Vandals limp on towards promotion
Vandals 17 – Hawcoat Park 2ndXV 15
The Vandals narrowly defeated Hawcoat Park on Saturday although not without a late scare. After seemingly making the game safe with 15 minutes to go they conceded two tries in the last two minutes and only a missed conversion with the last kick of the game prevented the points being shared.
Fylde and the visitors were sitting second and third at start of play which provided the potential for a tense affair, a situation not helped by both teams being hampered in their preparation. The Vandals had a sparser squad than the week before with just eighteen to choose from and some notable absences. Rob Parr answered the call manfully to play for the 2ndXV and put in a full 80-minute shift; an outstanding effort for a 58 year old. Steady felt the heartstrings tug and deserted us to help the 4thXV win at Eccles, Brian Cardwell was refereeing this week rather than playing, Richard Mason was a crossed wires no-show when we thought he was turning up, Martin Williams was in bed with man flu (a sniffle), skipper Phil Swindells having discovered he had a hamstring the week before had gone and tweaked it and Mark Worsley, Ollie Watts and the two Peters Acton & Tankard were all unavailable. Andy T came in at prop to join Scotty with Nathan Tittley filling in with some style at hooker, the ageless Vic Cottam returned to partner Toddy in the engine room with Hodgy, Chris Cardwell and skipper for the day Steve James in the back row. Podders was flinging his always interesting passes this week to Ed Mahon at number 10, Dave Storey and Adam Kerr were in the centres and the usual back three of Sean Townsend, Liam McCartan and Satch were in residence.
There was very little time for a warm up for either side as the Schools 7’s tournament meant the pitch was being used right up till kick off. This seemed to affect both teams who found it difficult to get going. Hawcoat played to a simple and rugged game plan of mainly one out direct running while the Vandals tried to move the opposition around and give the ball before contact but at crucial times a knock on or misplaced pass halted the continuity and led to scoring opportunities being missed. Ed Mahon did open the scoring with a penalty on 4 minutes after good forward play but hit the post with a second and missed with a third in the next ten minutes to leave the score at 3-0. This is how it remained for the next twenty minutes as nether side managed to get on top of the other in a rather flat and error strewn arm wrestle. Perhaps Hawcoat are as concerned about the fear of promotion as we are, Riggers who was benching summed it up nicely when he commented that this match looked like it was going to be decided by who wanted it the least!
On the half hour mark and after a solid 10 minutes pressure down in the Fylde 22 Hawcoat were awarded a try in the corner, it may have been a deserved try but whether it was actually grounded was debatable. Nevertheless it was given and the visitors led 5-3. Back came the Vandals with a concerted ten minutes of pressure of their own, it looked like Hodgy had got the ball down from a 5 yard scrum only for the referee to judge he was held up and award an attacking penalty. Incensed by being robbed of the score the bandy legged bearded Fylde coast Casanova demanded the ball on the tap and forced his way over to leave the whistle blower with no choice but to award him the try he had denied him a minute earlier, Mahon converted and Fylde turned around 10-5 to the good.
The second half was pretty similar fare, neither team could pick the pace up long enough to get on top and impose themselves. The touchline monitor had a tough tactical decision trying to decide whether to bring Riggers on for Scotty or Andy T. In the end the dilemma was solved by Riggers pointing out he’d left his shirt in the changing room and Andy’s fitted him better so that was it, decision solved, meaning the small crowd of Vandalettes and those with hangovers needing fresh air (Clive) were treated to the sight of Andy’s ample frame trotting off the pitch shirtless showing all and sundry his best Charles Atlas poses reminiscent of Muscle Beach, Florida.
The midfield slug-fest continued until on 65 minutes Fylde managed to work their way into a scoring position. Nathan’s throwing in at the lineout was a dream all day as he hit Toddy at will and Vic was stealing a good share of the opposition ball at the front of the line. From a lineout 10 yards out Fylde got a rolling maul going which was heading for the try line at speed only to be pulled down a few yards short. Fair play to the referee for having no hesitation in awarding the penalty try, not many would at this level. Mahon converted and things were at last looking reasonably comfortable at 17-5. Gary Andrews came on for a longer spell than last week in the centre, Storey moved to the wing replacing McCartan and Andy Latus came on to the other wing for Sean T. Fylde had a few more scoring chances, Storey swept on a loose ball and made a 50 yard break but couldn’t find a supporting player and Scotty made a great break but with one man to beat threw the ball to a defender rather than one of his own team and the chance was lost, “ should have gone to spec savers” he was heard to mutter, no need just visit Mr Cottam in his professional capacity we say.
In the last ten minutes Hawcoat started to chance their arm and the game opened up as they threw the ball about and caution to the wind. Their young and speedy full back had been a menace all day and every time he got the ball in space he was a danger. With just two minutes left Hawcoat forced their way over close to the posts for a try, with time running out their kicker chose to take a rushed drop kick and missed the simple conversion leaving the score 17-10. This proved to be a godsend because straight from the kick off Hawcoat ran the ball back, the Vandals defence was disorganised and doglegged and the opposition broke through and scored again. Luckily the try was in the corner and with the last kick of the game falling short Fylde had sneaked it 17-15. Had the opposition kicker taken his time with the previous kick the match may well have been a draw and Fylde would have been kicking (or perhaps congratulating) themselves for throwing 2 points away.
With Kirkby conceding their home game to Wigan the latter move back into third behind Fylde, 8 points worse off with a game in hand. Hawcoat are now in fourth 9 points behind on the same amount of games and Furness 11 points back with a game in hand. Orrell made it 17 wins out of 18 and with two of those wins being conceded games they have scored 732 points at an average of 49 points a game and conceded just 69 at an average of less than 5 a game, those boys are definitely in the wrong division…but not for long. Worryingly, by my reckoning if we win our next 3 games and Wigan their next 4 we will meet in the last game 4 points ahead. Given the losing team gets a point for turning up it will not as we initially thought (hoped) be a potential winner takes all end of season finale, we might have already clinched second spot and sealed our fate! Remember when Sheffield United made a legal challenge to try and avoid relegation? Well it might be time for us to consult Messrs Bodgitt & Scarper Solicitors about lodging an appeal against promotion if the worst comes to the worst.
The Vandals have no league game now until the 9thApril when they play Blackburn at home but are at home on the 26thMarch to a touring team kick off at 1 o’clock.
Team: Scotty, Tittley, Andy T, Toddy, Vic Cottam, Steve James, Hodgy, Cardwell C, Townsend P, Townsend S, Mahon, Storey, Kerr, McCartan, Satch
Bench:Riggers, Andrews, Latus
