The Pilgrims’ Pitches
Friday 10 March 2017
Fixtures Next Week
Owing to a double booking of fixtures on the part of
another school, and the cancellation of a
tournament, some matches next week have moved.
Below, are the revised fixtures for Wednesday 15 and
Saturday 18 March:
Wednesday 15
the game didn’t help. Problems were further
compounded by the loss of talismanic players
James Woolman and Dan Newman to injury.
Nevertheless, Pilgrims’ showed they can be effective
with ball in hand. However, on this occasion there
were too many dropped balls and errors which gave
momentum to Twyford upon which they capitalized.
Consolation tries were scored by Ayoife Dada and
Benedict Smailes. Timothy Hamlyn also ran directly
and effectively with ball in hand. AJS
Away
1st VII Rugby at Woodcote House Tournament
@ 1400
Hockey teams at Farleigh @ 1430
Saturday 18
Home Rugby v Farleigh
Colts ABC IX @ 1430
Away Rugby v Farleigh
Foals ABC VIII @ 1430
Under 9 ABC VII @ 1430
Inter-set Hockey (Years 7 and 8) @ 1400
I am sorry for the changes, but hope that they,
fortuitously, allow more of you to see your sons in
action. Geoffrey Hammond
Thursday 2 March
Under 8 A/B/C/D v Farleigh
All of Year 3 toured away to Farleigh on a lovely,
sunny afternoon, were we were made to feel very
welcome by our hosts. All the teams played two
matches each, with a range of results. The contests
were even, with most teams both winning and losing
a match. The games were played in fine spirit and in
all my time here I have not seen a better set of
competitive, fun and inclusive matches. Hats off to
Farleigh and our lads! MDS
Saturday 4 March
Under 13 A XII v Twyford
Lost 50-10 (A Dada, B Smailes)
Despite the enthusiasm and positive warm-up,
nothing seemed to click into place. The heavy
downpour and two quick Twyford tries at the start of
Under 12 A XII v Twyford
Lost 25-5 (H Kingsbury)
Pilgrims’ were within one score of a good Twyford
team for much of the match; there were some key
moments when Pilgrims’ crucially lost the ball, having
built up some good pressure on the opposition, and
Twyford used their possession better. Pilgrims’
tackling was brave but ultimately the stronger side
won. AH
Under 12 B XII v Twyford
Lost 30-5 (L Dore-Green)
A tough match against a strong adversary – and
played in tough conditions. All credit to such
examples as Augustin Robert, Nikhil Shah and
Sebastian Robertson who showed grit and
perseverance against a team who were cohesive and
clinical in their match play. Chins up for next week,
boys. DP
Foals A VIII v Twyford
Lost 50-10 (R Hobbs, G Davies)
Saturday's match against Twyford was another very
tough game. The opposition were strong throughout
and made it a tricky afternoon! Twyford took a 25-0
lead into half-time, but to the Pilgrims’ boys credit
they showed no sign of giving up. Even after
conceding further tries and trailing 40-0, they still
continued to fight hard. Reuben Hobbs and
George Davies managed to get two conciliation tries
which were deserved for effort and willingness to
keep going. JB
Foals B VIII v Twyford
Match report to follow next week.
Colts A IX v Twyford
Lost 40-5 (J Bowman)
Colts A started this game with high hopes, especially
after effectively winning the second half in the
previous encounter – which was a very close game.
Today it was not to be and after a very intense five
minutes of play, Twyford opened the scoring with
straightforward play, utilising lighting fast wingers.
Tackling was just not good enough to contain a side
on the front foot. Jack Bowman managed a
determined drive over in the second half, but just too
late to really influence the result. SL
Colts B IX v Twyford
Lost 30-10 (T Sparkhall 2)
The Colts B played their best rugby this season.
