West leave it late to clinch victory over Holt

West Norfolk Rugby Club U14s 7, Holt 5 – FriendlyWest Norfolk showcased their power, patience and persistence in turning their dominance into celebration with a nail-biting triumph over Holt at Gatehouse Lane.Under the grey veil of a drizzly morning, West Norfolk began their relentless onslaught, creating a continuous challenge to a Holt team that displayed an unwavering resilience.The West Norfolk assault was unyielding, led by Jac Fox, Harry Hollands, Felix Slingsby and man of the match Jack Skinner, though each surge was staunchly rebuffed.The incessant attack of West Norfolk continued to ask questions of the Holt defence, with forwards and backs seeking any weakness from the defensive line. Holt showed none and held West Norfolk at bay with neither side breaking the deadlock at half time.The second half began as the first half had ended with the pitch seemingly tilted towards the Holt try line. West Norfolk continued their dynamic forward play, with Logan Barrett and Charlie Green probing in the centres, demanding constant responses across the breadth of the Holt defence.With little over five minutes of play remaining Holt seized upon a rare and unexpected opportunity to score and take a 0-5 lead.West Norfolk, undeterred, responded by moving the ball deep into Holt territory from the restart. In this moment the true measure of the team was shown; poise, power and accuracy displayed in abundance as an opportunity was created, with Samuel McKenzie making a beautiful outside break to finally breach the stubborn Holt defensive line and score in the right corner. Freddie Dickson lined up the conversion and calmly slotted the ball between the posts to give West Norfolk a 7-5 lead with three minutes remaining.Winning is not just about leading; it’s about lasting. West Norfolk repelled the inevitable rally from Holt and despite leading for only three minutes, closed out the game to seal a hard-earned victory.Assistant coach Anthony Bowen was pleased there was a bit of ‘the dog’ in West Norfolk – they were not going to take no for an answer.West Norfolk: Logan Barrett, Joseph Bowen, Anthony Collings, Oliver Cooper, Freddie Dickson, Tristan Farao, Jac Fox, Edward Frost, Charles Green, Jacob Hancock, Harry Hollands, Caidan Hopkins, Samuel McKenzie, Finley Mallett, Fletcher Milnes, Patrick Oughton-Tooke, Oscar Ratcliffe, Felix Slingsby, Thomas Soar, Oliver Stevenson.