Bishop Auckland U12’s hosted the County Durham Festival today and, although the results did not go our way, there was still plenty to be proud of in the effort, attitude and improvement the boys showed across the day.

Our opening game against Darlington ended in defeat, and at times we looked a little short of confidence. The boys were disappointed, but they kept going and never let their heads drop.

The second match against West Hartlepool brought a much stronger performance. Although we again finished on the wrong side of the result, there was a clear step forward in confidence, commitment and willingness to compete. The boys showed more belief in themselves and gave a much better account of what they are capable of.

That progress continued in the final game against Durham City. Once again the result did not fall our way, but the team showed more confidence, more intent and more improvement as the day went on. Leon and Morgan both got on the scoresheet, which was a deserved reward for the attacking effort and persistence the boys showed.

There was lots of effort on show throughout the festival, and while the players were understandably gutted by the losses, they should be proud of the way they kept working, responding and improving from one game to the next. The parents too had every reason to be proud of the boys’ attitude, resilience and determination across the day.

Days like this are not only about results. They are also about learning, developing and showing character, and there were definitely positives for the team to take away. The boys grew into the festival, stuck together and showed signs of progress as it went on.

A big thank you to Guisborough, West Hartlepool, Darlington and Durham City for attending and helping make the festival a good day of grassroots rugby.

Overall, while the scoreboard was not what the boys wanted, there was plenty of heart on show and plenty to build on moving forward.