1. Ben Whitney
2. Rhodri Campbell
3. Jake Hicklin
4. Archie Crapper
5. Dom Parsons (Capt.)
6. Felix Crapper
7. Matt Adcock
8. Thomas Thorpe
Replacements: -
22. Angus Hughes
17. Alex Reid
26. George Rogers
20. Lewis Taylor
23. Jamie Flint

As we push towards the end of the season, for this our last home game of the season, the team would see a few changes for this match against Chester. The team remain without centre, Will Smith, and so we saw Chris Hooper move from the left wing to full back and full back George Castledine move to inside centre. Alex Pegg was to drop from the squad, with Matty Drennan moving from inside centre to outside centre, and Jack Dawson would move up from the bench to start on the left wing. The pack and the backrow would be without both Alex Fawdry and Ryan Burrows. To accommodate this, Felix Crapper moved from the openside to the blindside flanker role and Matt Adcock returned to the squad at openside. Thomas Thorpe would come in at number 8. The bench saw Aaron Lonsdale drop out and Angus Hughes return, as did Jamie Flint.

Chester were to kick off and Sheffield secured the ball, but were then penalised to give Chester’s Morgan Bagshaw the chance to put the visitors into a 3 point to nil lead in the second minute. Sheffield were to recover very quickly with Chester giving up a penalty at the restart allowing Sheffield to kick to touch on Chester’s 22-metre. Another penalty came to Sheffield allowing a lineout much closer to the try line and take to the driving maul, and under as further penalty advantage, second row Archie Crapper went over wide out on the left. Elliot Fisher added the conversion and Sheffield took the lead by 7 points to 3 after six minutes. Sheffield went on the attack again from the restart and a further penalty allowed Sheffield to kick for a lineout in Chester territory. However, a ‘not straight’ at the lineout gave the visitors a scrum. Hey kicked down field and after some smart interplay from Sheffield, Felix Crapper was to go in under the posts, with Elliot Fisher adding the conversion to give the home team a 14 point to 3 lead after twelve minutes.

However, Chester recovered their composure and a couple of errors and penalties gave their efforts momentum. A lineout for Chester just outside Sheffield’s 22-metre gave them the opportunity to attack, and centre Rhys Hamilton carved a hole through Sheffield defence to score next to the posts. Morgan Bagshaw added the conversion and the lead was reduced to 14 points to 10 twenty minutes. Sheffield were now battling a period of intense pressure from the visitors, but managed to hang on and keep Chester from getting over the try line, and eventually decided to take a penalty kick at goal to make Sheffield’s lead just 14 points to 13 with thirty-two minutes gone. It was now Sheffield’s turn to recover their composure, and all the pressure was coming from the home team. resulting in Dom Parsons going over from the back of a driving maul. Elliot Fisher added the conversion to end the half and give Sheffield a 21 point to 13 lead at the interval.

Sheffield restarted the match and Chris Hooper won the ball back and Sheffield were on the attack again. Hooper made a break up into Chester’s 22-metre. Sheffield recycled and the ball was to land with Archie Crapper who went in for his second try and Sheffield’s bonus point try. Elliot Fisher converted again and the lead was out to 28 points to 13 with just two minutes of the half gone. Things were to get much worse for the visitors almost immediately when replacement backrow, Carwyn Owen, who had only been on the pitch two minutes, received a red card for a dangerous tackle. Just one minute later, the Chester defence was rounded by Cammy Catleugh, scoring the fifth Sheffield try. Elliot Fisher converted again and the home team now led by 35 points to 13 on forty-five minutes.

The match went a little flat, but it was to be the visitors who would break to deadlock, when once again, centre Rhys Hamilton, found that elusive gap in Sheffield’s defence. Morgan Bagshaw added the conversion and Chester had raised their tally to 20 points after fifty-six minutes. Sheffield were however, soon back on track, with Cammy Catleugh scoring his second wide out. The conversion was missed, but Sheffield now led by 40 points to 20 after sixty minutes. Ass far as scoring is concerned, the match was now in somewhat of the doldrums. A yellow card for replacement Harry Craven for Chester on sixty-eight minutes, and then Chester’s Tom Ellis and Sheffield’s Dom Parsons on seventy minutes left more space on the pitch, but neither side were able to take advantage. However, with the game almost at a conclusion. Chris Hooper found that elusive gap to score to the right of the posts. The conversion was missed, but the lead was out to 45 points to 20 and the match was ended.

Up-coming fixtures: -

Sat, 26th April 2025 Fylde RUFC Away Leage 3:00pm Kick Off

Chester RUFC Team: -
Forwards: - 1: Josh Woods; 2: Scott Robson; 3: Tom Furnival; 4: George Spalding; 5: Seb Pemberton; 6: Jonny Hanson; 7: Harry Roberts; 8: Harry Graham.
Backs: - 15: Sam Earl Jones; 14: Ben Raubitschek; 13: Ben Ivory; 12: Rhys Hamilton; 11: Andrew McMinimee; 10: Morgan Bagshaw; 9: Tommy Ellis’
Replacements: - 17: Tom Clarke; 19: Will Hurn; 20: Carwyn Owen; 21: Thomas Scott; 22: Harry Craven.

Match Officials: -
Referee: - Tom Hurdley.
Assistant Referees: - Jonathan Keeton & Sinon O’Neill.