Although they lost, it was a satisfying game. Tackles
were made, notably by James Phipps and
James Farmer; rucks were contended with real vigour
and courag; and our running and passing with the ball
was much improved. Twyford had a couple of very
big, fast boys who were hard to stop, and it seemed
at times as though too many decisions were going
against us. Thomas Sparkhall nearly scored a third try,
which was disallowed. PB
Foals C VIII v Twyford
Lost 55-10 (D Olagoroye, T Allfrey)
Saturday’s match against Twyford saw the Foals Cs
tumble as the quick gameplay and blistering pace
became too much for the Pilgrims’ boys. The game
began with an early try from Twyford; once again the
speed of the opposition made it hard for the boys to
stop them. The attack didn’t stop coming from
Twyford as constant ball handling errors, and
bunched up defence, meant Twyford could dominate,
which they did. The first half ended at six tries to nil
against Pilgrims’. Coming back for the second half the
Pilgrims’ boys had a wider attack as well as an
increased level of determination. Daniel Olagoroye
and Tom Allfrey both crossed the line in the second
half to score valuable tries for the team. However,
the strength of Twyford could not be stopped, ending
the match at a final score of eleven tries to Pilgrims’
two. I must admire the effort from the Foal C team as
they never gave up, and that’s one of the greatest
qualities a team can hold. MO
Under 9 A VII v Twyford
Lost 15-10 (J Kennedy, O Johnson)
The Pilgrims’ Under 9s started tentatively, perhaps
thrown out of synch by the counting of tackles rule.
Twyford ran the ball well, did a good job of passing
the ball out wide, and were first to score. Pilgrims’
Under 9 upped their intensity following this;
William Hammerson-Jones actually ran through one
boy and over another on his way to a large carry. This
helped to set up James Kennedy for his tenth try of
the season on a long and hard fought run. To close
out the half, Twyford scored once more, to make the
score 10-5. In the second half, we defended much
more aggressively. We moved the ball well but
turned it over in crucial moments. Twyford continued
winning the ball excellently, a pair of try-saving
tackles by Olli Johnson kept the game within reach.
We tied the game with an excellent pass from
James Kennedy to Campbell Hope-MacLellan, setting
Olli Johnson up for the score. A very close game
which could have gone either way. AC
Under 9 B VII v Twyford
Lost 50-10 (A Chan, W Bracey-Davis)
Pilgrims' arrived at a wet Twyford and began the
game slowly. Unable to retain possession, the B's
were punished by the strong runners from Twyford,
and under committed tackling in the first half.
However, in the second half Pilgrims' stepped up and
began tackling low and hard. Special mention to
Oskar Walmsley, Thomas Gordon and Thomas Law
who led the team in this facet of the game.
Furthermore, the team were able to play some good
running rugby, utilizing the strength of Aidan Chan
and the speed of William Bracey-Davis to score to
second half consolation tries. It was very pleasing to
see improved effort in the second half and hopefully
the team can play with this intensity for the full
duration of their next match. CC
Under 9 C VII v Twyford
Lost 50-45 (M Farmer 2, L Ho, A McKenzie 2,
S Shelley 4)
After a busy Victorian open morning, the boys were
ready to face the local derby against Twyford. Right
from the start, the game was extremely even, with a
pattern emerging: Twyford try, Pilgrims’ try. This
continued for much of the game, allowing the boys to
gel as a team and make some great passes and
tackles. With a supportive crowd and positive team
attitude, Pilgrims’ were able to keep focussed and
narrowly missed out on a win. Well done to all boys
who played. Ami
Under 9 D VII v Twyford
Lost 70-55 (unknown – all-round team effort)
The boys were very much independent for their
match against Twyford, and with this being one of
their first ‘full contact’ matches, all stepped up to the
occasion. The team played well together, and
managed to score lots of tries after some brilliant
passing and tackling. Unfortunately, the many tries
scored, and excellent team play, was not enough to
secure a win against our opposition. A fantastic effort
nonetheless. Well done, boys. AMi
Hockey
This was a new fixture in the regular circuit that we
have played in the past and it was a very useful and
well organized afternoon. Both teams played a
triangle tournament against two mixed ability
