Sundays right up- they dont like it right up them Mr Mannering

Chester are a Division A side who are a classy outfit with bags of experience and as evidenced in the game yesterday could play a little bit in the backs and the forwards.

The writing was on the wall within the first few minutes when they put on a steam roller of an attack and scored the opening points whilst we were still drawing breath. A follow up try a few minutes later didn’t do our cause any good and perhaps at this early juncture it was looking like a damage limitation exercise.

Chesters coaches told me later that their forwards played out of their skins today and don’t normally perform quite as well as that. My response to leave them at home next time I very much doubt will be heeded should we ever have a rematch with them.

It comes to something when Danny, the Wild Bull of the West Pennine moors doesn’t make to much ground on his runs and the ferocity of a couple of the tackles on Jasper certainly gave them a cause to celebrate.

Yes Chester had the measure of us and at times played some scintillating rugby whilst stopping us dead in our tracks when we countered.

The best thing is lads that whilst our heads did drop slightly when the score line started to run away from us we never gave up and from that we shook off the early jitters and put in some good periods of play.

We had good character about us and put in bags of effort. Nobody can ask for more. If Chester were the better rugby playing side then so be it but we gave a good account of ourselves in the circumstances we had before us and that’s something you can take a bit of pride away with you from this encounter and build on that for the next season.

Our efforts were eventually rewarded with a fine off load to Cloughy who ran an excellent line breaking the defensive cover and sprinted over for a great try which Cloughy senior has managed to record. I am now watching the 600th re run of as he sits beside me with his finger glued on the replay button. JakE Mann popped over the extras top reward his industrious efforts and we took some comfort from the fact we were on the scoreboard.

I will also mention that we put some great tackling in today despite the score line suggesting otherwise. Billy Wizz and Cloughy’s centre partnership was again a revelation and Zach Byrne made a couple of grand try saving efforts.

What was to be was not to be or to be was to be or ….doh ! summat like that anyway. Overall a great effort chaps from everyone and lets not be to despondent on the result.

It was also a mile stone yesterday for two of our squad members. Danny R has now played his last game for Rossendale Colts having come of age and will now concentrate on his game for the Senior Sides. Good luck to him on his quest to establish a first team place. He has been a rock for the Colts side and on behalf of the Colts management team would like to thank him for all his efforts.

Secondly we also say ( sniff sniff) good bye to Woody who has made an honourable decision to move on and concentrate on other aspects of his life and his studies. Woody has been with the side since the under 14’s and developed into a great player respected by all as shown when being voted Players Player for last years Colts side and Coaches player of the season the year before. I could go on and on recounting tales of old around Woody and his playing days, i probably will still be chunnering to myself past midnight but I fear I may waste such poignant memories in prose.

Good luck to them both and thanks for all your efforts.

Just to finish off players, Parents, ladies and gents I will remind you all that the season is not quite done yet. There is the small matter of the Lancashire Cup under 18’s final to be played at Fylde on 05/05/13. Everybody to be available for that one please. Training isn’t on this week but we will resume in the near future and it will be important to attend those sessions to try and cement your place in the team for Final day. We are trying to arrange a warm up fixture in advance of the date as it is a long way off without a game.