WEST HARTLEPOOL  15  v  29  REDCAR

SEASIDERS  OUT  MUSSEL  THE  CODHEADS

The strong cross field wind slightly favoured the home team and dictated the play as both teams exchanged attacks along the windward touchline.  The play switched end to end until the fifteenth minute when West offended to allow Patto a shot at the posts which he unfortunately pulled wide.  West spent the next ten minutes camped in the Redcar 22 but failed to make use of their position and allowed Redcar to clear up field and into touch.  Wearing the new lobster red shirt for the first time, Youngy leapt like a salmon to net the ball from the line-out.  The resultant maul ended with Geoff Waterfield touching down for his first try of the season.  Patto obliged with the conversion.

Having outscored Redcar’s squad side quite heavily in the pre-league cup encounter, West were now shocked into action and mauled Redcaresque until Tim Sawyer pulled 5 points back, Dave Tighe missing the conversion.  The same player also failed with a penalty attempt as the first half closed with the seasiders ahead by 2 points.

 WEST HARTLEPOOL  5  v  7  REDCAR

Wallis restarted by switching his kick to the short side but Brad Stovell was aware and cleared up field and into touch.  Superb jumping in the Redcar line was making it difficult for West’s hooker to hit his target.  Paul Beal capitalised on a misguided throw to break West’s lines, Potter carried the ball on and fed Matty Hemmingway, Redcar’s young man of the sea, who side stepped his way around the defence to increase Redcar’s lead. 

 Minutes later Paul almost made it to the line himself only to be adjudged to have knocked on as he tried to keep the ball alive.  No panic though as Redcar’s pack were totally dominating the scrummages and easily pushed West off their ball, Graeme Evans collecting from the loose to keep the score-board ticking over in favour of the visitors.  Patto again converting.

 Uncharacteristically West’s forwards appeared to shy away from the offence and left young Wallis the only option which was to attempt a successful drop goal from a good attacking position.  This momentarily kept the home side in contact.

 The frustration of the home forwards inability to make ground spilled onto the touchline as inevitably their supporters became crabby with the referee’s decisions.  I felt that this added pressure to the official’s decision making as he responded to the criticism by unnecessarily sin binning two players from each team in quick succession to try and restore his authority.

Having been a witness to our recent league encounters it is pleasantly surprising to report upon the ease in which our pack controlled the game.  With the quality of players that were unavailable today it only confirms the strength in depth that we have at Mackinlay Park to compete at this level.  Andy Stewart is a prime example as he stepped up today for his league debut and didn’t look at all out of plaice, he tackled everything that came his way and carried the ball well with his deceptive side step.  Interesting times at selection !  I would only suggest that players look at the Mariners as an ends to hone their skills to make the first XV.  Matt Storey continued his try a game against West as yet again he ran in to extend our lead after we had taken successive scrums against the head.  With the game well and truly in our creel bags we clammed up and allowed Sawyer to score a consolation try which Tighe converted.

The game was now in extended time but our pack was relentless as yet again we pressurised West into submission and from a 5 metre scrum, Ritchie Barker picked up at No 8 and side-stepped their open-side to score under the posts.

Try scorer Richie Barker with a little help from his friends.

Now this leads to a little controversy…… it has been muted that when passing Patto the kicking tee the team manager mentioned that as the score stood his own prediction was spot on and that an unfortunate slice would not affect the result of the game.  Patto obliged… game over!!! 

But has this rumour opened up a can of rag-worms?

No prizes awarded for the counting the number of fishy references in this report but many congratulations should go out to the eighteen players that represented Redcar today.  Hopefully they will understand that in some games personnel changes when in  such a dominant position could be disadvantageous.  You all know what it feels like to dominate your opposite number and then his replacement.  Your time will return.!!!