Sunday April 5th 2009

Durham City U14s 45 Sunderland U14s 19

The spring sunshine shone down on the two local rivals, who produced a good competitive game of running rugby, played in excellent spirit, with Durham eventually coming our worthy winners. City’s forwards worked hard to get early ascendancy, while their backs were thriving on the wide, hard Hollow Drift pitch, and it wasn’t long into the game before a flowing three quarters backs move lead to their first try from winger David Robinson. Sunderland also had some good runners, and soon levelled the score with a try in the left hand corner. Durham extended their lead through tries from Tom Studd, intercepting a Sunderland pass, and then Michael Hylton and David Elliott, both breaking down the left flank. Though the visitors managed one further response, Durham looked good for their 24 -12 lead at the interval.

After the break Durham’s extra fitness began to show, and as the Sunderland defence began to loose its shape, City’s runners began to exploit the gaps, crossing the line three more times with a try from lock Karl Crawford and second try each for Tom Studd and Michael Hylton, all converted by Studd. Sunderland never let their heads drop, however, and deserved their try in the final minute, but the result by then was never in doubt.

Sunday 29th March

Gosforth U14s 43 Durham City U14s 36

The artificial pitch at Gosforth’s Druids Park ground invites teams to play running rugby, and so it was on Sunday when Durham City’s U14s narrowly lost out in what turned out to be a bumper try-fest. There were eight tries in the first half alone, with honours even. City’s prolific winger David Robinson ran over Durham’s first two trys, followed by a score from centre Tom Studd, before John ‘Ferret’ Malia notched one up for the forwards, yet Durham still found themselves 26-
24 down at the break, on conversions achieved

The visitors regained the lead shortly after the re-start, as Robinson touched down under the posts for his hat-trick, but it was to be short- lived, as Gosforth again upped their game. Injuries and tiredness started to take its toll on the visitors and tackles began to be missed, leaving holes in City’s defence which Gosforth exploited for three second half tries. Durham rallied again, and fly half Johnny Dance broke through to score in the corner, but Gosforth held on for a
43-36 win.

Sunday 22 March

Hartlepool Rovers U14s 21 Durham City U14s 27

Durham City’s U14s got back to winning ways on Sunday in a hard fought game played in bitter conditions on an exposed Hartlepool headland.

Despite playing into the biting wind, Durham made a confident start, and Nathan Lane opened the scoring with a first try for the visitors.

Hartlepool came back strongly with two converted tries, before City’s Tom Studd ran on to catch a Rovers clearance kick and continued over the home try line to score. However, Hartlepool rallied again, and a third home try left Rovers with a 21 – 10 lead at the break.

With the wind now at their backs Durham’s juniors upped the pressure in the second period. Tom Studd scored his second try after intercepting a Rovers pass and sprinting away to the line, which he then converted. Now with the lead in site, Durham’s pack began to exert their authority and, after several strong forwards moves, got their reward when Cameron Toole touched down as the pack forced the ball over in the corner. With the lead in their grasp, Durham pressured for a final try, and Tom Studd sealed his hat-trick, and a win for the visitors as he fly-hacked the ball into Rovers in-goal area and won the chase to fall onto his own kick.


Sunday 15th March 2009

Durham County Cup Semi Final

Durham City U14s 12 Westoe U14s 15

Durham City’s U14s narrowly lost out in the County Cup semi final to Westoe, in a close and exciting contest at Shincliffe. The previous meeting earlier in the season had resulted in a tie, so City’s youngsters knew they had a fight on their hands to secure their place in the final against the current cup holders, and showed great commitment throughout. It was the hosts who took the lead through a try from David Robinson, breaking down the right wing to score. Westoe’
s strong pack then began to exert control in the rucks and the loose, and as Durham struggled to gain any decent possession, Westoe ran in two tries to take a 10-5 half time lead.

Westoe extended their lead with a third try after the break, but Durham came back strongly and began forcing errors from the visitors.
Flanker Cameron Toole had an outstanding match for City, and his pressure lead to a turnover for Durham. As the ball came out from Toole, fly half David Elliott slipped the ball to Tom Studd to score, who then convert his own try, from under the posts. Durham sensed victory but Westoe’s pack kept them frustratingly pinned back in their own half until, with only minutes to go, City turned defence into attack. The ball was whipped out wide to winger Robinson, and he looked set sure to outflank the Westoe defence to score the winner, but to the home side’s dismay he was called back for a forward pass, and Durham’s junior cup hopes were over for another season.


Sunday 8th March

Durham City U14s 24 Acklam U14s 13

Durham’s U14s warmed up for next week’s County Cup semi final with a good win over Acklam, extending their unbeaten run to five games. City’
s pacey wingers again did most of the damage, with two tries from David Robinson, and one from Alex Lightburn in the first half, the latter touch down coming at the end of a run starting from behind Durham’s own
22 metre line, converted by Tom Studd.

