D’oh! Stupid set pieces!

In contrast to the previous week the sun was shining and all was good in the world. Due to having a thoroughly thirst quenching social engagement on Saturday night (Mmmmm.......beeer!) I had arranged for Minty to pick me up for the pleasant country tootle to Crewe & Nantwich. Despite having 5 players unavailable or on the treatment table we still had enough to field a team and so we enjoyed a light hearted chat as the sun drenched the dewy countryside. It was only 5 miles away from C&N that it suddenly occurred to me that we fitted all of the gear into the back of Minty’s car very easily and with the size of the bag the match shirts are kept in something just wasn’t right..........D’oh! Stupid match shirts!

It was clear that the rugby gods were against us when we did a phone round for people we thought might have set off late and even Greggo was on time! Luckily Hayesie and Hayesie Senior had stopped off to enjoy the delights of a McDonalds brekky and were not too far from home and were able to get the shirts there just before KO. Thanks Mart.

In the meantime, one of our scrum halves arrived with a dodgy shoulder and so was unable to play leaving us a total of 6 down on the day. And so the morning continued when just after KO C&N’s No8 picked up and ran one in from the back of a scrum. Shortly afterwards, from another set piece he did the same with the Wirral players unable to stop his powerful run once he’d got up a bit of speed.

Wirral, having learned from previous occasions, kept their composure and played rugby. Despite suffering their own handling issues, Wirral kept pressure on C&N forcing errors allowing Wirral to go through the phases making the space for Will to make a break and out-pace his man to score. Minutes later, after putting together phase after phase once again Wirral made space for Jamie to put the jet-skates on and run one in under the posts, converted by Will. Woo Hoo!

In open play Wirral generally had the ascendency but C&N knew where their strengths lay and kicked for touch on a number of occasions. They were able to dominate a 5m line out from such a kick and their second row dived over to score. In return Wirral took the lick and were able to put on enough pressure to create a turnover and the ball went loose from and well contested ruck for Will to scoop it up and run in what turned out to be Wirral’s final try. Ay Carumba!
For a period of time it felt as though Wirral were going to make a comeback but the decisions didn’t go their way and C&N kicked a penalty and during the last play of the game Wirral kicked away possession allowing C&N’s full back to run one in and convert. D’oh!

Upon discussing the game with my fellow Coacherinos the consensus was that we did okey-diddley-dokey but the oppo were stronger in the tackle and dominated the set-pieces. Having only played them once before we were unsure what to expect but will know for next time. Not our finest hour but not our worst either.

So now we’re in the plate.......in the words of Montgomery Burns......Release the Hounds!