29/09/2026
Sunday brought a top of the table clash over at Wyke between the Braves U12s and Wyke.
It always promised to be a tough contest and this one certainly didn’t disappoint.
The Braves defended the first set brilliantly, only to be called offside on the 5th and last. The resulting passage of play gave Wyke great field position, which they capitalised on.
Unfortunately, that seemed to be a common theme in the opening exchanges and throughout the game. The Braves struggled to get anything going in attack or defence, with some over-eagerness on our part leading to a number of penalties and making it difficult for the lads to build any momentum.
After some pressure on the Braves line, Jasper intercepted a pass out wide and scored an excellent solo effort, running the full length of the pitch.
The Braves seemed to settle into the game a bit more after that try, but again had to endure pressure from Wyke and some tough calls that didn’t go their way. They went into half time 8-6 down after Wyke scored in the opposite corner from their first try.
The message at half time was clear. We had to be better and, whatever happened with decisions, we had to rise above any uncertainty and focus on what we could control.
Unfortunately, the boys couldn’t quite find the right balance with the officiating and were called for several infringements which ultimately cost us.
Robbo went over for what looked like a try after half time, only for it to be ruled a knock-on. The celebrations were obviously muted after the decision, but one of the boys then made a comment to the referee saying he had got the ball down. That was punished with a sin bin.
Down to 12 men, the lads had to really dig in and they did exactly that. They battled, worked hard and still had a real go at the game.
Ultimately, Wyke’s pressure told. A break through the middle in the final stages allowed Wyke to ice the game with the final play and kick of the contest.
After the game, it was important for the coaches to point out just how much adversity the lads had faced that day. That shouldn’t be forgotten.
Taking nothing away from Wyke, who ground out a great result, our boys should feel very proud of their efforts. Hopefully, they can take the lessons from today into the next fixture, improve our discipline and enjoy a bit more of a flowing contest.
Due to commitments elsewhere, the coaches had to shoot straight off after the game, but there were some individual awards to recognise.
Hector was picked by the referee for GameDay MOM for his organisation and talk throughout the game.
George took Coaches MOM with a performance he needs to kick on from, following some excellent defensive hits and much-improved running.
Opposition MOM was Jack Jow, who gave us a real lift when he came on.
Well done Wyke. We look forward to the next opportunity to put things right.
UTB 💙💛