Littleborough is always a tough place to go, it takes forever to get there, it's always crap weather, and they have the worst showers in the Pennine League! But they're a side Sedbergh simply never lose to. The latest trip down memory lane takes us to the one and only time 'Boro almost beat us, way back in Novemeber 2009
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Match Date: 14/11/09
Competition: Pennine League Division 3
Result: Littleborough 18 Odsal Sedbergh 18

Penalty fest almost chucks points
By Jonathon Ward

Illdiscpline was a key factor in todays trip to sunny Lancashire...did I say sun? I meant Amazonian monsoon! It pelted it down the full eighty and the moment the ref blew up for full time it all stopped, typical.

The result itself was actually a fantastic one for Sedge under the circumstances. A lack of players turning up meant Russ and Vinny were drafted in from the second team. Both did a job in their returns to first team football, with Sigston in particular shining in attack with a series of darting runs and using his elusive step to good measure.

Early doors 'Boro battered the ball down their hill time after time and non-stop penalties for gobbing off, high shots, moving off the mark and offside gifted the hosts nearly the length of pitch to walk up. From this close range the ball was swept wide and they dived in out wide for the first score. Soon after more fouls had Littleborough back in our red zone and they scored again, this time in the opposite corner. A fortuatouse bounce from a kick through somehow saw the ball trickle over the whitewash in the corner and the chasing Boro player flopped over in the corner. Under the cosh by our own doing the game was almost at crisis point when another attack came down the right flank and it took a brilliant body shot cover tackle from Jamie K to deny a cert third Littleborough try.

The Odsal breakthrough came when the right-hand trio linked up to score in the corner. Deano hit a short ball to Jamie K on the last tackle and he dinked a grubber over the line and Jonny just managed to get the decisive touch. More penalties and ball spillage in the hurrendous rain saw the home team in front of the sticks once more, but bizzarley opted for a drop goal rather than to attempt another try before the break.

The second stanza started perfectly for Sedge. Within a minute Sedbergh had the ball in front of Littleborough's line and after a few attempts to break the line it was Pidge who bust the line and incredibly stretched out to score. The momentum was definetly with Odsal now and constant attacks kept tiring the home defence; coupled with much better discipline in this half Sedji were starting to turn the screw.

It was no surprise then when Sedji took the lead for the first time. Grezza dinked a short chip over and he followed up to collect the bounce and go in under the sticks, Moffatt's third conversion seeing a 18-11 lead for Odsal Sedbergh.

However, all the hard work to cut the penalties and cut Littleborough's chance was soon forgotten and more self-inflicted errors and sloppy play resulted in great field poistion and a soft try from acting half for our promotion rivals. Another drop goal later and we were level pegging. There weren't any major oppurtunties for Sedge to win the match, but Littleborough blew a simple penalty in the dying minutes that should have seen them nick the points.

A good result and cracking performance at a difficult ground, but the penalty count was far too high.

FB-Moffatt W-Ward C-Jamie K C-Sigston W-R.Priestley SO-Harrison SH-Suddards PR-Walsh HK-Hall PR-Dove SR-Lovett SR-Graham LF-Marshall SUB-McGuinness SUB-Smedley SUB-Crowther SUB-Jor.Priestley (Unused)

Tries: Ward, Marshall, Harrison
Goals: Moffatt(3)
HT: 11-6