Junior Colts

Sandbach 10 - Manchester 10 Sun 14 January 2001 Lancashire and Cheshire Junior Colts, League Division One With the welcome return of loose head prop Johnson, winger Klaver, and team coach Bird, the dressing room was back to the usual calm focus, for this first home league game of the season. A delayed start due to a frozen pitch did not help the teams preparation, but the game soon warmed up with the Manchester pack imposing themselves upon the reorganised Sandbach forwards and severely testing the Sandbach defence, only solid tackling from Sandbach backs Hughes, Morgan and Jerman kept us in the match, as it took a little while for tight head Johnson to overcome the attentions of the opposition loose head. As the Sandbach forwards established a platform to win some clean ball, the half backs were able to push Manchester back into their half and force them into making errors. Wing forward Cushnie caught the Manchester fullback in possession and from the resultant ruck scrum half Bird surged across the line for the first try, converted by Pickles. From the restart Sandbach forwards re-gathered the ball and again drove deep into Manchester's twenty-two, Manchester were penalised for handling in a ruck, Pickles stroked the difficult kick cleanly between the uprights to give Sandbach ten point lead that they took into half time. Clearly stung by the Sandbach performance, Manchester changed their tactics for the second half and reverted to an attritional ten man rugby style reminiscent of years past, however by adopting this style of play they were able to deny Sandbach the opportunity to develop possession through more that two or three phases, and in the frustration mistakes were made, Manchester capitalised and drove deep into the Sandbach half. After numerous repelled assaults on the Sandbach line they squeezed across for a converted try. Sandbach fought to restore their advantage with strong runs from Buckle and Klaver, later replaced by Massey, but without a steady supply of possession were unable to press these attacks home. With a speculative kick fumbled, Manchester were able to tie the game as Sandbach defence was penalised for an offside. Special note must go to Ricko for his tenacity in the mauls, Sam for stepping up to the second row to help the team out and Tongie for getting about the park to with such good effect. The team were really pleased to see club captain Dave Bailey and secretary Andy Maddock amongst the many spectators cheering them on. It does make a difference. Team:- Johnson K, Saywell, Johnson D, Hughes R, Howard, Cushnie, Pickles, Tonge, Bird, Hughes T, Klaver (Massey), Morgan, Jerman, Buckle, Rees. Report by Brian Meyrick