Another big win against a very big side

Burnley Under 11’s / 12’S 0 V Rossendale Under 11’s 21

Rossendale travelled to local neighbours Burnley for what was to be a keenly contested fixture.
Burnley fielded a mixed age group side against a very committed Rossendale outfit. The first few minutes of this encounter were tight with Rossendale playing good phased rugby against a much bigger Burnley side.
With Rossendale dominating the scrums and winning good turn over balls at the rucks Rossendale were in the driving seat. Ten minutes into the half and Rossendale scored the first try after several phases of good quality rugby and eventually Shaun Smallridge crashed over for a try converted by Oliver Molloy.
The best try of the game followed with some lovely phases of forward rugby before the ball was passed along the line and finished off by Oliver Molloy he then added the conversion.
Second Half started and Burnley made more changes and yes the players were getting bigger and older and with Rossendale playing down hill they started to fancy their chances of overturning their elder counterparts but were not able to score Nathan Tattersall, Joe Simpson & Natasha Smallridge all going close.
Rossendale were really unlucky not to score in this period but eventually got through the Burnley defence for Joe Saunders to cross for a fine try with Oliver Molloy adding the extras.
This was a massive game for the team not only playing against a much bigger older side but the composure that we have started to show on the ball. There could have quite easily been at least four more tries which on another day would have been giving but it was not to be.
Will Gledhill won the Man of the Match award for his all round play going close himself for two tries but for me it was the way in which he is starting to develop and organising the back line.
To be fair the Man of the Match award could have been won by a number of players today.
Dizzey and I decided not to award the Most Improved player award as we could have quite easily given it to every other player who entered the pitch. I was especially pleased to see Sean Campbell come on for what I hope to be the first of many games for the team and was a little unfortunate not to score on his debut.
I was also really pleased to see Kieran Pearson get some more game time and proved that his scrumaging is still as strong as ever a few more weeks and you will be pushing to get a starting position in the team.
I was also really pleased to see Ben Flanagan increasing his work rate and proves his outing with the under 12’s has done wonders for his confidence
We are currently in good order as a squad of players with numbers up to 15 or 16 it is starting to give us selection problems which is good news but let’s not take our foot of the pedal on the recruitment side, we really could do with another two new players by the end of the season.
Let’s also keep up with the hard work and training you are putting in over the next few weeks as we have some very big tournaments and games over the next few weeks. Windermere is obviously now on the horizon along with Vale of Lune festival but also a big match next week at Bury and also we will be welcoming Didsbury TOC H up to Marl Pitts with open arms to attempt revenge for our only defeat of the year.
See you at the Gym on Wednesday and we are having an extra training session on Saturday details will be sent out this week.
This was to be the final score of the game 0-21