Westbourne House teams. As is often the case at the
moment in hockey, one has to bear in mind that
Pilgrims’ were up against teams selected from all of
the Westbourne Year 7 and 8 boys (apart from their
first seven), whereas Pilgrims’ currently select from a
squad of 22. AA
1st VII v Westbourne House (WBH)
Drew 1-1 (T Jeffes)
Lost 2-1 (T Jeffes)
In their first match the 1sts took some time to get
going as WBH were quicker to pass and making more
of the processional advantage. However, as the
game progressed, Pilgrims’ began to produce some
good scoring chances. This was certainly one of the
better performances of the season but the 1sts didn’t
manage to play with enough width, and consequently
they didn’t really stretch the WBH team enough. It
would be fair to say that playing consecutive matches
didn’t benefit Pilgrims’, but they started the match
well and played with more width. Pilgrims’ did tend
to overcommit in the tackles; they did well to stay in
the contest but as energy levels dropped WBH
deservedly seized the advantage. AA
2nd VII v Westbourne House (WBH)
Drew 0-0
Lost 5-3 (A Meseguer, T Dare Bryan, H Pressland)
On paper it may seem that the first match was a bit of
a damp squib, but this was not the case at all. The
teams were very well-matched, and despite some
good play, neither team could manage to find that all
important goal.
The boys were lucky to have a breather between
their two matches, and the second match was a very
different affair. Pilgrims’ managed to let some
important tackles pass and WBH very quickly found
themselves four goals up. It was admirable that
Pilgrim’s did not give up at this stage and they
managed to claw back two goals. WBH extended the
lead to three goals before debutant Harry Pressland
slotted home the third. AA
Tuesday 7 March
Under 8 A/B/C/D v Twyford
As won 14-12
Bs lost 12-11
Cs lost 11-7
Ds lost 3-2
A great set of very close matches – the teams were
evenly matched which meant a great, competitive
afternoon. The boys played well and we should be
very proud of them. They have all made progress in
their own ways, from learning the very basics,
through to developing their support play and tactical
approach. Well done, these results bode well for the
future. MDS
Wednesday 8 March
Under 13 A XII v Cheam
Lost 45-15 (A Dada 2, B Smailes)
This was a similar score-line to last week, but the
game itself was vastly different. Cheam struck first
after quite a period of sustained attack, camped on
the Pilgrims’ line. Scrambling bravely, the Pilgrims’
boys eventually succumbed to the Cheam pressure.
Nevertheless, straight from the restart, Pilgrims’ won
the ball back and slipped it to Benedict Smailes who
exploited the small gap in front of him to race to the
line. We missed those few boys recovering from
injury, but those on the pitch played with
determination and made Cheam fight for their points.
We scored a couple more of our own – a brace from
Ayoife Dada – one of which was orchestrated by
fly-half Teddy Tufnell. This was a backs move
involving decoy runners to put Ayoife in space to
sprint down the wing, and well-executed. This was
our last full game of the season and I would like to
thank the U13s for an enjoyable time. AJS
Under 12 A XII v Cheam
Lost 30-0
As with the Twyford match at the weekend, Pilgrims’
were unable to convert possession and territory into
try-scoring opportunities. Unforced errors allowed
Cheam to turn over the ball and they took their
chances well. Some individual Pilgrims’ have
competed very well over the past couple of weeks,
but the collective team performances have not quite
been good enough. The opposition have also been
better. AH
Under 12 B XII v Cheam
Lost 60-0
This was a tough match for our boys against a strong
opponent. The boys showed a better proficiency in
their rucks but were on occasion reluctant to bind for
tackles. One more match of the season in which we
hope to see a favourable result. Good attitude today,
boys. DP
Colts A IX v Cheam
Draw 0-0
What an incredible game of rugby. Colts A upped
their level of performance today and were fierce,
abrasive opponents in all areas of the match. Tackling
was the key; everyone stepped up and offered
resistance in the defensive line, and when going
forward really punched holes through a strong Cheam
defence. It was not without trying to separate the
teams, but both teams really deserved a score — the
game was balanced on a knife edge for much of the
second half. Nevertheless, a draw was probably a fair
result at the final whistle. SL