Acklam managed one try in reply in the first period, but after the break the visitors began to take advantage of the fact that City were struggling to really get their ‘A’ game going, and a kicked penalty and second try brought the Teessiders to within 6 points of the hosts, before Studd outflanked the Acklam defence to score from 10 metres to seal the 24 – 13 win for Durham.

Sunday March 1st 2009

Gateshead U14s 5 Durham City U14s 55

After losing to Gateshead earlier in the season, Durham’s juniors settled the scores with a convincing win in this return fixture at Low Fell. Durham centre Tom Studd opened the scoring, running onto a Michael Hylton pass to touch down for the first of a hat-trick of tries. Hylton himself then cut through for a try to increase the lead, before Studd scored again, this time putting himself clean away after intercepting a stray Gateshead pass. City winger Alex Lightburn then ran almost the full length of the pitch to add a fourth first half touchdown for City, before a late rally from the home side delivered a try to peg back the Durham lead to 26-5 at the break.
Their confidence flowing, the visitors soon began to press home their advantage again in the second period. A sharp backs move ended in a try for fly half David Elliott, before lock Karl Crawford picked up in the loose and thundered 80 metres to cross the line. Alex Lightburn then crossed the whitewash for his second try before Tom Studd rounded off an outstanding display by the visitors, running onto a chip kick from Johnny Dance to execute the final score.

Sunday 22 Feb 2009

Durham City U14s 41 Horden RFC U14s 19

A hat trick of tries from centre Michael Hilton saw Durham through to victory in a closer contest than the final score line suggests. Horden took the lead with a try early in the first half but Durham rallied, with Hilton touching down his first two tries in quick response.
Horden’s strong pack continued to keep the home side’s forwards under pressure, however, and the visitors regained the lead through a second converted try. City now began to play to their own strengths, and quicker ball out to their pacey backs lead to a try each on opposite wings for Chris Walker and David Robinson, taking City into a 20-12 half time lead.

Durham came out of the blocks fastest after the re-start, with Michael Hilton touching down his third try, before lock Karl Crawford clocked one up for the forwards, driving over the line to score from close range. Horden managed one more converted try in response, before centre Tom Studd put the game beyond doubt for the Durham juniors with a converted try in the dying minutes.

Sunday Feb 1st 2009

Durham County Cup 3rd round

Hartlepool Rovers U14s 12 Durham City U14s 24

Durham sealed their place in the draw for the 4th round of the County Cup with a hard fought victory against a strong Hartlepool Rovers side, in a close encounter that could have gone either way. City took the lead against the run of play, when scrum half David Elliot broke away off the back of a scrum to feed Durham skipper Tom Studd, who outpaced several Rover’s defenders to cross the line. Hartlepool came back with a try in the corner, but City countered again, with big Karl Crawford driving over from a tapped penalty move to retake the lead for the visitors. Rovers then forced city onto the back foot with a sustained period of pressure, but an excellent tackle from Sam Burr ensured their best chance was held up over the try line, leaving Durham with a 12-5 lead at the interval.

The home side pressed again, now with the biting wind at their backs, but Durham’s defence was resolute, and it was the visitors who extended their lead. First Cameron Toole touched down at the end of a jinking run which bamboozled the Rovers defence, before winger David Robinson sprinted past the Hartlepool cover to score under the posts, converted by Studd. Rover’s juniors responded with a late converted try, but it was too late to change the outcome, and Durham go on with growing confidence to the final rounds.


Sunday 18th January

West Hartlepool 12 Durham City 44

Durham City's juniors got their 2009 campaign off to a great start with another convincing win on the road at West Hartlepool. City quickly shook off any post holiday cobwebs and ran into a commanding lead in the first half. It was Durham's backs who did the damage, with two tries a piece from wingers Michael Hilton and David Robinson, and one from Tom Studd, with just one reply from West, to take a 27-7 advantage into the break. Durham extended their lead after half time when Cameron Toole forced his way over under the posts, converted by Studd, but Hartlepool responded again and scored a deserved second converted try a few minutes later. Then Tom Studd put the match beyond any doubt, picking up a loose ball deep in Durham’s half, before beating several West defenders touch down for his second try. David Elliot completed the scoring for the visitors, to seal a 44-12
win.

Sunday 21 December 2008

Durham City U14s 41 Darlington Mowden Park U14s 10

Despite an enforced layoff of over a month due to the early winter conditions, Durham City's juniors showed no lack of match sharpness in their County Cup first round tie, overcoming Mowden Park with an assured display of rugby. Winger David Robinson opened the up a lead with a try in the first 5 minutes. Then further tries from Karl Crawford, breaking off from a maul to touch down over the visitors line, Jonathon Dance and Tom Studd, with two conversions by Studd, opened up a 24-0 lead by half time.
City extended their lead soon after the break when fullback Sam Burr touched down, but the visitors showed their spirit, coming back with two quick tries, before Chris Taylor and David Robinson put the match beyond doubt with two late scores.

