For various reasons I’ve not had time to do any match reports. It is actually something I enjoy doing and win or lose, I always try. Its Boxing Day morning and it is the first time I’ve had to do it, some things are definitely still raw.

One of the biggest lows I’ve ever had whilst been involved in rugby, both as a player and a coach was on the 21st of October when we were due to play Colne & Nelson. This was a big game in so many ways, but mostly because they like us, were looking to challenge for winning the league. That is what you want when playing sport surely, play against your rivals or the best at your level. Unfortunately, due to many injuries and unavailability we struggled to get a team together. Due to help from Colne and other players in the area, we finally managed to get the game on. the result was inevitable unfortunately, but this was all about just getting people out there playing rugby. The score was 59-0 to Colne, but as I say thanks to Colne and many other lads, we got to get a game of rugby played.

Next up two weeks later was Ellsmere Port at home. Coming into the game Ellsmere Port had some good and bad results, a big defeat at the hands of Colne and before that an impressive performance against Vagabonds where they won 22-19 at home. This day we had heavy rain, fierce winds and a team with a strong determination to perform. Kieran Blaydes had a great game and created one try by making space for Ellery Hodson to score under the posts.

Away trips are always special, coach, fancy dress after the game and all in the pub afterwards. This time we were on our way to Marple in Manchester, which was set to be another tough game. The first half was like watching us in training, everyone was in position, everyone knew where they had to be and everyone was working really hard. Gwil Jones was his usual dangerous self and looked to break the line at every opportunity, Rob Gatefield was making some powerful runs and Dion Matson twice went close to scoring his first try for us. 20 minutes had gone and we were totally dominating the game, but we were trying to force the ball when it didn’t need forcing. We got ourselves in some good positions by being really well organised, but then would lose the ball. On the 20 minute mark we started to change all that by starting to have composure in the last third of the pitch. After great build up play, Gwil Jones was put into space by Ellery Hodson and Gwil scored a well worked try. Minutes later Dion Matson was put into space by Kieran Blaydes with a well-timed pass and Dion raced in 10 metres to score his first ever try in adult rugby, the try was really well deserved and now im sure he will score a lot more with his pace and agility.

Just before half time Marple started to creep into the game as we again forgot how we play and started to get in a forward’s arm wrestle, something we do not want or need to do. This continued after the break as Marple again looked to suck us in to a slug fest. The penalty count started to also creep up as Marple started to look very dangerous from the lineout, constantly looking to catch and drive, this paid off after 55 minutes as they drove us back from 10 metres out, with the conversion successful the pressure was on with the score 12-7. We started to give away penalties and when we did get the ball again, we looked to be expansive when we did not need to. Our defence though was solid, and everyone was working really hard to keep them out, especially in the lineout which Marple seemed to constantly want to have. With 15 minutes to go we got a penalty 15 metres out in front of the posts, which Ellery Hodson slotted over to make it 15-7. Again, the saying of a game of two halves comes to mind, we looked really good in the first half and looked really organised, the second half Marple dominated as we gave away penalties that were self-inflicted and when we did get the ball, we tried to play too much. Our defence though and work rate doing it was at a high standard.

4 weeks without a game, could only train twice in that time due to frozen or waterlogged pitches and we could not get an artificial pitch to train on. One thing that is so frustrating In the Chorley area (and probably other areas) is how football dominates the hire of artificial pitches, we have so many in the area but its impossible to get any booked. Anyway, what happened against Birchfield at home was nothing to do with that, we had two Thursdays to train before the game, but numbers were really poor and it showed. I thought Colne and Nelson was the low, but this for me anyway was way below this. Birchfield deserved to win with a game plan that worked brilliantly, get the ball in their own half kick it out as far as possible, get it in our half try a drop goal or win a penalty. We had a game plan that wasn’t played to once other than for a few minutes in the second half, when we actually looked dangerous and organised. We constantly tried to play inside our own half, when we should be kicking, most of the time we tried to play up the middle with naïve offloads, big speculative passes or when we did get in good positions just wanted to smash into the forwards, when just one or two passes wide would have given overlaps and nearly definite try’s. Jonathan Ogay was making some strong runs and with 35 minutes gone, just as he looked to score under the posts, he was taken out with a clothesline tackle 6 metres out, he definitely would have scored, no doubt about it. You don’t want to see anyone sent off, definitely not but this was a red card and a penalty try, we unbelievably got neither. But this wasn’t the reason we lost, we had a game plan, and we didn’t go anywhere near it, Birchfield did and it worked perfectly.

Everything that needed to be said was said at half time and after the game.

So, we now look forward to 3 games against the top 3 in the league, I’ve absolutely no doubt we can beat all 3, but its down to us, down to preparation and as usual winning games on the training pitch.

It’s been a strange year with some great ups and many downs, but im positive we can get back to where we started this season, where we had some great performances against teams two leagues above us in the cup, but it’s in our hands.

Merry Christmas to you all and hope to see you all in the new year.

Craney