Market Harborough Destroyers were creditable runners-up in their Pool of 5 teams in the Saints Under 10's Festival held on Saturday on the training pitches of the Northampton Saints, just behind the Franklin Gardens stadium. Only the winning team from each of the four Pools proceeded to the semi-finals.

After a slow start to the first match against the eventual Pool winners from Banbury, the Destroyers improved half by half; game by game and were unlucky only to record three further draws... last minute scores against them undoing their efforts on more than one occasion.

A 2-2 draw against Ely with tries from James Garner and Matt Hodgson was followed by a 1-1 draw with Towcestrians, with another try coming from Matt Hodgson. The final game was a cracking affair and despite leading at half-time after a Joe Tremlett try and being in the ascendancy, a 1-1 draw was the final outcome.

Outstanding rucking, mauling and tackling was evident throughout and the attacking play and off-loading improved dramatically as the morning progressed. All of the following players represented the Destroyers with considerable skill and much effort - James Garner, Chris Branch, George Cade, J-J Andrews, Joseph Gorry, Matti Hodgson, Jimbo Martin, Joe Tremlett, Jonny Whelan, Tyler Ford and Toby Ingram.

Thanks to James Tremlett for the match report