A tough away trip to Chorley today against a team with 18 players, meaning our boys had to show up against fresher lads throughout the second half of todays game. This should have seen us tail off towards the end of the match however the boys really stepped up and took it to the home side in both attack and defence, with some outstanding try line defence meaning we stopped Chorley gaining a single yard in 4 tackles.
In the first half we started slowly which is somewhat of the norm for us and got caught through not moving up quickly enough out wide making life harder for ourselves and with Chorley having some quick boys and some brilliant offloading from them in the tackle they finished the half 3-2 up.
Having spoke to the boys they all listened really well (something that was commented on by Chorleys coaches and myself and Lee have been working hard on this so really pleasing to hear) and on the back of this started to push up on the wings and drive Chorley players back down the middle where the rest of the team had also moved up and lay in wait. There was some excellent defence today, especiialy in a spell following a Chorley break which saw them go from the half way to within 5 meteres of our line, which would normally see the opposition score on the next play. However our boys worked back and got off the line quickly and everyone was eager to tackle and Chorley didnt make a single yard for the next 4 tackles before finally getting the ball wider and with a bit of pace scored on the last tackle out wide. As i explained to to lads after this try, i was really pleased with how the worked back and defended so well in the first instance and if thats the only type of try they scored i would be happy with that!
The running was also much better today and again something we have been working on is players driving up the middle of the pitch to stay away from touch and this was again really good to see that lads where listening and staying in the middle until the opposition had pulled in then we could use the space out wide.

Today i thought that Joseph hunter ran the ball brillantly and was flying up in defence, there was some really strong running once again from harvey Cathcart also. Billy Traynor was magnificant in attack, with some amazing side steps that had Chorley players falling at his feet, this earned him the Parent Choice Award.
Nathan Flynn had an outstanding game, scoring 4 tries and making some really important tackles out wide and was just pipped to player of the match award. This went to Rhys Edwards, who was outstanding in defence making the most tackles, some cover tackles that saved certain tries and then some excellent work in attack resulting in a try for himself as well as making good yards with each run.
MacKenzie Smith was our honorary captain and had a strong game, he ran the ball well and gave an offload to set up a try in the first half, i was particularly please with his run 'to the fifty' which got us field position for another try.
Luke Brighouse was very strong once again in defence, however he also ran really well today, making good yards and taking pressure off the team which each run of the ball. Rohan Heyes played very well once again, and is becoming a very consistent player both in attack and defence and is righht up there at the top stats wise each week.
Jack McIntyre took a couple of knocks today however got up from each one and got back in the game, showing some good running and made an oustanding tackle, coming from him moving up outwide and completely shut the Chorley play down. Dezi Wilkinson had a strong game today, having missed a tackle early on he admitted he could have done better and immediately made a strong run and then in the next set made 3 tackles on the bounce and all were very good legs tackles and you cant ask for more than that from any player, this ultimately won him the tackler of the match award.
Finally George Donoghue and Josh Hunt, both of these lads were very similar in terms of performance, they both ran strong and tackled well and did everything i asked of them including keeping us strong defensivley in the middle and doing hard yard through the middle in attack.

Try scorers today were;
Nathan Flynn, Rhys Edwards, Luke Brighouse and Jack McIntyre

Overall a really good performance and so pleasing to see some of the work done in training now being displayed out on a Sunday, well done boys, very proud of you all today!