Sunday 16th November 2008

Durham City U14s 19 v Tynedale U14s 50

Durham City’s U14s side suffered their first major set-back of the season against a powerful and organised Tynedale XV. Tynedale took command from early in the first half and began to build up an unassailable lead, through five converted first half tries. It proved a huge wake up call for City’s pack, who were off the pace, and failing to compete in the loose, while the backs missed too many tackles. By ten minutes from time Tynedale were 50 points ahead and the was game effectively over, but to their credit City’s youngsters refused to lie down, and a determined late rally lead to three late consolation tries for the home side. First Tom Studd finished off a backs move to run over to score in the left corner. Lock Karl Crawford then collected the kick off and ran 60 yards to score Durham’s second before completing the home sides rally, touching down his second try after chasing down a long kick, to add some respectability to the final score- line.

Sunday November 9th

Horden U14s 15 Durham City U14s 43

The soggy surface at Horden suited their big pack of forwards, and it was the home side who took the early initiative. With the advantage of the slope and the wind at their backs Horden’s pack piled on the pressure, eventually taking the lead as they forced over the opening try. City’s tactics were to play their rugby on the drier parts of the playing surface out wide, and once their forwards began to win some better ball, Durham’s backs started to take advantage of their extra pace, out-flanking the Horden defence with four first half tries, from David Robinson, Michael Hylton and two from Tom Studd. Horden managed one further reply, but with the added two conversion’s the visitors lead at the break 24 -15.

Now with the conditions in their favour, Durham’s juniors pressed home their advantage. Robinson’s pace again proved too much for Horden cover, as he ran over his second, before Tom Studd completed his hat- trick with an individual effort. As Durham’s confidence flowed, their forwards too began to assert their authority, and rampaging runs from their big second rows Jordan Eddie and Karl Crawford caused havoc in the Horden defence, with Crawford crashing over for Durham’s final try in the last minute of the game.

Sunday November 2nd 2008

Durham City U14s 31 Gateshead U14s 39

Durham narrowly lost out in a high scoring but bad tempered encounter, despite a hat-trick of tries from prolific winger David Robinson.
Gateshead stunned City in the opening quarter, scoring three tries in quick succession, before the first of Robinson’s efforts brought the home side back into the contest, converted by Tom Studd. However, two further tries left Gateshead in a commanding position at the break, leading 29 – 7.

City’s young side did not let their heads drop, however, and showed their metal in a strong second half performance. Robinson ran from deep to score his second try, and then Tom Studd collected the kick straight from the re-start and ran through the chasing Gateshead pack to cross the line in the corner. Gateshead responded with another try of their own, before Tom Studd ran onto his own chip kick to score his second try, followed by Robinson’s converted third score. The gap was now closed to only four points, but a final score from the visitors killed off City’s final hopes of what would have been an outstanding comeback win.

Sunday October 26th 2008

Blaydon 13 Durham City 24

Durham City’s fast improving U14’s had never previously won at Blaydon, and it was the home side who started the stronger, taking an early lead through a try in the first five minutes, but Blaydon then spurned a number of chances to extend it as they pegged Durham back in their own 22. Durham, however, showed the perfect way to clear their lines, when the backs collected the ball from behind their own posts, and passed it swiftly through the hands to winger David Robinson, who ran a full 80 years to score a try under the opposition posts, straightforwardly converted by Tom Studd, to take the lead against the run of play. Though Blaydon regained the advantage after kicking a penalty, awarded following a high tackle by a Durham defender, a second try for City scored by Studd meant it was advantage Durham at the interval.

After the break Blaydon edged back into the lead again with their second try, but Durham weren’t finished yet. When Blaydon slapped back their own lineout ball on their 5m line, quick thinking second row Karl Crawford burst through onto the loose ball to score Durham’s third, converted by Studd. Before Blaydon could recover, a strong run from Studd down the right wing led to his second try of the match, sealing another fine win for the City youngsters.

Sunday October 19th

Durham City U14s 17 Billingham U14s 22

Durham City’s juniors served up yet another nail-biting encounter, narrowly losing out to a try from the visitors in the dying minutes of a thrilling game between two highly committed young teams. Durham started strongly, camping in the Billingham quarter for the first 10 minutes, but were unable to convert their pressure into points.
Eventually Billingham broke away and took the lead with a converted try, swiftly followed by a second to take the visitors into a 12-0 lead at half time. Durham came back strongly after the break, and a flowing backs move released winger David Robinson to touch down in the corner, before Tom Studd completed a move he’d begun to run over Durham’s second try. Now it was Billingham’s turn to counter with a third try to stretch their lead further, but again Durham came back, this time though forward’s pressure from a 5 metre scrum allowing Robin Hartley to drive through the defence to score, converted by Studd, to bring the points back level at 17 a piece. Durham pressed for the winner, but it was Billingham who took the prize.