Colts B IX v Cheam
Lost 30-15 (T Sparkhall, H Peppiatt, P Burnand)
After the rigour of the last match, this could have
been a decent win for the Colts B. However, it was
not to be. In the first half the boys struggled to find a
rhythm. It was difficult as we’d prepared for
nine-a-side only to find it was a seven-a-side match,
so with several extra players all keen to play,
consistency was hard to come by. The second half
saw an improvement in play. The boys had settled in
and started to use the space to run into and the
support play was tighter. PB
Colts C IX v Cheam
Drew 40-40 (A Dyke 1, L Jones 1, T Sparkhall 5,
A Tolkushkin 1)
What a final rugby game of the season for Colts
C! Cheam had the upper hand in the first half with six
tries, but Pilgrims’ stayed in it with three tries by
Aleksiy Dyke, Louis Jones and Andrey Tolkushkin. Not
disheartened, Pilgrims’ came out fighting in the
second half and the fight back began. Five tries by
Thomas Sparkhall gave Pilgrims’ the lead, but two
more from Cheam ended the game in a draw. A
wonderful effort by both sides, and a fair result in the
end. Well done to the C’s. JR
Foals A VIII v Cheam
Lost 30-0
This was a tricky encounter for the Foals A on
Wednesday. Cheam were a strong side in all aspects
of the game. Their direct running ultimately proved
too much for the team. Pilgrims’ never lost spirit and
drove and battled throughout the whole match.
Captain Rory Wooster had a fantastic match, and was
unlucky not to put Pilgrims’ on the score sheet. It was
a very physical match and the boys gave it their all.
A couple of handling errors let the opposition further
the lead. What a great die-hard attitude from all
boys; we are looking forward to our final game of the
season next week. MG
Foals B VIII v Cheam
Lost 4-2 (R Hobbs, B Short)
Pilgrims’ once again fell short regarding the result,
but as usual, the performance was one to be proud
of. In the first half, injuries to Oscar Lakin and Barney
Fox meant they were unable to continue and
Pilgrims’ found themselves trailing by four tries. The
second half, however, saw Pilgrims’ play the better
rugby. Good running and strong tackling throughout
the team meant the boys got two tries back on their
opponents to reduce the deficit. JB
Foals C VIII v Cheam MO
Won 20-10 (D Olagoroye 3, T Allfrey)
After a back-and-forth game, filled with aggression
and initiative, the Foals C team earned their first win
of the season, defeating Cheam four tries to two. The
match began with an early try from Cheam who ran
straight through the Pilgrims’ defence. Pilgrims’
finally got into the game as Daniel Olagoroye went
over the line in the corner to level the score. Just
before half-time, the Cheam runners scored a second
time, ending the half with the score at two tries to
one. After an encouraging half time talk from the
coach, the Foals played a wider attacking game.
Daniel Olagoroye scored again. The game inevitably
began to slowed as both teams found it hard to cling
onto possession. As the final whistle drew near,
Daniel Olagoroye received a long pass from Edward
Thompson at the back of a Pilgrims’ scrum, and
sprinted along the touchline to score Pilgrims’ third
try. With two minutes to go, Tom Allfrey bursts
through the Cheam defence to seal the win. A very
good result for Pilgrims’, and a fantastic first win for
the boys. MO
Under 9 A VII v Cheam
Won 35-20 (J Kennedy 3, C Hope MacLellan 2,
W Hammerson Jones, R Thomson)
This was an excellent, and very physical match. The
Pilgrims’ Under 9s set the tone early on the defensive
side, causing a turnover that resulted in the first of
James Kennedy’s hat-trick. Pilgrims’ dominated with
aggression and toughness throughout the entire first
half, a hazy run by a very rapid Cheam player their
only score of the half. Thomas Law, in his first time
out with the A squad, performed the role of
scrum-half well, and did a good job tackling and
passing. The boys’ understanding of the game is
improving week on week. Campbell Hope MacLellan
positioned himself out wide on the wing twice to
receive a ball in space near the try-line, and managing
to convert his efforts for a try. Ben Hardman had an
excellent game; showing real improvement and a
developing understanding, he sealed the edge of our
defensive line and brought the Cheam wingers to the
ground with force on multiple occasions. Cheam
adjusted well in the second half and upped their
intensity. More speedy footwork from Cheam’s
standout player resulted in two more tries for him.
