For Della`s first foray in the National cup Cumbrian foes Aspatria were the hurdle Della had to cross, this fixture is usually a close encounter and this game would be no different. As usual Aspatria arrived with a side packed with sheer bulk but as we know from experience this side also contains guile, strength and pace .Della needed an improved performance following last weeks draw at Tarleton. Player coach Lee McCormick and Chris Petrou were welcomed back into the side so that Della were as close to full strength as selection allowed. Conditions for the game were almost perfect a balmy autumnal day with little to no wind and a good playing surface so all was set fair. It was Della to kick off and from the start they set their attacking stall out pushing up through the forwards and the back line asking all the right questions of the Aspatria defence . As expected Aspatria had the upper hand in the scrum but Della through number eight Lee McCormick were managing to get the ball away albeit under pressure . The referee from the word go set the bar high with penalties at the breakdown for not releasing , this would lead to a fast open attacking game from both sides . Della were enjoying a large amount of possession and were making the visitors work hard in defence, there was a change in Aspatrias normal tactic of kick deep then catch and drive, yes they employed this at times but they were trying hard to work the ball through the forwards taking it into contact , I presume in an attempt to wear down the smaller Della pack. But it would be Della to get the first points when stand off Ben Wheeler converted a penalty for the first three 3-0. Aspatria struck back with a spell of pressure which saw them push into the Della twenty two and then with their forwards probing and Della defending solidly the visitors found a gap and went in for the first try which was converted to give them the lead 7-0. Della were not disheartened by this score in fact it galvanised them into more effort , Della were playing the long game attempting to tire out the much larger Cumbrians with plenty of lateral movement, and even in these early stages Aspatria were feeling the intensity of this contest with their physio being called onto the pith on a regular basis . Della were putting together telling attacks with ball in hand and Aspatria were having to defend well to stem the tide but it was inevitable the score would come when following great running from Lee McCormick to split the visitors defence full back Sean Watson got in on the act and raced through to score , Ben Wheeler added the extras to get Della back in front 10-7. This would be the last score of the half . Della were not in the least worried at half time everything they had planned for was falling into place the big Cumbrians were beginning to tire visibly through the amount of work they were having to do to contain the Della threat. Aspatria should have done better in that first half they enjoyed eleven scrums to Della`s three so with yhat much ball you really should keep the scoreboard moving , on the plus side for Della the line out was working well but there was only seven line outs in the whole of the first half a testimony to ball in the hands rugby from both sides .
The second half Della upped the ante probing the Aspatria defence looking for that breakthrough try, the Della backs were moving the Cumbrians about the field like chess pieces and the strain was beginning to show with injuries coming thick and fast from the amount of contact, and iy was this movement of the big guys to create space that led to the next Della score that man again McCormick cut back against the grain , then prop Steve Brooks put in a run that split the defence a pass over the top and wing Max Whiteley raced in to score again Ben Wheeler added the extras 17-7 and Della looked unstoppable. Don`t get me wrong Aspatria had their chances in this period they broke the like twice from far out but lacked the pace to get to the try line the Della defence ran them down to nullify any threat. Into the final quarter and Della were enjoying the contest more so than their opponents and with another telling attack the Della ball carriers struck deep into the Cumbrian defence and Mike Halsall enjoying his return from serious injury fly hacked a dropped Aspatria ball far out on the Della right wing and as the ball bobbled over the line a defender tried to block his run in to no avail Mike chased down the ball to score , wheeler just missed with conversion 25-7. Now with less than ten minutes left Della threw on all four subs to freshen up the game and give some tired legs a rest, and un surprisingly Aspatria took full advantage while the players were bedding in and put the Della line under pressure to score and close the gap 27-12. From the restart the ref said one minute left Aspatria put in a concerted effort to keep the ball alive and force their way to the Della five metre line where they battered away at the defence to no avail eventually the ball was knocked on and the whistle went,
For the neutral observer this was a super game to watch , two sides with different ideaologies and physical stature but both committed to playing open rugby , for me I took great pleasure from the improved performance from last week and from the individual performances and the team ethic. The man of the match for Della was Lee McCormick. Aspatria players , officials and fans as usual were great company in the clubhouse and we look forward to welcoming them back later in the season.
Barney and Peter were sadly missing from the Aspatria travelling faithful, and on enquiring as to their whereabouts I was reliably informed that they had been the victims of a cross border raid by a band of Pesky Picts , and their last sighting was last week in the glens above Dumfries, where they have been put to work tending herds of wild haggis, apparently Barney is not coping so well with the knee high heather , damp at this time of the year playing havoc with his nether regions due to the fact he has been forced to wear a kilt. A rescue party is to be assembled and local clubs have been asked to help, so far there has been no volunteers ?
I have just read a tense thrilling book about how they used to fasten ships hulls together it was riveting ?
Tip of the day , if you visit the zoo wear the same coloured tops as the keepers , this will fool the animals and they will come towards you ?
The fact that Della knew that Tigers have thirty teeth helped considerably in our latest hearing at RFU headquarters ?
The Gastro pub chain that opened Applewood farm at Astley and Barleywood farm at Barton are to open another venue on the Duchy estate it is to be named Cannabis farm ?
Following last weeks demarcation dispute in the Della Offal Emporium , things seemed to have settled down with the girls from the Boning and Dripping dept taking over next week from the girls in the Tongue room , one of the girls from the Boning room said we will have to suck it and see ?
Giants Causeway, Hadrians Wall, Stonehenge the list of world heritage sites around Britain goes on . But last week another national monument was added to that list . Because of it`s bio diversity and cultural and universal importance to humanity , the Della scrum machine and its localised habitat have been deemed Grade A on a list of world protected sites . Such is the diverse indigenous wildlife and it`s local flora and fauna due to it`s inactivity the grounds have been sanctioned a no go area . The next step is to achieve world heritage ancient monument status , something that Della`s coaches are sure we will be able to achieve. The machine has actually sprouted roots due to its inactivity ?
Ex Della lad Winston Churchill once said and I quote ,. Tact is the ability to tell someone to go to hell in such a way that they look forward to the trip ?
Della`s travel spokesman Sam ( I`m loaded and your not, that's why I think your inferior ) Maughm just wanted to say yes it`s true I buy my friends and treat normal people with utter contempt, but that does not make me a bad person ?
Mike ( Damp patch ) Halsall has finally admitted his favourite parent isn`t his father Pete ( Does everyone know I played for GB ) Halsall Pete was too busy on the fruit machine to comment, Damp Patch said he wants to be adopted by Pete ( Perpetual motion ) Massey. Perpetual said he would rather have Tom ( Sly dig ) Halsall but Damp Patch is more than welcome ?
Club pharmacist Wally the Sniff breezed through the qualifying rounds of Britains got talent , with his unique act of playing the spoons on his hollow head ?
Della bar person Trevor who is undergoing gender reassignment has been pondering what female name he should adopt when the treatment is complete . He finally made his decision and has opted to be called Kate asked why he choose this name he said , I have always known I was trapped in the wrong body so its better Kate than Trevor, he then put a coin in the juke box and played his favourite song by P P Arnold, The first cut is the deepest ?
Broadband provider Talk Talk have pulled out of a sponsorship deal with Della .A company spokesman said the fact that Della have stopped talking to the referee for no apparent reason is no good to us ?
Della barperson Flatulence Fanny the girl with the wind fetish has requested that she only be allocated shifts when Della`s own producer of methane Pete ( Perpetual motion ) Massey is at the end of the bar ?