The Army SRFU U20 Sponsors County Championship Middlesex U20  23   Sussex U20   8 h/t 10-3

Sussex U20 Team 1 Lewis Gleave 2 Jack Arden-Brown 3 Tom Watkins 4 Matt Hyde 5 Sam Pitchford 6 Andy Gray (Capt) 7 Jake Joyce 8. Tom Lowe 9 Dave Winsor 10 Alex Marsh 11 Toby Golds 12 Ben Robson 13 Sam Renwick 14 Kristian Jayne 15 Jamie Smith Reps Aiden Mahoney, Adam Salvage, Tom Tudor, Fraser Rogers, Alex Figg, Rob Perry .

 
Sussex Under 20s Go Close but ultimately loose out.

Sussex U20 kicked off their county championship campaign with a long away trip to Edmonton in north London to take on the traditionally strong Middlesex. The Old Tottonian pitch was in reasonable condition considering recent weather but had a significant slope which Sussex played with in the first half.

As almost a replica of the Hants warm up match the Blue and Whites started hesitantly and where 3-0 down very early on. However they responded much earlier than the previous game and following a poor opening ten mins they started the win some clean ruck ball with Winsor bossing the pack and moving the ball well. The front row scrummage was solid with Gleave in particular giving no quarter to his opposite number the big Middlesex captain. Gleave and Joyce where particularly effective at the tackle area giving the away side a decent platform; however within the first twenty and Sussex had already made two injury replacements in the forwards – Arden-Brown and Lowe off Salvage and Tudor on which disrupted thins for a while.

The blues however were guilty of perhaps not playing the slope as well as they could have with some inaccurate kicks giving the talented Middlesex fullback time to counter attack well; indeed he caused the Blues quite a few problems with his evasive running and some poor first up tackles. Sussex having now dominated possession for twenty minutes had nothing to show for it and the black and white forwards responded working a strong field position they managed to snaffle a blue lineout with a series of drives the home side scored with the conversion giving a 10-0 lead. The Blues responded with Renwick showing his class hitting couple of great lines and Robson carrying the ball up hard. Joyce constantly got to the breakdown first and on the stroke of half time forced a penalty which Marsh slotted over to go in 10-3 down at half time.

Plenty of possession but perhaps not clinical enough and now a tough ask playing up a significant slope ; but the away side started very strongly, the lineout was starting to come together with Pitchford and Tudor getting up high and the backs really looking to move the ball around, Renwick ghosted away quick hands and Golds had several telling runs ; Smith at fullback also got in on the act with some deft footwork he beat one then two a nicely timed pass and Golds went over wide out. The conversion missed but now the game was on 10-8. Soon after and the Blues were on top again forcing and eminently kickable penalty ; Smith mistimed his strike and the chance to go ahead slipped away. Sussex were now playing with attacking flair with Perry on at flyhalf really taking the game to Middlesex ; once again the forwards got quick ball and the backs were away Renwick seared through Joyces quick pass and Gold’s was over in the corner elation turned to disappointment as the referee (who had a sound match) from a long way back called a forward pass.  The Black and Whites responded to gain good field position with there big prop carrying powerfully and there replacement winger really stretching the defence a penalty awarded compounded by the loss of Sussex’s muscular skipper Gray to a hamstring injury 13-8 down. Again the blues rallied with some great interpassing and yet again Sussex flanker Joyce was away closing on the try line; to give the home side there due the defence scrambled to get across just to force his pass to go to ground with the try looking likely. With ten to go and Sussex felt pretty gutted not to have got their noses in front but Middlesex now showed a clinical edge with a sweetly struck drop goal to stretch out to an 8 point lead 16-8.

With a last throw of the dice again Sussex moved the ball but just ran out of support within five metres of the home side line as is often the way  against the run of play Middlesex intercepted and ran virtually the length of the field to put a distinctly lope sided score line 23-8.

Both teams had there moments with Middlesex taking there chances well but Sussex certainly could have won showing a good step up from the previous week. Neil McGovern said "there were some very positive aspects to the match but ultimately we didn’t get the win and must learn from our mistakes; but if we keep moving the ball around the results will come."

Next week Sussex U20 are away to Hertfordshire U20 : Squad to be announced on Wednesday 10th.


Team
1 Lewis Gleave 2 Jack Arden-Brown 3 Tom Watkins 4 Matt Hyde 5 Sam Pitchford 6 Andy Gray – Capt 7 Jake Joyce 8. Tom Lowe 9 Dave Winsor 10 Alex Marsh 11 Toby Golds 12 Ben Robson 13 Sam Renwick 14 Kristian Jayne 15 Jamie Smith – Reps Aiden Mahoney Adam Salvage Tom Tudor Fraser Rogers Alex Figg Rob Perry .