Ashton Bears Under 18's...

Ashton Bears Under 18's currently compete in Division One of the North West Counties under 18's league. Coached by Bill Ball, their usual kick-off time is 11.45am on a Sunday.

Season 2008-09

2008-09 Final League Table

Available Match Reports:

Ashton Bears 18-10 Oldham St Annes

[Sunday 29th March 2009]
 
 
 Ashton Bears played Oldham St Annes and won a bruising encounter 18 - 10. The visitors were first to score, before Danny Burgan collected his own short kick to score in the corner. Scrum half Kieran Jones was next to score, when a huge up and under was missed by the fullback and bounced kindly for the chasing Jones, to make the half time score 12 - 4 .

   Ashton were again playing with no substitutes, and it was this (there were at least 3 Ashton players carrying injuries and would have been taken off if possible) coupled with the heat that was starting to take its toll on a very tired team. The Bears defended valiantly but it was inevitable that the Oldham team would score eventually and this they did to make the score 12 -10. A tense few minutes followed before another huge kick from Andy Ball was plucked from the air by Nick Hollis to wrap things up.

   The final score 18 - 10 with Ashton’s best players being Burgan, Ball, Danny Oswald and Jones.
   Although the curtain may have fallen on the junior career of this team, the future of the open age team looks rosy indeed as many of the players will be making the leap next season.

Wigan St Jude’s 16-30 Ashton Bears

[Friday 22nd March 2009]

The Bears had a change of day for this weeks match, when they visited the floodlit St Jude’s on a Friday evening and won a tough encounter 16 30 . Ashton were without two influential players and once again started the game with only 13 players but it was still Ashton who managed to put all the pressure on the hosts but to Jude’s credit it took 25 minutes and a piece of individual brilliance from Michael Burns to break the deadlock, when he took the ball from the scrum to race from half way and pass to the supporting Andy Ball to score, Jude’s then scored almost immediately to make the half time score 8-6.

  The second half started with Danny Oswald forcing himself over with sheer determination through three tacklers. Man of the match Burns was then on hand to score his second with another solo run. Ball then scored his second with an opportunist chip over the top and rather lucky bounce. Oswald finished off the scoring with his second before Jude’s had the last say with a try of their own to make the final score 16 30. All five tries were expertly converted by Danny Carter (two from the touchline)
  Ashton’s best players were Burns, Oswald and Ball.

Ashton Bears 36-0 Folly Lane

[Sunday 8th March 2009]
 
Ashton Bears weathered the pre match blizzard conditions to record a convincing 36 - 0 victory against Folly Lane .  Both teams started the game with a bare 13 players and it was the away team who were soon down to 12 with a bad injury to the prop forward.  It wasn’t long after that Ashton were also reduced to 12 men when Prop Andrew Maunder was sent off, for a piece of petulant foul play.

  After tremendous pressure on the Folly Lane line and several near misses, winger Nick Hollas scored under the posts, pouncing on a dropped ball. Liam Taylor was next to score out wide with a well taken try, before Danny Oswald finished off a fine break by Robert Clark to make the half time score 16 - 0.

  The second half continued in much the same way, as Hollas scored his second from a clever blindside scoot and offload from Danny Burgan. Chris Fleming was next to score, stepping easily around his would be tackler.  Michael Burns then scythed through some very tired tackling, to score the best try of the game from 50 yards out. Straight from the resultant kick off Burgan kicked over for Oswald to claim his second. It was becoming alarmingly easy for the Bears to score and the referee decided to put an end to proceedings with 15 minutes left on the clock, to spare the away teams blushes.
  In a scrappy game spoiled somewhat by the heavy conditions Ashton were happy to take the four points on offer and the best players for the Bears were Clark, Hollas, Ball and Oswald.

Wigan St Judes 18-46 Ashton Bears

[Sunday 1st March 2009]
 
 Ashton Bears under 18`s stop start season got on track on Sunday with a commanding victory at old rivals Wigan St Jude’s.  What followed was the Bears best performance of the season as they took advantage of the fast dry pitch to score 8 tries.
 Nathan Davies opened the scoring from an Andy Ball kick, followed by a brace with two typical barnstorming runs.  Jude’s scored twice to make the half time score 8 - 16, in a pretty even opening 40 minutes.

 The second half saw the Bears step up a gear as  a great hit from Danny Oswald saw the Jude’s player lose the ball and Andrew Maunder score through a huge gap in the defence . Stand off Ball then scored when a similar gap opened for him to score the first of his two. Winger Chris Fleming was next to score as he went over in the corner and cheekily carried on running, unopposed under the sticks. The next try came from Danny Oswald before Andy Ball rounded off proceedings with a fine team try.  Six of the tries were converted by Danny Carter, one a fine touchline effort , and one by Ball.

