First of the New Year

To trot out and extend a well-worn football cliché, this really was a game of four quarters. Fresh from ample helpings of mince pies, chocolates, and turkey stuffing this was the first game of the new year, 365 days and 365 new opportunities and midway through the season with only 15 remaining fixtures to hone those skills. Our visitors today at Fortress Headland, Preston Grasshoppers are a good side and one of the harder games of the season.
The first 15 saw a brace of tries, one from either side. Preston had drilled hard pre-match and their ability with ball in hand soon became evident, keen to get it out wide to the speed merchants on the wings. Preston took most of the play in the first period, recycling the ball well and stretching their legs, and the Spitfire’s defence. By the second quarter Spitfires were down 3-1 but having run off all those mince pies and got the bit between their teeth that was soon pulled back to draw equal at 4-4. Throughout the second and third quarters the lads drove well in attack but all too often got caught out by a defensive line drawn into the breakdown leaving gaps out wide which Preston were only too happy to exploit.
The final quarter was telling however and (unusually) a few heads started to go down. In general, Spitfire’s were good at the breakdown and our rucking was strong aside for the usual issue of some lads not getting involved to win ball. The first game of the new year is always a tough match and, given the cancellations in fixtures and training pre-Christmas, the lack of game time and training started to show. In general terms however they fought hard and that Spitfire’s resilience was evident as always. A tough match against good opposition, but some good skills on show and the lads exited the field with the wrong result but their pride fully intact.
It was also great to see our new team members put in such a good shift with some excellent tackling and ball handling. A warm welcome and well played!
Onward to Rochdale next week and hopefully a few hours on the training ground beforehand.