from a seemingly impossible position. In the closing moments, evergreen second row, John Whalley completed his hat-trick with a 1 metre dive over on the right side!  Rob Collier maintained an immaculate 100% kicking record with 10 goals in total and Lavin added a further conversion. 

Centre Barry Gregson took the MOM award with great supporting performances from Leon Harber and Matty Langhorne in what was an all-round team effort from every one of the players.  Well done and good luck in the Grand Final! 

Under 14's - Girls

Wigan St Judes 44-4 East Leeds

St Jude's girls met East Leeds on a crisp autum morning at home. In only their fourth game as a team the girls knew it would be tough. East Leeds started strong, passing the ball and off loading during tackles. This wasn't easy for them as Jude's Megan Bragg tackled strong causing several dropped balls. A well drilled team with plenty of experience they where the first to cross the line. 

The second half saw St Jude's get more into their stride. With strong running from Beth heyes and Lauren huddart the girls picked up momentum. Unfortunately East Leeds where to strong and kept the pressure up with more tries. St Jude's never gave up and a well worked team effort saw Jordan Jones cross for St Jude's first try. 

Great team effort from Jude's with several girls making their debut so well done to Chloe, Sophie,grace and Jodie. 

Under 13's

Westhoughton 38-4 Wigan St Judes 

So this was Judes last outing of 2016 and the eventful under 13's season. The game started very evenly and it was great defence on show by both sides. It took 15 minutes for Westhoughton to get on the board , but Judes kept pushing and getting in the right areas , just unable to finish chances. Half time was 14-0. The boys knew they could still do this and Patryk and Kian continued to lay the platform for us off good work from Lewis and Yorkie. It's just speed of play that let Judes down today. Things that can be worked on over the Winter. Judes appeared to crumble a little throughout the second half, but Dylan Keller did score a brilliant team try off great work from Keaton, Yorkie and Lewis. There were many positives to take and use for the Winter. Enjoy the break boys! Well done Westhoughton.

Tries

Dylan Keller

Man of the Match

Kian Whittle, outstanding putting a full shift in today, ruthless in defence and superb going forward.

Captains Choice

Joe Mitchell, he's won this award for the last few weeks and it's great to see his hard work isn't going un-noticed. Really solid performance, well done.

Training has now moved to a Monday 7-8 on Judes 3G and Saturday's 10.30-11.30

Under 12's

Ince Rose Bridge  4-16  Judes

Today was our local derby and always a tough encounter against Bridge and today didn’t disappoint.  Both teams came out determined and Judes showed some fantastic defence to keep Bridge pinned back, but a couple of handling errors cost Judes field position and Bridge capitalised late in the first half with a rewarding four points from a pin point high bomb that was taken well by their winger, who rolled over to score the only points of the half.

After an encouraging team talk at half time Judes had to take this game by the scruff of the neck and record some points.  A massive hit by Reece dislodged the ball and put Judes straight back on the attack.  Good drives up and quick play of the balls gave Judes the momentum down field and Lewis Pinder spied his chance with a cheeky break through to score Judes first try, converted by James with a kick that landed in the club house!  Judes now had their tails up and again Reece put his body on the line and charged down a kick to turnover the ball and although Judes didn’t score from this set, defensively they were aggressive and pushed Bridge back over the try line for a drop out.  Our forwards continued to put hard work in and drove up the middle before Callum Silcock ran across the face of the line and jinked into a gap, backing himself to crash through and score.  So many times this season we’ve seen our forwards drive hard and get us near the sticks for Harvey Makin to come crashing onto a ball and dive over the whitewash, thankfully today it was the winning try of the game, converted well by Callum Silcock.  Sensational defence in the second half kept our opponents scoreless to the end of the game, with the win going to Judes 16-4.

As predicted it was a tough game today and Bridge were really up for this game with some loud and eye watering shots going in from both sides.  Judes really stepped up in the second half and won the battle in attack recording 16 points.  Strong work from our forwards with Bridge forcing the battle up the middle in this game, but all the team contributed to a fantastic win.   Always feels great to beat our local rivals, well done boys, keep up the hard work!

