Under-13's make it a double

Chilterns League U13's Grand Final

New Greens Gladiators 34 v 20 Adeyfield Dragons

St Albans rugby league team, The New Greens Gladiators U13's completed a memorable double when they beat Adeyfield Dragons from Hemel Hempstead in the Chilterns Junior Rugby League Grand Final to go with their League title.

Going in to the Grand Final as unbeaten champions after the weekly rounds, The Gladiators got off to a great start and really looked up for this game. Within the first 20 minutes nearly all the game was in their opponents half, and they had run in three tries for a comfortable 14-0 lead after just 15 minutes. However. the team from Hemel weren't out of it and after a shaky start they slowly began to settle down. They shocked the crowd, and the Gladiators, when they ran in two unanswered tries to trail by just six points at the break. It looked like the second half was going to be a real arm wrestle, but two magnificent long range tries from the Gladiators extended their lead to a comfortable margin of 22-8.

However, just as in the first half, the Hemel team dropped a gear and began to slog it out with their opponents, running in a further two tries. By this time the Hemel lads looked as though they were tiring and could only get one more four-pointer as the Gladiators ran in another two tries.

Senior coach Shane Rampling said: "What an outstanding game, all the boys were exceptional. Josh Berry was outstanding, Aaron Exley and Kieran Hodges never stopped running, and Callum Porter, Michael Lisa and Matt King played out of their skins. I must also praise the teams coaches Shane Hodges and Tom Driscoll."

In March, the Gladiators join forces with their sister team, Hatfield Comets, and compete in the London Junior Rugby League as St Albans Centurions Juniors.