Sunday 12th October

Westoe RFC U14s 12 Durham City U14s 12

Durham demonstrated just how much their developing side has improved by holding last season’s county champions to a hard earned draw in an exciting encounter at South Shields. Westoe fielded a big, powerful pack, and it was clear that their main tactic was to use their heavy forwards to batter through the visitor’s defence, an approach that initially proved successful as they took the lead through a converted try in the opening five minutes. Durham demonstrated that they are now built of more resolute stuff, however, and further forays from the home side were repelled through some strong tacking by the visitors. It was soon clear that Durham’s best counter tactic was to get quick ball into the hands of their swift backs, and one such move lead to a classy try from full back Sam Burr, running on to touch down his own through kick. Durham then took the lead deep into the second half with a try from fly half Tom Studd rounding off another well worked back move, converted by Studd to take Durham into a 12-7 lead. The home side were not finished yet, however, and a final forward charge from a penalty on the 5 metre line saw Westoe touch down in the final minute to share the spoils.

Sunday 5th October

Durham City U14s 47 Ryton RFC U14s 7

Durham started slowly, and went behind in the first 5 minutes as Ryton’
s big pack bundled over for a converted try. The home side quickly re- grouped, however, and went on to dominate for much of the match.
Winger Nathan Lane outpaced the Ryton cover to open Durham’s account, before Tom Studd touched down the first of his hat-trick of converted tries for the home XV – the pick of which was the culmination of a well worked back move, with Studd collecting Sam Burr’s perfectly weighted kick through the Ryton defence to score.

Two second half tries from Michael Hylton – the second collected following up in support of a fine break from David Elliot - and one from centre Joe Tulip completed the comfortable victory for the Durham juniors, who are full of confidence after their best ever start to a season, having scored 187 points in four unbeaten contests so far.

Sunday 28 September 2008

Durham City U14s 38 West Hartlepool U14s 0

A hat-trick of tries from winger David Robinson before half time set Durham up for a convincing win at Hollow Drift on Sunday. The home side dominated possession from the start. Powerful rucking from the City forwards secured clean quick ball which the backs used to excellent advantage, setting up Robinson to outflank the West defence with his blistering pace. Centre Tom Studd compounded the visitor’s misery with an opportunistic interception try under the posts, while also kicking
four conversions. West’s juniors continued to work hard, but became
increasingly frustrated as Durham pressed home their advantage with added forward pressure, leading to two further tries this time from prop Robin Hartley, before the game ended early when the West team were lead controversially from the field by their coach after the referee refused to allow a disputed consolation try.

Sunday 21st of September

Sunderland RFC U14s 0 Durham City RFC U14s 59

Durham City’s U14s outclassed an injury-hit Sunderland XV with a fine display of attacking rugby. Full back Sam Burr set the standard with Durham’s opening try, collecting a Sunderland kick deep in the visitors half, and beating several defenders in an eighty metre run to score under the posts. Then a lineout win in Sunderland’s twenty-two released fly half David Elliott for Durham’s second try. A brace of tries from new centre Joe Tulip, and one from Michael Hilton, with four conversions left the visitors 33 points ahead at half time.

Durham started the second period the way they began the first with two quick tries, this time scored by Tom Studd and Cameron Toole. The Sunderland juniors then showed their spirit with a long period of sustained pressure in the Durham twenty two which failed to yield a deserved try, before the visitors again broke out and completed the victory with tries from Jack Weatherburn and John Dance to seal a commanding 59 – 0 win.

Sunday September 14th 2008
Durham City U14s 43 Darlington Mowden Park U14s 12

Durham’s U14s got their season off to a winning start, despite a
spirited fightback from the visitors. Durham had looked like they
were on for a comfortable afternoon as they mounted a 19 point lead early in the first half, with an opening try from Chris Walker, followed in quick succession by efforts from Carl Crawford and Tom Studd, both converted by Studd. Durham were then rocked back as a series of penalties awarded against them allowed the Mowden Park juniors to strike back with two well worked tries, one converted, to bring them right back into the game at half time.

It was Durham who came out the stronger in the second half, however.
Simon Coleman and Tom Studd linked up passes well to set up Studd’s second try, and then John Malia peeled off the back of the scrum to again extend the home side’s lead. David Robinson outpaced the Mowden defence with a solo 70 metre run to touch down Durham’s sixth try under the posts, before Cameron Toole capped Durham’s win with a try in the last minutes. Final score Durham City U14s 43 Darlington MP U14s 12.