Today awards go to:

Outstanding Efforts: Some of those big hits and strong metres from Richard Nsemba and topping the drive count with 11 Harvey Makin who really pulled the middles together.

Assist: Lewis Pinder, told at half time to back himself and that’s exactly what he did by scoring a super individual try.

Top Tackler: Kalan Devine, always awesome in defence our bulldozer, got through loads of work in attack too.

Man of the Match: Reece Stanton, this lad always puts his body on the line and can really turn games around.  When the team were struggling to get out their half, Reece stepped up and made sure we did!

Under 10's

Wigan St Judes 28-26 Clockface Miners

On a wet morning down at the meadow, this mornings visitors were Clockface Miners.

The 1st half was not a good one for the Judes as Clockface were up for it straight from the whistle. Even though Judes made plenty of ground when we had the ball, we never turned ground into points. Clock on the other hand scored from the first 3 sets they had and Judes were 16 points down before the half time whistle.

The 2nd half started just as bad with Clock extending their lead.  A jinking try from Rohan Green looked like saving the boys being nilled as Clock went over again and with the score being 4 - 26 to Clock it looked like it was going to be a long morning. That was until a change in momentum happened and the boys started to play, with a Cody Newton try straight from the restart and that seemed to give the boys the inspiration to mount a come back! With 8 minutes left Judes needed 3 trys to win it. With the crowd shouting encouragement the boys stepped up to be counted and took the Clockface defense on,  with relentless pressure forcing mistakes from Clock Josh Mawdsley went over before Cody once again came off the back of the scrum to go over again and the final try was from Lewis Banks who had got over his histrionics on the side line and came back on the pitch with an improved attitude.  With the scores level it was down to Cayden Barry to seal the comeback by coolly slotting over the conversion for the WIN! Clock restarted with 30 seconds left the boys dug deep to keep them out for a well deserved victory.

The boys played very well in the second half to beat a very good team, we have been trying for 4 seasons to beat Clock without any scusess until today well done lads!

Award winners this week :-

Man of the Match:  Josh Mawdesley

Coaches Award: Harry Stokes (the tackling machine)

Effort and Achievement: Cody Newton

Parents Award:  The whole team!!

Next week we are away to Leigh Miners

Under 7's

St judes 8-7  leigh east bears 

St judes welcomed leigh east bears to parsons meadow on a very wet day but luckily rain stopped before a 11:30 kick off.

1st quarter

Leigh east hit hard scoring 2 trys against a very weak defence from judes but after a good talking too the judes boys came alive, with some outstanding tackles from little chiz and tagdh, which stopped leigh east in the path. Then judes opened up the scoring with chiz storming through with that great hand off he has. Now all the boys stepped up in there defence with Ethan, Archie and Jack Elwick putting  there body's about.

2nd quarter

With judes playing just the one game this week we had a full Bench of subs, so the switch of nearly a full team the lads for the Bench come out all guns blazing, with Reuben, Jack myers and Harrison oakes leading the attack scoring outstanding trys then following up with some immense tackles that super league would be amazed by.

3rd quarter

Teams switched ends and judes kept up there great spirit with there noses just in front by 2 points. Jack Elwick stepped up with some strong runs and great defence but leigh kept on coming and never gave up scoring on nearly every set but judes just answered back with Elwick on a storming run pulling 4 leigh lads along falling short of the line but from nowhere came a outstretched arm to place the ball on the try line.

4th quarter

The end was near and it was so close to call with judes still in front and both teams still running hard, little chiz scored another try making it a hatrick again like previous weeks, it's becoming a trend for him. MOM Harrison Oakes was outstanding today with a all round performance scoring yet he's 2nd and judes last of the day, it was a well worked try with the ball being passed through nearly the full team and it reach Harrison on the wing then the corner it was.

Great performance all round and special mention to Gabe, Lewis, Luke, and Edwin for there great effort and determination.

Mom Harrison Oakes

Top T jack myers

Most improved Archie