The One Where Dan Did Everything

In blazing sunshine, Stockport 3's were again at home taking on local rivals Heaton Moor 2's in their 2nd league game of the season. Changes from the previous week saw both captain and vice captain Jim Finnigan and Daniel Cockersmith return to the team as well as a 3rd XV debut for Dan Duggan in the back row. The warm up perhaps reflected what was to come as a line out move resulted in back row Elliott Galloway managing to trip up No.8 Declan Mallon who was lucky not to suffer injury...............................yet!!

Coming off the back of a comprehensive victory the week before, complacency was always going to be Stockport's biggest enemy and so it prove with a lethargic start against 14 men who had come to prove a point. The game started as it would carry on with a string of penalties all across the field along with a plethora of handling errors as the home side tried to run before they could walk. All of this led to the script being re-written as it was the visitors who took the lead with a try in the corner giving them 5-0 lead. To their credit, this seemed to wake Stockport up a little and they showed some resolve with a try from wing Duncan Hedar converted by fly half Rick Morgan to establish a narrow 7-5 lead. With their tails now up, Stockport thought they had turned the tide however worse was to come when a probing kick through was chased by a number of people however the Moor player knocked on whilst diving to ground the ball. The referee saw this however also saw back row Tom Mounkley pulling the shirt of said player which led to a yellow card for Mounkley and a penalty try for Moor. This was compounded by the No.19 wearing Mounkley trying to convince the ref he was in fact wearing No.22!!! A water break then gave lock Mel McCaughey the opportunity to somehow make use of the word 'hyperbole' in a rugby speech which confused most if not all of the team who wouldn't be able to spell it let alone understand its meaning and with this the first half ended with the away side holding a slender 12-7 lead.

With some harsh half time words (and being grateful our coach was not watching), the 2nd half began with Stockport immediately on the attack and the introduction of Dan 'The Builder' Eccles saw an immediate uplift in effort as he crashed over from a quickly taken penalty, converted by Morgan giving the home side a 14-12 lead. Led by Eccles, Stockport then began to put some phases together and with the opposition wilting in the heat, back row Tom Renshaw managed to get over under the posts for another Morgan converted try taking it to 21-12 and a bit of breathing space. A serious lower leg injury to Mallon saw Dan The Builder now installed as line out thrower and further pressure from the home side saw Mounkley restore some credit after his earlier misdemeanour with his knowledge of the offside laws and the try line by grounding the ball when it was at the back of a Moor ruck which went unconverted. Dan The Builder was now on the wing but this didn't stop him imprinting himself on the game with another quickly taken penalty which led to a line out in the opposition 22. The ball had been lost in a hedge and despite numerous people being unable to find it, Dan The Builder disappeared and returned with said ball which he then threw in to prop Jack Booth who motored over the line for another Morgan improved try. With the game now over as a contest, replacement scrum half Will Trollope produced a moment of individual skill as he released full back Aaron Hussain with a lovely reverse flick pass and he ran the length of the field to score the final points.....I say final as he then missed the conversion which was directly in front of the posts leaving the score line 38-12 to the home side.

A tough game against a committed 14 players who made the short trip from Heaton Moor and put up a hell of a fight. Complacency and individual errors almost led to Stockport's downfall however the introduction of an effervescent Eccles, belaying his advancing years helped to get the home side back on the right track and the right side of the result. MOTM went deservedly to Eccles and DOTD went deservedly to the yellow carded Mounkley.

Next week sees the league leaders venture away from Headlands Road to take on Marple 2's