Tough day of rugby for the Seconds

It was a difficult Saturday for the lads from Rossendale Seconds in their home league fixture against Sandbach. Very much depleted in numbers through unavailability and injury , playing the game on the top set of pitches due to the firsts also being at home and in conditions that were best described as being filthy. The featured image depicts the lads in pre game warm up , sorry trying to keep warm against the elements that were hypothermic in value.
The lads who stepped up from the thirds to supplement the team and enable the game to go ahead deserve a big heap of praise for doing so ,though as the artic wind whistled around the Meadow Head fields and the freezing rain poured from the sky one could not help feel they were very much regretting that decision.
The start of the game was in some doubt as the referee was uncomfortable with the playing conditions. A big deterioration from earlier that morning and instead of the forecasted shower the rain turned into downpours.
But the game eventually got the go ahead with both sides keen to play now they were out in it. The Sandbach side immediately took control of the game with some big athletic forwards making good yardage and it was only after four minutes that they recorded their first try and conversion.
Much the same from the visitors over the next few minutes but credit to them for chancing their hand out wide on several occasions despite the conditions. Dale struggled to make the tackles in midfield which allowed Sandbach to make easy yards into the Dales 22. It was only handling errors that saved the Dale on several occasions but that could only last so long and once again Sandbach breached the defensive line of Dale with a converted try.
Just as you thought the visitors might run riot Dale began to play with a bit of cohesion and probed into Sandbachs half on several occasions with Toby Cole making some good hard yards as did his centre partner Jacob Taylor .
Dales scrum was good and never took a backward step . The front row for the Seconds was solid in every way . Hero was wallowing in the mud fest and looks like he's now booked to be taking his summer hols on the banks of a far away river with some hippos such was his stated love of the conditions. Joe Robertson Maher was as per usual so workmanlike from the back row backed up by Dennis Russell and Jimmy Hebblethwaite giving the best they could. Nuri Stoner was also making a good all round contribution to the team .
Dales pressure from their defensive line pushed Sandbach into making plenty of errors and AJ Potgieter gave an excellent read of the game when he flew out of the line to intercept a pass and sprint 60 yards or so down field to claw one back for Dale and popped over conversion to go into the half time break only 14-7 down.
The second half saw the visitors have the advantage of the big slope and took full advantage of it with a return to the dominance they showed in the opening 15 minutes of the first. That dominance eventually paid off and Sandbach recorded their third converted try of the day against what was a tiring Rossendale defence.
Enough was enough soon after that, the ref who had several consultations with the Captains throughout the game decided the conditions were now totally unplayable and the game was abandoned with the score standing in favour of Sandbach at 21-7.
A great relief for both players and spectators alike and world records were beaten in the sprints back to the warm club house.
Once again to the lads from the thirds , thanks for your contributions to Saturday and thats extended to all the team who played Saturday for turning out in those conditions.
Man of the match was awarded to AJ Potgieter.