Heartbreak Hotel

There was all to play for last Saturday at Silcock Park; 1st against 2nd in the league, plus the home team on a 7 game unbeaten run.
Ashton under Lyne, the visitors, traveled up the M66 to try and gatecrash the party.

Everything was in order. The weather god’s had played their past supplying some decent conditions – almost spring like – on Remembrance weekend. The pitch was perfect and the crowd in great spirits.

Clitheroe were without a few regular squad members for this most important game of the season, so far. They still had, however, a good selection available for Coach Walton to pick from.

From time immemorial [at least since your correspondent started playing], Ashton had fielded some bulky teams. They seem to grow ‘em big in Thameside. This season’s vintage was no exception. Except now, as is seemingly more and more common in modern rugby football, the backs are almost as hefty as the forwards.
Gone are the days when lily livered weaklings could hide out on the wing, or the overweight porker could wheeze around the pitch with his mates in the pack, without actually doing very much.
No Sir!
These days all players have to be super fit athletes and are able to seamlessly transpose themselves into forwards, or backs at the proverbial drop of the chapeau.
Progress? Well possibly. And for the better? Probably. Especially the way the laws of the game game are structured these days.
Enough old codgers rabbit, back to the game.

A very tight game was predicted and so it proved. And although the home team were never ahead in the game, they remained within a converted try, throughout and were one point behind at half way and one point behind at the end.
Clitheroe’s strong defence, that had been a feature of the season, met an equally flinty wall in this game. Ashton’s tackling was strong and determined and, on occasions, to the referee’s displeasure.

This cost them dear in the first half, with a penalty try against them. Whilst Clitheroe turned down a few kickable penalties which on refection it may have been better to ‘take the 3’. A learning moment perchance..
Nothing in it at the turn round. Two solid wall defences canceling each other out. That is until mid way through the second half.
A good build up from Ashton got themselves into the 22. Then from a ruck, a kick-pass to the clubhouse corner saw a dash for the line. However....dislodged in a last gasp tackle, saw the ball bobbling about within the in goal area. Ashton were quickest to pounce and claim the score.
The referee seemed unsure. Possibly unsighted, he consulted with the touch judge before awarding the score.

Apart from briefly taking the wind out of the maroon sails, more importantly it gave the visitors a 6 point lead going into the final ten minutes.

All hands on deck and to the pump then. Clitheroe battled down to the Ashton line and as several penalties were conceded, at last a quick tap and go from Nathon Burns saw him crash though a static defence to bag the try.
Suddenly, a one point game.
The conversion to take the lead, fairly handily sited to the right of the posts.
The kick….. Boinnggg! The ball slammed against the upright in a death knell echo that could be heard all round Littlemoor.
Ashton saw out the final moments with little drama and took the winners beer.

In retrospect after a few days; Clitheroe chose [hopefully not on purpose!] this day to have their poorest performance, of the season. Conclusion; they can be better.
Prediction; they will improve more; and although galling to take the loss, Ashton, on the day were worthy of the win.
Fair play.
That's rugby. That's life.

Next outing for the 1s is Saturday week, the 26th, away at Manchester Medics.