14 lads battle for each other.

Cold weather depletes team

So after a promising week of training and the promise of a good squad it all fell apart with 3 players dropping out due to injuries and other commitments on the morning of the game. Hagger went with the best team available and 14 lads made the journey to a cold Lindley and went into battle. With players carrying injuries and James Winstanley having a throat infection, The Tigers started on the back foot.

2pm come round and the game kicked off and your Tigers went with the wind and started strongly with some very resolute defence with Prop Marcus Stocks leading the way (30) and Back rower Arron Williams (26), driving the Swifts bigger pack backwards. The game swung both ways and it took till the 25min before the deadlock was broken. Lindley put in a grubber kick and full back Ryan Chalkley knocked on from the resulting scrum Lindley had a few tackles and scored on their right hand side, the conversion was kicked for a 6-0 lead.

In attack Ossett pack was doing some damage with big prop Stuart McClennan making big yards but with no subs available he was used sparingly, and big second row Craig A Colbeck was getting big metres on the left hand side. Ossett spent long period of times in the Lindley 20m zone, but down that end it was very boggy and Tigers struggled with their end play.

2nd half started with the snow pouring down and both teams struggled for a firm footing, Ossett once started to make some good yards and found the firmer ground to their liking and started to show what they could do with Craig Colbeck dictating play. Captain George Stott was having a massive game by leading from the front in defence and attack, But also having wise words to say at half time and behind the posts.

The game ebbed and flowed and it took till the 60 min for Lindley to score again as the Tigers tired to make it 12-0 and scored fairly quickly again to make it 18-0 with the scoreline looking more flattering. But the Tigers wouldn't lie down and went n the offensive and threatened the Swifts line more frequently and Ryan Chalkley almost capped off a fine performance which resulted in him getting 3rd place MoM with a try.

In the 79 min Lindley left centre who had been a thorn in Tigers side all game scored in the corner to make it 22 nil and kicker had tired swing and it hit cross bar and went over to end the game 24-0. On the team in general the 3/4 line pitched in with some work to take pressure off the pack, Adam Firth and Jonny McGee the centres did their fair share and also wingers Nick Mitchell who was playing out of position for he team, and Liam Ward did their part by both moving in to the pack to give rests for the big lads in the middle.

It was a shame for the Tigers to be nilled but they battled from the first minute to the 80 minute and can be very proud of themselves. Coach Hagger said "I couldn't be prouder of the boys not one of the 14 let anyone down, I just wished I could of had 17 because I believe with interchanges I could of made I belive the complexion of the game would of been different as I could of spelled my pack. But we will go again this week and be back for next week against East Hull away"

Man of Matches:
1st Mark Carney
2nd Stuart McClennan
3rd Ryan Chalkley

As always thanks for reading and Up The Tigers