December was not a particularly good month for us. We were due to play Penrith at home on 6th December and then away on 20th December. Neither game took place. Penrith cried off the first game as they were unable to get a team together. Under the league rules, this meant that the game fixed for 20th December would now be played at Wirral rather than at Penrith. Once again Penrith were struggling to get a side together but, on this occasion, they were saved by the weather as the pitches were unplayable. The game has now been rearranged for 24th January. The only league game that we were able to play was away at Stockport on 13th December. Unfortunately it was now our turn to struggle to get a side together. Four of our key players had been selected to play for Cheshire U20’s and a host of other players were unavailable due to illness or injury. On the morning of the game we found that we only had thirteen players. Nevertheless we were determined to fulfil the fixture. The league rules stipulated that Stockport could only play with fourteen players on the pitch at any time but they had the benefit of a full bench of substitutes and were therefore able to constantly rotate their players. Not surprisingly therefore they ran out easy winners 67 – 12. At no stage, however, did our lads give up and they can take great credit for fulfilling the fixture.
The only other game that we were able to play was against Northwich on 27th December for the “Fireman Fred” trophy. The game was played in appalling conditions but we ran out winners 17 – 0 to retain the trophy for another year. Unfortunately, however, the trophy does appear to have disappeared from the clubhouse. Sadly certain members of our bar staff appear to have taken a dislike to Fireman Fred and assisted the Northwich players in kidnapping him by opening the back door to the club. It does therefore appear that the foreboding figure of Fireman Fred will now rest at Northwich until next Christmas – unless anyone fancies a trip to Northwich to get him back!
I referred above to the Cheshire U20’s squad. The U20 County Championship starts later this month and four of our players (Joe Murray, Jack Quinn, Tom Bills and Sam Edgar) are currently in the training squad. Unfortunately this does mean that we may have a rather depleted squad for our remaining fixtures but the fact that they made the squad is a credit to them and the club and hopefully they will all make the final team.

Graeme Roberts
Colts Manager