CHRISTMAS PUD, COBWEBS, CONGLETON & CHAMPAGNE.

Should take up NETBALL!!!!!

If anyone can remember the last time the Ducks took the field was way back in November, since then there’s been beer, Christmas pud, beer, presents, beer, chocolate, beer, holidays, beer, Seshmas, beer, New Year and more beer and believe me if you had watched the first ten minutes yesterday you’d have thought the lads had been out on a sesh Friday night.

Slow start, give a penalty away, defend inside our twenty two, win a bit of ball, get a line out, Eddie’s still recovering from his new year drink, scrum Congleton, another penalty, kick to corner, line out, rolling maul, try, 5 - nil down, haven’t really touched the ball. If anyone needs to blow the cobwebs away it’s us, Congleton don’t look like the same team we played earlier this season, strong runners and big carries put us on the back foot. Not quite sure what kicked us into life but a little bit off the ball seemed to wind the lads up and after that it was one way traffic.

We scored eleven unanswered trys and kicked eight conversions to run out 71 - 5 winners, Ollie got three, Kris and Cal got a brace each and Cam, Ben, Tom and Lewis all weighed in, on a very heavy pitch Ben kicked superbly and slotted 8 from 11. The forwards were awesome and provided the backs with a platform to weave their magic, try of the match from Captain Lewis straight off the training pitch without a hand being placed on him KRIS CROSS. Ollie was brilliant in both attack and defence, Evo was Evo, leading from the front, Lewis tackled like a man possessed and made some great carries, Tyler did what Tyler does best.

A big thank you to Spot for stepping up at short notice and it’s testament to how much he’s revered by the young lads that Tom was prepared to drop to the bench to let him start.

Moving onto Diffy Duck and in a game where we dominated it’s hard to single someone out, Cal Thomas perhaps who showed why he doesn’t play football, twice failing to kick the ball on when the tryline beckoned or was it jug avoidance? Cam, for his consistent whittering by Christ it’s annoying, Chrissy Mc for losing it with their 5, “lets me and you sort it out now.” Me thinks not. For being a complete Daffy this week it goes to Congletons 5, trying to throw his weight about, one too many late hits, being completely outplayed but telling Ben to take up Netball after he’s just absolutely bossed the game, scored 21 points and tackled anyone that came into his eyeline, put your brain in gear before you open your mouth.

Duck of the Day, there were a fair view candidates, Kris (Ellie’s shout) Ollie (James’s shout) Cal played well, Lewis for making his opposite number whine every time there was a scrum and having his best game for us. However, Netball is the Duck, even though he forgot the crate and got a yellow card, he controlled the game, scored the points and got his backline purring. Not his best photo.

Most pleasing aspect for me was the defence in the last ten minutes, Congleton got their second wind and decided to play to their strength, big carries by big forwards from around the ruck, pick and go, pick and go. The boys defended our tryline as if victory depended on it, big hits knocking people backwards, great discipline and a willingness to put your body on the line for your teammates.

The big games start next week, home to LSH, the one we threw away. Let’s get down to training boys, some of you look like you need too.

Mother Duck.