Ormskirk 27 Chorley 31

Mick and Gwil seal Cup Classic

The Friday before the game one of the lads mentioned a film, one id not watched for a good few years. If you’ve not seen the film “Mike Bassett England manager”, make time to watch it, its probably the best football film ever, and yes, I do think its better than escape to victory.

Its basically everything you shouldn’t do to be a manager or coach, it so funny and Ricky Tomlinson is absolutely brilliant in it. As I watched it the morning of the game and especially his half time team talk against Mexico (its BRILLIANT!!!), it made me think, how does a message actually come across to a team or individual? Shout? Quiet? Say nothing? I suppose you just feel what it needs sometimes, you don’t always get it right, but sometimes you will, all I do know is, like most players they are always looking to improve and this is one part of coaching I am as well. Some may say “its only amateur” for me though that’s totally irrelevant, been an amateur club does not stop you having professional standards and wanting to improve, wanting to get the right message over. I’ve never understood that mentality of we just play for fun or to be social, for me I want to win, I want the team to be as best they can and feel that feeling of winning as much as possible, so me shouting when I should be quiet and not learning, could stop that. Scoring a try is one of the hardest things to do in a game, winning a game is even harder, but the more you do it the more you want it, whatever the level. Mike Bassett unfortunately didn’t feel that as much as many others, mind you, not many England managers have.

Ormskirk put the ball out straight from the kick off, but from the scrum we put ourselves under pressure straight away, within 3 phases we were 40 metres from our own line. Minutes later Ormskirk won a penalty and kicked 10 metres from our line and after they looked to go wide and then attack in the opposite direction, bad defence let them in to score to the left of the posts. With the comments of “we’ll smash these, we were two leagues above them last season” still ringing in my ears from behind me, Chris Highton made a break, quick ball came out to the left and Mick Richardson went in to score under the posts, 7-7. Ormskirk looked to go wide again with the fast backs they had and after trying to hit us to the left, the ball was span wide through hands and they scored in the corner, the kick was missed to make it 12-7. We hadn’t started well especially in defence in the backs, but as always with this team that never lasts long. As Ormskirk looked certain to score under the posts, Chris Highton somehow managed to tackle the centre. Two poor clearance kicks from us saw us under pressure 15 metres from our line. But our defence was kicking in now and they struggled to get forward. 10 metres from our own line we managed to turn over the ball and Ellery Hodson put in a great clearance kick to put us 10 meters from the half way line.

The law change of the high tackle is a grey area, and it’s a big change for both players and referees, the two penalties the referee gave in quick succession against us proved that both were on and below the sternum but both went against us. Minutes later we were applying pressure on the Ormskirk line, and good work from Hamish Rendall pushed us forward. We got a lineout 10 metres from the line but again our decision making let us down and we couldn’t find a way through. An interception was thankfully pulled back with a penalty to us and from a lineout Simon Frost smashed over to make 12-12, Ellery Hodson was so unlucky hitting the post with a great effort. Minutes after the kick off again we handed easy possession to Ormskirk by kicking across the field into the arms of the always counter attacking backs, thankfully great defence from Gwil Jones saved a certain try. After more sustained Ormskirk pressure Matt Lago won us a penalty and we managed to take the game back to the half way line. With the lineout not straight Ormskirk looked to penetrate again, but good defence from Stu Hammond, Mick Richardson and also Cal Gale especially who put in two massive hits, we managed to keep them out. But another penalty for a high tackle was given in front of the posts and Ormskirk made it 15-12. From the kick off Mick Richardson attacked the ball and we were in a great position 15 meters from the line, again though decision making let us down and after the ball was pushed left then right with no real purpose a kick was put in to the right but it was far too strong. Quickly though from the lineout we won the ball back and we looked to push into the left corner with Kieran Blaydes and Chris Highton combining. Quick ball back to the right saw Gwil Jones in space and he smashed over for a try, Ellery Hodson converted to make it 15-19, 1 minute later it was half-time.

2 minutes after the kick off Ormskirk scored under the posts, some bad defence were most of the team seemed to be fixed on the ball, Ormskirk ran it wide from their own 30 and scored under the posts. One thing you need to do as much as possible against a quick counter attacking team is kick the ball dead, twice we hadn’t and twice they’d scored, 22-19. We were now gaining momentum and were constantly forcing Ormskirk back, but good defence kept us out. Jake Peake almost made it through with a great kick, but just couldn’t get through. After a lineout was judged not straight Ormskirk attacked from the scrum and looked to go wide. 3 missed tackles and some quick pace and hands so them make it 27-19. From the kick off Mick Richardson went in for his second after a great run from 40 metres out, with the kick missed it was 27-24. The game now was end to end with both teams having a few minutes of pressure then the other, both though showed great defence and just couldn’t break through. Ormskirk looked to go over from a scrum but Captain Chris Highton put in a try saving tackle to keep them out. Andy Swales made a great run and from the ruck quick ball saw Cal Gale put in a great run but again good defence kept him out.

Doing things on the training ground and then seeing them work is so satisfying, especially when it’s the winning try, Dom Anderson fed the ball to Ellery Hodson, the ball was then spun wide and Gwil Jones went in for a well deserved second try, Ellery converted to make it 27-3. With 90 seconds left, we just kept the ball and slowed the game right down knowing that if the Ormskirk backs were given a chance we would be in trouble. As the final whistle went, I could have done a Mike Bassett dancing on the bar (please watch this film), a great win and the comments of two leagues below us still going round in my head. To be fair the group of lads behind me smiled and said we deserved it, they were right we did, the lads were great!

Some great performances saw us through with Captain Chris Highton constantly pushing forward and saving two certain tries, Gwil Jones constantly threatening to score every time he got the ball and made some crucial tackles. But the man of the match was Mick Richardson, Mick made some great powerful runs and constantly pushed the Ormskirk defence back, his defence was just as powerful and he put in some great tackles and his two tries were well deserved and the second just pure instinct.

This Saturday we paly Garstang in the quarter final, which again will be a big challenge with them a league above us.

Craney