Pilgrims’ were not out-matched for intensity, and
never looked in doubt for the victory. A solid
performance; we look forward to our last match vs
Farleigh. AC
Under 9 B VII v Cheam
Lost 35-25 (T Gordon 3, A Chan 2)
It was a pleasure to take the Under 9 Bs in a real
nail-biter of a game; with both teams scoring and
defending well, the scores remained tied for much of
the game. The Pilgrims’ boys came out tentatively at
the to start, but increased in intensity as they got to
grips with things. They showed a lot of potential and
development; each boy should be proud.
Thomas Gordon had a standout game excellent
aggressive running with the ball! He put in his best
effort for his team, and although by his own
admission he doesn’t enjoy tackling, he demonstrated
that he is highly capable in this area of the game.
Aiden Chan ran hard and direct, inspiring his fellow
teammates to follow suit. Cheam pulled away as the
eventual winners, but it was a very competitive
match. Well done, boys! AC
Under 9 C VII v Cheam C
Lost 40-20 (L Ho 3, S Shelley)
The Under 9 Cs faced a strong Cheam C side. The
team started slowly and in attack unforced errors
proved costly. By half-time the visitors were cruising
6-0. However, after half-time, the boys played an
exceptional second half showing great grit and
determination to score six tries of their own and only
concede two. Unfortunately this wasn't enough to
overturn the deficit of the first half, however, I would
really like to commend all boys on the character they
showed in the second half. CC
Under 9 C VII v Cheam D
Won 55-45 (W Burnand, D Halfpenny, L Ho 2 ,
H Liddiard, S Shelley 3, M Sorensen)
After the first match, the boys played again against a
combined Cheam C/D team. Showing much of the
same 2nd half characteristics as the game before the
boys played hard running rugby, and won the game
55-45, leading the whole way. It was great to see all
boys tackling hard, and playing as a team. Most
pleasing of all was the fact that every boy scored a try
in the second game, in what was a well-spirited
game, and a good display for those watching. CC
Hockey
1st VII v Thorngrove
Lost 4-0
The score line of this match does not reflect what a
close contest it was. Two very well-matched teams
played some excellent hockey, with Pilgrims’ only
falling a goal behind shortly before half-time.
Opportunities to score were created in both halves,
but Pilgrims’ were resolutely thwarted by effective
Thorngrove defence, plus an excellent goalkeeper.
The highlight of the afternoon has to be the
development this group of players has shown; they
are playing their best hockey of the season by far.
I am sure that Set Hockey next week (Saturday
18 March) will be testament to this. AA
2nd VII v Thorngrove
Drew 2-2 (A Benton, T Sharrock)
Pilgrims’ were slow to start in this encounter and
found themselves two goals behind early on. This
seemed to spur the team into action, and as Pilgrims’
pressed higher up the pitch, so more scoring
opportunities were created. Eventually, Pilgrims’ got
the break they needed, and Angus Benton slotted in
the first goal. Sustained pressure from Pilgrims’
created a series of opportunities, before
Thomas Sharrock’s deflected shot made its way into
the goal. This was an excellent demonstration of
resilience and self-belief and one wonders what the
score may have been had the match been slightly
longer…? AA
2nd VII v St Francis
Lost 1-0
The 2nds were unlucky not to complete this match
with a more favourable score-line. This was another
match of end-to-end action, but it was St Francis who
were able to make their scoring opportunities
count. This was a contest against two teams of equal
ability but, as was the theme for the afternoon,
Pilgrims’ did not capitalise on the chances on goal. AA