The local Derby game

It’s always been the big one, against Stockport, for this age group. Even when the lads played at U7 level it was always the fixture they looked for – maybe because a lot of the guys knew each other from school. Even though we would look for the game, it didn’t stop us losing the games! The first game of the session is always the one to study …. and we lost em all! U7 – right through to U10.
Back in May 10 at the Scarborough festival, we drew 0-0 in a cracking game and Manchester had every reason to feel they should have won that game, from a pressure point of view – but fair go to the Stockport lads, their record was intact.

Following the fantastic result in the Lancashire Cup the previous week, spirits were high and expectation equally so as the U11’s took to the field against Stockport. The importance of the game was reflected in our choice of ref – Mark was clearly up for it too!

Right from the off the Manchester forwards pressed towards the Stockport line, keeping the ball in the ruck / loose and not allowing Stockport to move the ball along their back line. On the few occasions Stockport got free of the forwards, good tackling in the back line saved the day. We did give unnecessary penalties away, though – tackler not rolling away, and the old one of ‘hands in the ruck’. HT 0-0, and the hard game which was promised was being delivered. The second half saw more of the same, but Manchester were getting closer, and Ciaran though he’d scored when he was brought down just short of the line, but managed to stretch out and put the ball over the line. Eagle eyed ref, Mark, spotted the double movement, and Stockport were able to clear. It was getting to the point were us spectators were thinking ‘Stockport are going to nick this’, when the pressure finally told. A line out to Manchester was smuggled up to the line, and all the pack were into the ruck. Max emerged with the ball, and almost in the act of putting it over the line, had it ripped from him. Unfortunately for the Stockport lad, he dropped it, and Ciaran was on hand to get the score he had been denied minutes earlier. Pat added the extra’s. Now would be the telling part of the game. Not only were we in front to Stockport, in the main match, but we had to close it out. Stockport certainly sensed the urgency and were getting more and more ball out to their backs. Standing on the sidelines it felt like the Manchester forwards could hold the Stockport forwards, but we weren’t sure about the backs as they hadn’t had to do that much. As it turned out the lads at the back stepped up and made all their tackles. There were no scary moments, and the game finished inside the Stockport half with Manchester starting to press again.
I hope somebody told Elliot !!