Old Yardleians hosted a fantastic day using their recently improved facilities at their Tilehouse Lane ground for the Moss Goode Memorial 15 A Side Tournament. The sun was shining and the rugby played by local sides was of a high standard. With bonus points for the number of tries scored attacking rugby was the game to play. The first part of the competition saw two fiercely fought leagues produce some close matches. Eventually Old Yardleians, under new coach Bobo Robinson and Captain Steve Grainger emerged unbeaten winning League 1. Second were Ashby. In the other league another local club Silhillians were top, again unbeaten. Second were Kidderminster. There four clubs made up the semi finalists. First Old Yards played out an exciting 10-10 draw with Kidderminster. Even after extra time the two sides could not be separated. The match was then decided by a penalty shoot out using the front five in each team. Old Yards won this exciting shoot out thanks to kicks from Rich Withey, Luke Harris, Peter Butler and Michael Brennan. In the other semi final Silhillians drew 7-7 with Ashby but made it through to the final 3-2 in the penalty shoot out. The final was an exciting match where Silhillians built a 15-0 lead by half time. Old Yardleians dominated the second half but only managed one try for their efforts losing 15-7. Moss Goode’s Sister, Jane Don supported the event and presented the Moss Goode Memorial Tournament Shield to the winners Silhillians. In the Plate Competition Aston Old Edwardians beat Stourbridge Lions 3-0 in the final.
RESULTS:
League 1
Aston Old Eds 7 - 7 Ashby
Old Yardleians 14 - 0 Edwardians
Edwardians 0 - 28 Aston Old Eds
Old Yardleians 17 - 5 Ashby
Ashby 26 - 7 Edwardians
Aston Old Eds 0 - 6 Old Yardleians
League 2
Kidderminster 5 - 11 Silhillians
Stourbridge Lions 5 - 0 Solihull
Solihull 7 - 7 Kidderminster
Stourbridge Lions 0 - 15 Silhillians
Silhillians 13 - 0 Solihull
Kidderminster 12 - 7 Stourbridge Lions
SHIELD SEMI FINALS
Old Yardleians 10 – Kidderminster 10
(Old Yards won 4-3 on penalties)
Ashby 7 – 7 Silhillians
(Sils won 3-2 on pens)
SHIELD FINAL
Old Yardleians 7 – 15 Silhillians
PLATE SEMI FINALS
Aston Old Eds 21 – 0 Solihull
Edwardians 0 – 19 Stourbridge Lions
PLATE FINAL
Stourbridge Lions 0 – 3 Aston Old Eds
THANK YOU
We cannot let the day pass without thanking a number of club members who gave up their time free to support the event:
• Bill & Jan Collins – for organising and managing the car park all day
• Steve Sidwell, Tom Power and Steve Price - for barbequing 500 burgers
and 200 sausages as well as preparing the club in the morning
• Martin Cartwright - for chopping enough onions for 500 burgers and 200
sausages
• Brian Collingwood - for producing two excellent pitches
• Mike Hughes - who took a day of work on the Friday to do all the running
around required ahead of staging the event
• Chris Watts – providing extra help on the Barbeque
• Egg – covering the bar when the staff were late and helping set up
• Shannon Killarney – for providing us with a PA system
• Jackie Hughes for the flip chart and stand
• Gail Orton – for organising the layout and printing of the programmes
• The lads who got the changing rooms ready
• Tim who always helps
• Every club member who brought up a prize for the raffle
• Anyone else who did something to help who I have missed
• Finally, thank you to the Old Yardleians team for getting to the final
We have rebuilt this tournament into a local rugby event that we can be proud of. Many of this year’s competing clubs have already said they want to return next year. Let’s not drop our standards but further improve next years tournament. Why not 12 teams on 3 pitches? To do so we will need more volunteers to help!
Regards
Mark Baldwin
mark.xc@blueyonder.co.uk