Alton U9s triumph at Hampshire Festival!

Maybe the Alton U9s were inspired by the first bit of sunshine and warmth that anybody had felt for what seemed like years or maybe the boys were driven to bring back some silverware for their mummies on Mother's Day. It could also be that they had been coached extremely well and they are a cracking little team. Whatever it was, the Alton U9s did Alton RFC proud by winning the Plate at the Hampshire Festival 2010.

Their first match against New Milton was daunting. New Milton were physically much bigger, had just beaten equally big and strong Andover and had trounced Alton at their previous meeting. Alton U9s stepped up to face New Milton with far less trepidation than all their parents felt watching on the sidelines. The boys played an excellent, dogged and tough defence and held their own with a 0-0 draw. Alton drew again against equally impressive Andover, narrowly lost to Petersfield and then won comfortably against Gosport & Fareham to go through to the Plate.

Physically a relatively small side, the Alton U9s thought nothing of stopping any Boy Mountain opposition players in their tracks and their defence was solidly strong and intrepid throughout the day. As the U9s worked their way through the Quarter, Semi & eventually the Plate Final, their passing and therefore their attack visibly improved too and they saw their reward in the scores: 4-2 against Farnborough; 2-0 against Portsmouth and a very comfortable 4-0 win against Romsey in the Final.

Children, coaches & parents retired home content and even a little sunburnt (or was it windburn?)