YOUTH is blossoming at St Neots who won again at the weekend to move into third in the Midlands East South table ahead of Oundle and behind Brackley and St Ives.

There was one 17-year-old and three 18-year-olds in the team that beat Aylestone Athletic 54-5 at The Common on Saturday – with the captain Rhod Howcroft saying the side played “some outstanding rugby” in a game that was cut short by a late injury.

“It’s always nice to get a big win,” he told The Hunts Post, adding: “And it came against a side that has had some good results this season.”

Jordan Rook was the 17-year-old and he kept his place among the forwards in a team that is playing to its strengths these days. Coach Mick Cleary said: “Our forwards are making ground with some strong phases of play. The backs are running at pace and are making good decisions, creating overlaps and finding gaps.”

Indeed, against Aylestone, Saints got going quickly with Lewis Hall scoring a try from a text-book catch and drive, before adding a second soon after.

Fly half Dan Glover then got the backs involved in a wonderful move that ended with Howcroft scoring try number three. Joe Woodgate was instrumental in the making of number four for hooker Phil Sandling.

Dan Glover ran 50 metres for number six and substitute Luke Warburton also create his own try to highlight that there is still a place for individualism in this hard-working team. Not to be outdone, Woodgate saw his chance too and run 40 yards to score under the posts.

Aylestone couldn’t cope and Warburton got another try before outside centre Rob Turner got the final two tries with powerful and determined runs.

And that was where it ended, with 10 minutes still on the clock, when Aylestone’s Matt Allen went down with what was described by the Leicester club as a serious injury.

“We played some outstanding, team orientated rugby,” said Howcroft. “I thought our back line was particularly effective, which is what the forwards want to see as a result of their hard work.”

St Neots are at home to Oundle on Saturday.

Results (February 9): Bourne 9-15 Thorney, Brackley H-W Stamford College Old Boys, St Neots 54-5 Aylestone Athletic, Wellingborough OG 3-78 Oundle

Fixtures (February 16): Bedford Swifts v Corby, Bourne v Wellingborough OG, Brackley v Aylestone Athletic, St Ives v Westwood, St Neots v Oundle, Thorney v Stamford College Old Boys.