Bowdon Under 8 Squad Win Cheshire Cup (From Messenger Newspapers)

Bowdon Under 8 Squad Win Cheshire Cup

1:01pm Friday 1st June 2012 in Sport

AT the prestigious Cheshire Festival competition at Macclesfield RUFC, a dismal spring day turned out to be an historic one for Bowdon Rugby Club’s Under 8 squad, which consisted of the Rangers, Unicorns and Griffins teams.

Thirty-two teams competed in the annual festival on April 24, which is seen as the Blue Riband event for mini and junior rugby in Cheshire, with the competing teams coming from all over the county to try and hold aloft the Cheshire Cup, the most coveted of prizes.

The squad, which consisted of 33 boys, were drawn against various opponents in the first round including local derby rivals Kersal, Lymm and Helsby.

The Ranger and the Unicorns teams both won their respective groups to progress to the quarter finals of the cup, whilst the Griffins, who were beaten only once in the group stages by a very strong Caldy team, went into the plate. There they faced Parksonians 1 and were extremely unlucky to lose 5:3.

In the quarter finals the Unicorns faced a competitive Wilmslow team and, after playing extra time, the game was decided under competition rules via a coin toss. The winning result meant they faced Winnington Park in the semi-finals.

Having beaten last year’s winners, Wirral, in the quarter final, the Rangers faced the favourites Caldy, who had beaten the Griffins team. At one point, the Rangers were 3: 1 down. However the children dug deep and, following a mighty come back, went on to win 4:3, thus securing their place in the final.

The Unicorns’ semi was played upon the adjacent pitch and, following their victory, the Rangers players went over to support their team mates in what turned out to be a nail biting 4:3 win to Bowdon.

With two Bowdon teams in the final the result was academic, so with the agreement of Macclesfield RUFC, who had organised a great event in very difficult conditions, the Cheshire Cup was shared between the Rangers and the Unicorns, and thereby the entire Bowdon Under 8 squad.