 Ashton’s best players were Burgan who ran all day, Oswald, who put in big hit after big hit and Ball, who orchestrated everything.  On this form Ashton must be confident for what remains of the season.

Thatto Heath 36-0 Ashton Bears

[Sunday 11th January 2009]

    Ashton Bears U18`s played the first game in two months and my couldn’t you tell. The long lay off took its toll and they were soundly beaten by a very competent Thatto Heath side. The final score line was 36 - 0 and in all honestly could have been even more if it were not for the indiscipline of the St Helens side , who had two players sent off and one sin binned. Ashton also having two players sent to the bin in what was sometimes a scrappy and bad tempered game. This performance was probably the worst performance of this and any other season, as the players showed a distinct lack of enthusiasm.

   The Bears tackling was nothing short of woeful at times as Thatto Heath ran in six unanswered tries with embarrassing ease, all of them under or near the posts to make the conversions a matter of course. The only positive rugby that Ashton produced was a great ball to put centre Liam Taylor through the gap for a 20 yard break, this summed up the Bears day when they knocked on on the very next play.
  An afternoon Ashton will want to forget; hopefully this will act as a wake up call to the players who think that in the modern game of rugby league you can just turn up and play on match days with no prior preparation.

  The only player to emerge with any real credit was scrum half Kieran Jones, who ironically enjoyed his best game in an Ashton shirt, everyone else was out muscled, out thought and ultimately out played

Langworthy Reds 10-26 Ashton Bears

[2nd November 2008]

The Bears got back to winning ways with a 10-26 victory at Langworthy Reds . Early Ashton pressure led to nothing when a neat kick provided the opening score from the Langworthy winger . This seemed to spur the Ashton team into action, as from then onwards they dominated their opposition . Ashton's first score coming from Michael Burns when a switch in play created the opening for him to score . A great tackle from Andrew Maunder and Nathan Davies carried the Langworthy player back over his own line to force the dropout , caught by Danny Carter to force his way over the line through several would be tacklers . Danny Burgan was next to score, after an audacious ball steal and gallop to the line, making the half time score 6-14 in the Bears favour .

       The second half was a scrappy one with mistakes and penalties spoiling it somewhat ,that said Ashton managed two further scores .The first one from Ben Robinson ,showing tremendous strength to shrug off a tackler to score . Ashton's last points where created from a Liam Taylor break who passed to the supporting Nick Halas who then kicked on to touch down . Danny carter converting three tries . Langworthy had the final say when a mistake from the kick off led to a try to make the final score 10-26.
      Ashton's best players were Burns, Burgan, Davies, and Robert Clark.

Folly Lane 20-42 Ashton Bears

[12th October 2008]

Despite being well into October, Ashton U18`s played only their second match of the season and ran out comfortable 42-20 winners away at Folly Lane.  Ashton had only 13 players but were still far too strong for a plucky Folly Lane side. The impressive Andrew Ball opened the scoring, diving over from acting half back. Followed by Michael Burns scything through several would be tacklers to touch down. Ashton’s next score was created by Danny Oswald off-loading from the tackle to put Ross Lloyd over in the corner.  Folly Lane  then scored two converted tries to level the scores before Ben Robinson scored the last try of the half to make the interval score 18 - 12 .

    The second half started promising for the Bears when a great Andy Ball cut out pass found Nathan Davies with only one man to beat to score. Poor defence and two quick penalties’ then gifted the Swinton team their final points before Oswald punished a knock on straight from the kick off to score.  A great run from Michael Burns then carved open the Folly Lane defence to score. A neat kick from the scrum, again from Ball, created a chance for Nathan Davies to get his second to make the final score 42 - 20. Five of the eight Ashton tries were converted by Danny Carter.

  This was a somewhat hard fought win with the Bears playmakers proving the difference between the sides. It was only midway through the second half, when Ashton’s front row started to get more involved that they started to ease away. Ashton’s best players were Ball, Oswald, Davies and Burns.

Past Season Match Reports

Widnes West Bank vs Ashton Bears

[Bears secure promotion as Champions]

New Springs vs Ashton Bears

Ashton Bears vs West Bank

[Lancashire Cup Final]

Ashton Bears vs New Springs

Ashton Bears vs Shevington Sharks

Oldham St Anne's vs Ashton Bears

Pilks vs Ashton Bears

Hindley vs Ashton Bears  

(Lancashire Cup Semi-Final)

Oldham St Annes vs Ashton Bears  

(Lancashire Cup Quarter-Final)

Ashton Bears vs Hindley

Chorley Panthers vs Ashton Bears

Hindley vs Ashton Bears

Ashton Bears vs Widnes West Bank

Ashton Bears vs Oldham St Annes

Saddleworth Rangers 0-36 Ashton Bears

Woolston vs Ashton Bears