11 November 2024
TITLE: Fylde Schools Football Competition
DATE: Tuesday 5 November 2024
J3 + J4
On Tuesday 5 November the J3 and J4 Football team took part in the Fylde Schools Football Tournament at AKS. During the afternoon the team played 6 games, losing 2, winning 2 and drawing 2.
The first two games versus Heyhouses and Weeton were both narrow 1-0 defeats, with the second of the two looking like it could have gone either way. In the next two games, against St Thomas' and Ansdell, the team started to find a bit more flow in their attack, creating and finishing chances. The games finished 2-1 and 1-0 to Kirkham. The final two games of the tournament against St Peters and Freckleton, C of E, both ended in draws. The first was 1-1 and the second 0-0. Well done to all the boys who took part.
TITLE: Kirkham Grammar vs Methodist College Belfast
DATE: Friday 8th November 2024
1st XV (31-5)
Kirkham Grammar School claimed a decisive 31-5 victory over Methodist College Belfast at Pirrie Park. Methodist College opened the scoring early on after a powerful series of pick-and-go plays from their forward pack, asserting their dominance in possession and territory for the first twenty minutes. Kirkham gradually gained a foothold in the game, with scrum-half Iddon and fly-half Wilson kicking effectively to improve field position. Their persistence paid off when the forwards set up a maul from a tap penalty, allowing Sheldon to touch down for Kirkham’s first try. Just before halftime, Kirkham’s pack struck again from a well-executed catch-and-drive lineout, with hooker Littler grounding the ball, and Glue adding the conversion to give Kirkham a 12-5 lead at the break.
Kirkham carried their momentum into the second half, immediately putting Methody under pressure. Bray made strong carries, while backs Carter and Krippner showcased their agility. A meticulously executed lineout set-piece saw Carter cross the line for Kirkham’s third try. Causey added to the tally with another try, resulting from a sustained forward attack. Though Methody showed resilience in the final fifteen minutes, Kirkham’s defence held firm. In the closing stages, Carter’s grubber kick found Norman, who pounced on it to score Kirkham's fifth try. Captain Firth slotted two conversions in the half, securing a comprehensive 31-5 win for Kirkham.
TITLE: Kirkham Grammar vs Cheadle Hulme
DATE: Saturday 9th November 2024
U12 (40-15)
Kirkham U12’s hosted Cheadle Hulme in a thrilling home game that tested their resilience and teamwork. Despite a slow start, Kirkham quickly found themselves a try behind as Cheadle’s skilful team moved the ball well and capitalised on early gaps in defence. It was Will C who gave Kirkham their first breakthrough, seizing an opportunity to score in the corner and lift the team’s spirits. However, defensive lapses allowed Cheadle to score twice more before half-time, putting Kirkham under pressure. Some encouraging words during the break helped to refocus the team as they prepared for a challenging second half.
The turnaround was immediate, as Kirkham came out with renewed energy, supporting each other in attack and providing clean ball to their scrum half, allowing them to control play. Their defence tightened up significantly, with the boys tackling low and counter-rucking effectively to regain and maintain possession. This strong team effort led to an impressive set of tries from Fin S (2), Zac O (2), Harry P, Isaac A, and Noah T, taking the game away from Cheadle and securing a solid 40-15 victory. Special mentions go to Henry C, Archie A, and Austin D, who volunteered to represent the B team when they were short on players, showing true team spirit. Well done to all involved, and thank you to the parents and supporters who cheered the boys on!
U15 (43-26)
Off the back of a good win in the Lancashire Cup midweek, KGS travelled to Cheadle to play a side that had only lost once all year and had beaten them last year. Despite missing a few of their regulars, Kirkham came out of the blocks quickly, putting their hosts under a lot of pressure in defence. However CHS managed to cause some problems with ball in hand, whilst snuffing out the early attacking plays that Kirkham had. With 15 minutes on the clock, the mercurial Gillett, scored a well-worked try, with McKay slotting the conversion (7-0). The second quarter was completely dominated by the blue and whites as Wright, Burrows and a brace from Clarke, put Kirkham in a commanding 33-0 lead at half time. The changes were rung at half time and this seemed to unsettle the flow of KGS, with Cheadle finding some joy at the breakdown. This resulted in a well-deserved try for CHS (33-5) but some nice ball movement saw Paraskeva dive in the corner (38-5). The remainder of the half saw the hosts almost completely on the front foot scoring 2 converted tries with a try from Walls sandwiched between to see the game end 43-26 to Kirkham. Next week sees Kirkham travel to Lancaster RGS in the Regional Semi Final of the National Plate, where they will hope to reverse the defeat earlier in the season.
