Strength in depth too much for Cents U16s

St Albans Centurions U16s 14 Medway 24 (Friendly)EVEN though this game was a friendly you would not have known it with the ferocious hits throughout the game.  Medway brought a squad of 26 players and with free flow substitutions, the numbers told in

St Albans Centurions U16s 14 Medway 24 (Friendly)

EVEN though this game was a friendly you would not have known it with the ferocious hits throughout the game.

Medway brought a squad of 26 players and with 'free flow' substitutions, the numbers told in the end. Medway scored two late tries in the last couple of minutes to change a 14-12 scoreline in to 14-24. Cents came out with all guns blazing with tackles that wouldn't be out of place in the first team.

Aaron Grieg, Adam Sherwood-Pearce and big Sam Shinn lead the way. The defence laid the platform for the attack with Aaron Chandler scoring two tries, with great lead up work from Brian Kugra and Luke Fiacca, leaving the Dragons stunned.

Medway hit back just before half time to make the score 10-6 to Cents.

The second half continued like the first with more massive hits and great attacking play with Judd Otene directing the Cents around the park. Playing against an ever mounting number of fresh players, Cents began to tire and make a few silly mistakes which allowed Medway to score two more tries, but once again the St Albans boys would not lie down and a well worked try by Otene put the Cents back in the match.

With Medway running fresh legs into the game, fatigue set in for the St Albans boys and Medway scored their two late tries.

Their assistant coach, Sam Wingad said: "A big well done to the lads for giving it everything in this game, although a friendly, it was their squad of 26 against our squad of 17, and the improvement we are seeing in the squad is remarkable considering that most have only been playing for around 18 months.