Chorley V Vagabonds

To be the best you must learn to accept the worst.

The pitch wasn’t up to scratch, it was the referee, he was totally against us and he’s never liked us anyway! The match balls were not the standard that we are used to, someone has put something in our water bottles !!!. Excuses always come out in times when things are going wrong. I remember Euro 2004 when Denmark drew 1-1 with a great Italian team, an Italian player, Panucci, in an interview after the game said, “the thread that the Italian socks were made with was too rough”, imagine the embarrassment to the team by saying that. Then a few years before that, in 1996 Alex Ferguson famously said the grey shirts his team were wearing were making it hard for his players to see each other in the sun. Sometimes you must face it, you were bad, crap (my lap-top is telling me the word “crap” could be offensive to my readers, im actually offended my lap-top is telling me that) rubbish, or had a massive off day.

We have played well this season, even against Garstang we were good and could have won it if we had taken chances, wigan were just better than us, but we were like lions and gave everything, we still caused them issues and had times in the game when we looked really good and very organised.

Yesterday though, we were awful. In the first half I can’t think of anything apart from an Ellery Hodson exit kick and one from Chris Highton that went well. We entered the Vagabonds half twice in the first half, the first time we spread the ball wide but it was badly handled out wide and the attack was halted. The first half though brought injuries and a player who was late due to work issues which is nobody’s fault, it happens. Our No 10, Ellery Hodson who has been instrumental in our good performances, had to come off with a back injury 15 minutes into the game, inside centre, Sam Hodkin then went into fly-half but was knocked clean out 20 minutes after that, we then had our No8, Michael Jessiman at 10, our winger at centre and didn’t have any substitutes left. Just before half time, Matt Lago had to come off with a knee injury so we were now a man short. We were getting pushed back in the scrum, we were dropping simple passes, we were getting penalised for apparent high tackles and even when things were going right, like the lineouts we were mishandling in the air or throwing them away from the scrum-half. The first half couldn’t end soon enough, we needed to desperately re-group. But we had actually defended well in parts, though even some of that was woeful they had been constantly in our 22 but could only come away with a 10-0 lead and considering how much possession Vagabonds had had, it was a big positive. Prop Joe Laddle had to come off with a shoulder injury which would even further affect the scrum.

The feeling was better though as we lined up ready to start the second half, I honestly thought we would win this game despite the injuries, but just a couple of minutes into the second half, Vagabonds made it 0-17. Vagabonds were destroying us in the scrum and we constantly went back, but the experience and know-how of Chris Highton made sure we kept the ball at least on half of those occasions. With another rare visit into Vagabond territory, we had go forward with Chris Highton organising and from 5 metres out Dom Roberts powered over to score a well-deserved try. With our goal kicker and reserve goal kicker now off injured, Dan Cronkien stepped up but the conversion hit the post, great effort stepping up to attempt it though.

4 minutes later Vagabonds crossed again another 20 minutes later we were 32-5 down and down to 14 players with no substitutes. Mick Richardson made one of his powerful runs beating two defenders to score just to the right of the posts, but the game was long gone and the final score was 10-32.

None of it though was due to lack of effort, Sean Livingstone, Matt Lago, Ellery Hodson, Joe Laddle and Sam Hodkin all having to come off with injuries. No excuses though, we were pretty bad, everything that could go wrong did go wrong and Vagabonds were just better than us on the day and they wanted it more than us. I take a lot of that blame though, not just the team, thinking about it now, I could have done a few things differently that could of maybe helped them.

We still had some good performances though, Jonathan Ogay had a great debut and was constantly working hard in defence and trying as much as possible to help the forwards, Dom Roberts gave everything he had and definitely deserved his try. Captain Chris Highton did all he could to keep us going forward and also positive.

Players and supporters man of the match though was Dion Matson, he saved at least 3 certain try’s, was constantly looking to get in field and be an option, made a couple of good runs and secured the ball on so many occasions where he was so aggressive, he has made such a big impact on the team.

In life and at every level of any sport, you have bad days, it’s now how we react, we are a good team, with good players and a great team spirit. We have good leaders in the team who will push us forward.im absolutely sure this will make us even more determined and focused; I know these lads and they will react in the most positive way possible.

Before I finish, I need to mention one player and I know he will probably be embarrassed by this. It’s not just to do with todays game but in every training session, every warm-up and especially in every single game he’s played since I’ve been here. Michael Jessiman (Jess) is an absolute warrior. When you hear people say about others “oh he’s one you’d have in the trenches with ya”, well Jess is that and more. He is constantly encouraging the team to be positive, constantly encouraging the team and also me in the things he’s said to me. At times he can hardly move his shoulder but he refuses to come off, he struggles to lift it anywhere near his chest but he still makes tackles and runs the ball in like his life depends on it. When I do actually manage to get him off with injury, he either will be mad at me or want to go straight back on, or usually both. He sometimes can hardly move or talk because of the pain he is in, but he refuses to show it and will not in any way give in to it. He is an absolute gladiator of a man, a warrior and unbelievably fearless. A coach, Dave Doran once said to me “you know your problem Craney eh, you have no self-preservation”, well if Dave had met Jess, I honestly don’t know what he would say to describe him because their isn’t enough and to top all that he is a genuine nice man and someone im proud to know even just a little bit.

Craney