2nd XV (52-5)
Kirkham Grammar 2nd XV delivered a dominant performance, comfortably beating Cheadle Hulme 2nd XV with a resounding 52-5 scoreline. The home side displayed exceptional team play, clinical finishing, and strong individual performances across the park. The match began with a strong and determined start from both teams. Kirkham Grammar, playing with confidence from the outset, quickly asserted their dominance. The forwards won crucial set-piece ball, and the backs ran with great flair and precision. It didn’t take long for the first try to come. Wilson crossed the line for Kirkham after a powerful run, breaking through Cheadle Hulme’s defensive line. The conversion was missed, but Kirkham had an early lead.
Cheadle Hulme responded strongly with some solid carries from their forwards, but their attack was unable to break the well-organised Kirkham defence. Despite their best efforts, Cheadle Hulme struggled to create real opportunities, while Kirkham's relentless forward play and quick distribution from the backs continued to apply pressure. Kirkham’s second try came from a well-executed break by Cope, who showed great pace and power to power over the line. The conversion by Milligan was successful, putting Kirkham 12-0 ahead. The tries continued to flow for Kirkham. Wilson crossed for his second try of the match before Marsh added another following a well-timed offload. Cheadle Hulme, despite their strong efforts, found themselves under constant pressure from a determined Kirkham side. As the first half drew to a close, Kirkham added further tries from Scrase and Halliday, with Milligan converting all but one of the attempts. The half-time score saw Kirkham in a commanding position at 31-0. In the second half, Cheadle Hulme came out determined to put more pressure on their opponents. They managed to earn a well-deserved try midway through the half, finishing off a flowing move to breach Kirkham’s defence. However, the conversion was missed, and the score remained at 31-5. Kirkham responded immediately, continuing to dominate possession and territory. Scrase secured his second try of the match following another strong forward drive. Whalley rounded off the scoring with a well-worked try in the final stages, showing great support play to finish under the posts. Milligan added the extras, bringing the final score to 52-5.A special mention goes to Cope, who was a constant threat throughout the match with his powerful running and quick thinking. He was a key factor in Kirkham’s forward dominance, repeatedly breaking the gain line and setting up several attacks. Both Marsh and Scrase were also outstanding, with Marsh’s work rate in the tight exchanges and Scrase’s finishing prowess being key to Kirkham’s win.
3rd XV
Kirkham Grammar School’s 3rd XV delivered a dominant performance at home, securing a convincing 64-0 victory over Cheadle Hulme in what was an outstanding display of attacking rugby. The home side ran in a total of 10 tries, with fly-half Wilsden adding the finishing touches by converting 7 of them, ensuring a comprehensive win. From the very first whistle, Kirkham took control of the match, establishing their dominance in both possession and territory. Their forward pack set a solid foundation, with strong carries from the likes of Craven and Halliday, while the backs capitalized on the space created by quick ball. The opening try came from winger Grigg, who finished off a well-constructed team move after several phases of quick passing. The score settled the early nerves, and Kirkham's pace never dropped thereafter. Soon after, Musson was on the receiving end of a lovely offload from Craven, powering over for Kirkham's second try. With Wilsden converting both, the score was 14-0. It was clear that the home side’s attacking rhythm was in full flow, and they quickly added a third through Dawson-Gerrard, whose footwork in tight spaces saw him break through Cheadle Hulme’s defence. Whalley then extended the lead with a powerful run from the midfield, as Kirkham’s forwards continued to set the platform for their backs to unleash. The scoreline continued to rise as Musson bagged his second try of the match, and Craven crossed the line with an unstoppable surge. With Wilsden's boot in fine form, the score at half-time read 38-0. The second half was more of the same as Kirkham, despite making a number of substitutions, maintained their intensity and structure. Martins was the next to get his name on the scoresheet, capitalizing on a well-timed pass from Wilsden after a scrum close to the Cheadle Hulme line. The visitors struggled to get any foothold in the game as the Kirkham pack repeatedly won the collisions and the backs kept the pressure on with pace and precision. Halliday and Stott added to the try count, with both players finishing well after strong forward drives from the pack. Finally, Collinson rounded off a superb team performance with a try in the corner, showing his agility to evade the Cheadle Hulme defenders. Throughout the game, Wilsden was flawless with his kicking, converting 7 of the 10 tries, his precision ensuring that Kirkham finished the match with a 64-point haul.