Please do not adjust your sets

The Stoke game today had been a target for the Coaching and management team since the away defeat to them in October and made all the more important after the loss to West Park with us having played so well for much of that game.
It was the ambition to take the spoils from one of the top two teams in the league and thus cement a result in place to show what we could do and how we could achieve and what a good side we are despite some setbacks this season.

It was our last chance to do so today and boy how we went about doing it in style.

It wasn’t all easy sailing. We weren’t in very good shape at midday today with injuries, illness and exams decimating the team. My grey hair was falling out in clumps.
Actually I will take back the comments that we weren’t in very good shape and change that to we were missing some of our regular staff.
The lads that chucked in today including those that missed out as non playing subs all played a part in what I would describe as without going over the top, a fantastic victory and have shown how well they stepped up to the mark.

It was a good game, a very good game and thoroughly entertaining for both sides and their spectators.
Dale didn’t have it all their own way. From kick off we looked the better side but didn’t make our chances count, same old same old. Stoke seemed to have found their legs and took the game back to us but our defence held strong.
It was 18 minutes in before a piece of Will Sharratt magic dazzled the defence and showed ballerina style footwork to slice through the defence from 22 out adding the goal to boot.

Stoke were not out of it and showed dogged determination to comer back at us. Danny R had a try disallowed from close quarters before Will Sharratt conjured up some more magic and great interaction with Joe Andrews saw the latter score for what was a well deserved try after another superb back row performance. Will added the conversion and the half time whistle blew shortly after.

Time for a nice cup of tea and slice of cake.

Stoke came out of the blocks on the restart to reduce the deficit but Dale took everything they through at them and soon quelled the resurgence. Defence being awesome once again.

We came back on the attack and some lovely through hands play and interaction between backs and forwards saw Billy Holden bring the ball out to the left down the slope and sweetly pass out to Jasper who had tracked round to his left making it an almost certain try as soon as the pass was made. The hard work being done already by Jasper having found the space and Billy having the vision to pass at exactly the right time.
That try capped a wonderful performance from Jasper and shows he has a great chance of making county honours at his age level.As did Tom Allen and Peely with their outstanding contributions. Will added the goal, again.

It was ages before we scored again but really we were in command of the game and the defence being so strong gave little to concern us.
It was on the 57 minute mark though and again great through hands play and interaction between forwards and backs resulted in us being a smidgen off their line before Danny R the rampaging bull of the wet windy moors and not to be outdone by the first disallowed effort picked up and drove his way over. Will , yawn, added the goal.

Finally it was Bridgeys turn again to get some more honours. A line out 15 out saw Callum D ( playing a damn fine game) pluck the ball from the air on their line out and pass down to Cory for him to run unchecked through the standing defenders and over the line, there was some hesitation in putting the ball down, surely it cant be as easy as that. But it was, he did and we celebrated.

There was a heart stopping moment with only seconds left on the clock when Stoke intercepted and a strong 50 yard dash up the hill and to the left of the pitch looked all the world like they had broken the defence, Jake chased hard and caused a stumble and whilst a supporting player took a pass to take the ball over the line the Stoke linesman judged his feet had made touch. Last play and Jake promptly popped the ball into touch after we won the line.

Great stuff from both sets of players. Well done.

There was some brilliant performances put into today, Cory, Wellsy, Cloughy and those I have already mentioned above. Nobody put in a bad performance and everybody can feel rightly proud of what they did in that match.

The team effort shone through today and we gelled so well. Great to watch and thanks.