Another win on the Road for the 2's

After last weeks triumphant trip to Garstang saw the mighty 2s on the road. Again visiting Lightfoot Lane to play Preston Grasshoppers erm the 6ths! Now after the victory over the 5ths a few weeks earlier, the Clitheroe boys expected a strong showing.
With the selectors having a few head scratching moments up until only an hour or so from kick off . 16 were found, cajoled and rounded up of varying sorts willing to pull on the shirt with pride and give it there all.
Right before kickoff history was made - with the skipper winning his very first coin toss! With the maroons shocked they lined up at the top end of the furthest away pitch to receive the kick.
From the get go the center pairing of Matt Mason and George Hamlet started running hard showing they had the legs and the power to stretch the aged opposition. Dan 'Smudge' Smith at 9 and Dave 'oddjob' Watson at 10 had plenty of experience to pull the strings and put big runners into play.
Not quite making the impact we would of hoped after some great link up play and beautiful offloads by a certain set of hoppers stalwart brothers it was the home team crashing the line to open the scoring no extras added.
The maroons pack fronted by the intelligence, the looks and the power of Andrew Thornber ,(what.....?Ed) Pete the wombat Mitchell and the ever youthful John pundy Proctor started to gain the upper hand at scrum time. Then after a little rejig round in the pack swapping the returning Sam and Richard Thornber’s at second row and flanker firmed up the scrum, allowing Sam to stretch his legs ball in hand. It was from one of these runs breaking the first, then the second tackle, with the pack working hard to secure the ball; Smith, with the long pass hit Mason on the burst. The young lad ran hard, beat another two and with a bullet of a pass hit Hamlet on the outside - who barely broke sweat to touchdown in the bottom left corner.
Wheeled out of retirement and in the unusual position of fullback Nathan Peel stepped up for kicking duties. But a bit rusty on his first attempt no extras added.
With the scores tied at 5-5 at the half wasn’t much to say in the huddle every man was doing his job tackles were made loose ball was cleaned up it was a case of same as you were be patient and strike when the opportunity arose.
The maroons started the second half as they ended the first with Craig Harrison in only his second ever game out on the wing keeping a well hit 50/22 kick in play, giving Mason yet another striking run cross field before being upended. A few more phases & the maroon pack sensing the hoppers team starting to tire, it was time for a substitution. Off went the skipper to make way for Nathan Peels friend , Callum 'the young Will Carling (and yes who knew Smee actually has any friends) to make his Clitheroe debut. The scrum didn’t falter.
Another great bit of play saw Mason again running hard. He found the the Wombat having a breather out on the far side, who found himself in an almost identical position to last week. No outrageous dummy this time as he opted for the tried and tested barrel his way through way. The winger Wombat now in space set off thundering down the line legs pumping the red white and blue scrum cap snuggly fitted on his head, but running out of air. The full back came looking in the ensuing ruck the other Mitchell brother the quiet mild mannered Matt was asked to leave the field along with one of the hoppers stalwarts for reasons only known to the ref but no card shown to any player - it shall remain a mystery.
With the skipper rested it was time for his reappearance, replacing Pund at tight head to see out the game. Adaptable Austin Wensley was now fulfilling his wish to be a fatboy joined the scrum at flanker and also became the jumper at the line out. It was from one of these line outs inside the 22 with the young Callum Carling and Mitchell Jones linked well , running some tight lines. The maroons lined up right Dan Smith picked and went blind, drew the man and popped to the loitering Wombat who, from that range, barrelled over for his second in as many weeks. Extras added.
Mason caught the restart and went again back inside the 22. Sam Thornber on hand with the clear out and Smudge with the little snipe saw him dart over the line.
With only 10 mins left on the clock the maroons tails were up pressing the line making ground with every carry. And after yet another run from Mason, Smith hit Hamlet with a quick ball who rounded two defenders to touch down under the posts where the ref deemed the drop kick conversion to not go over.
For the last few mins the maroons had to defend hard to keep out the last efforts of hoppers but at the whistle a 22-5 victory and bragging rights on beating Grasshoppers away twice in a season is not to be sniffed at.
For his outstanding running setting up 3 out of the four tries my man of the match is Matt Mason. It was an outstanding effort by every man who pulled on a shirt, and we look forward to a home game next week.

Report from KK
**pic: George Hamlet - two tries