101

Colne & Nelson 2

Blackpool 1

Tries

J Thomas, C Reynolds (3), K Bedford (2), J Carty (2), C Bonham, A Swarbrick (2), D Komosinski, A Glover, M Rowley, P Wilkinson

Conversions

J Carty (12), C Parlour

la 2 joulu 14:15 - Halbro North West Leagues - Division 5 North Full time

Report

Highlights

Selection

League round up

Blackpool show a ton of improvement

By Chris Parlour

Seasiders bounce back with 15 try demolition of Colne & Nelson

Saturday marked a return to league action for the Seasiders, following a two-week break, with what looked on paper to be a tricky visit to Colne & Nelson.

Blackpool were pleased to welcome back several key players from injury and suspension, none the least their talisman at standoff Adam Glover and rampaging number 8 Kyle Bedford. There was also a debut for recently recruited centre, Jason Thomas.

Upon arrival, Blackpool were informed that their counterparts were a few numbers short and so, in the spirit of the game, loaned two of their subs to allow both sides to start with a full compliment.

The last two games have been disastrous for Blackpool, with two back-to-back defeats bringing them back down to earth following an unbeaten start to the season. Rightfully, their away form was being questioned, something that was about to be put emphatically to bed during 80 minutes of dominance.

Blackpool started the game sluggishly, being marched off the ball from the first scrum as the sizeable home pack looked to impose themselves on their recently felled opponents. Some early possession forced Pool into defensive action and the back row of Jonny Parker, Daniel Komosinski and Bedford, along with the support of the ever wiley Carl Reynolds at nice, managed to disrupt the encouraging opening flurry of attacks that the home side would launch.

Five minutes in, and following one such steal, defence was turned into attack and the new boy, Jay Thomas hit a perfect line off Glover, to run in from nearly 40 metres for the games first try. James Carty went on to add the extras.

Following this, Blackpool took the shackles off and let loose at their opponents, who to their credit fought gallantly in defence. Cue Kyle Bedford’s opening gambit, a 60-yard lung buster of a run, quite literally seeing as he couldn’t move for five minutes after, following a pick up from the scrum, where no obstacle could break his momentum. Carty again obliged with the conversion.

The juggernaut rolled on, only with Bedford gathering his breath, it was the turn of the team’s other battering ram, Dean Finegan, to find a burst of speed nobody knew he had to carry the team deep into enemy territory. However, his energy reserves didn’t quite contain the same gas as Bedford’s and with 15 metres to go, he offloaded superbly to his supporting front row ally, Pete Wilkinson, who marked his continued improvement with another well taken try, which again was converted.

The first half had now become a procession of tries, for most it became difficult to keep up. Scrum half, Carly Reynolds got the first of his tries and in between getting himself pointlessly sinbinned for stroking an opponent, full back Chance Bonham also crossed the whitewash.
James Carty wasn’t just potent with the boot all the afternoon, as he latched on to a Jay Thomas break to score a try, despite looking like Bambi on ice at one stage as he sithed through the despairing final efforts to bring him down.

Glover was pulling strings all afternoon and it was his distribution that brought prolific winger, Ash Swarbrick into the game who went under close to the post to pick up his customarily score.

But in between this Blackpool didn’t have it completely their own way. Colne did manage to cross the line through their skipper and they added a second score before the end of the half.

Come half time the game was won but skipper, Chris Parlour demanded more from his teammates, determined to banish the memory of two successive away defeats prior to this game well and truly.

Blackpool remained relentless in the second half, even after making a few changes. There were two further tries for Bedford who was charging around like a freight train, leaving devastation in his wake, one of which came from a superbly worked lineout move, right off the training ground.

Swarbrick helped himself to a second try with only his second touch of the game and could have had three out of three touches, had he not spilled another opportunity.

Scrum half, Carl Reynolds, continued his good form with a second try of the match and his half back partner, Adam Glover, also got on the scoresheet.

Carty remained busy throughout, regularly coming off his wing looking for work and after a break through the middle of play, complete with a compulsory, yet completely unnecessary goose step by captain Parlour, he gratefully received the offload to score under the posts.
Fly half Adam Glover

As the game rolled on and tiredness kicked in, the game became a little fractious, yet still the scoring continued and Blackpool’s Polish destroyer, Dan Komosinski, got in on the act with a try of his own. There was also a try for replacement full back, Matty Rowley, before Carl Reynolds completed his hattrick and the scoring under the posts.

As Parlour popped the final conversion over (a screamer from 10 yards), he signalled to the ref that an early reprieve for an admirable Colne & Nelson side was agreeable.
Blackpool can be pleased with this victory and more importantly to be back to winning ways.

There were strong performances across the park, with plenty of positives to carry forward. The man of the match honours went to Kyle Bedford thanks to his strong carrying and many yards gained. Credit to Colne and Nelson, who never gave up despite the one-sided nature of the game. We have been there ourselves and better times are ahead for sure.

Next weekend, Blackpool entertain the Garstang Blues, who are bound to be a much tougher test, as they travel to Mossom Lane looking to avenge their 25-7 defeat earlier in the season. On the other hand, the hosts will be looking to maintain their impressive start at home which is yet to see them defeated.