A difficult away trip to Chesterfield

Away v Chesterfield Panthers 2s

Pennant

Lost 39-17

Trys: Sanderson, Briggs-Price

Cons: Sanderson 2

Pens: Sanderson

A difficult away trip to Chesterfield wasn't the way to kick off our league season but the performance certainly was. With a bare 15 and no less than 8 players effectively playing out of position you could be forgiven for thinking we'd be in for a hiding but the score doesn’t reflect how close the game was or how well we played.

After letting in an early unconverted try almost straight from the kick off we knew we couldn't roll over and give the game to them so from the restart we went on the attack. Our pressure caused mistakes and got us a penalty and the accurate boot of Dougie Sanderson put us 5 yards out for a lineout. While the lineout didn't quite go to plan it did earn us another penalty and it was the quick thinking Dougie that took a quick tap to force his way over the line for a try he converted himself.

After letting in another unconverted try we got a penalty in kicking distance and Dougie slotted it through. This made the score 10-10 and we deserved to be in there. Our determination had more than made up for our lack depth in the squad. We continued to press and spent a lot of time in our opponent's half but with sadly little to show for it. It was Chesterfield that lead at half time with a couple of breakaway trys but we were still going for it after the break.

The second half continued as the first half finished. We had a lot of the ball but frustratingly couldn't convert it into points on the board. Chesterfield had some quick lads in the backs and they were the difference as they could break away from their own half to score.

That being said our heads didn't go down and always believed we could get more out the game. We continued to press and it was Zak Briggs-Price that got over the line for the try we deserved. This was after about 10 phases of hard work from the forwards who flogged their guts out all game. The faultless boot of Dougie put the extra points on the board as we pressed to the final whistle and were unlucky not to score with the last play of the game.

Names of note are the whole squad for traveling to Chesterfield and playing out of their skins (many playing on through the pain after picking up knocks) but man of the match goes to Dougie. 12 points and accurate kicking capping off a great performance.

Credit to Chesterfields patients as we had to postpone kick off due to our captains stupidity (he didn’t wear the dress though!!!) and they also lent us a playing in the second half due to injury. The ref pointed out at the end that had we brought more players and had players in positions we could have quite easily have won the game. Where is every one? The management are finding it difficult to fill 3 sides when we should be easily putting 4 sides out. Come on lads. Get your boots on and be part of a great team spirit. You’re a long timer retired.

The side. * denotes player out of position.

1 Rob Garland
2 Ben Davies*
3 Ben Wells
4 Martin Brown
5 Sam Booth
6 Adam Squires*
7 John Burton*
8 Trigger*
9 Craig Ellis*
10 Dougie Sanderson*
11 Ryan Pegg
12 Zak Briggs-Price*
13 Sam Hickery
14 Craig Fisher
15 John Cotter*