Re: NW Mens League Division 5 : Tue Jun 26, 2012 9:51 am  

Enjoying it here also! Very topsy-turvy, one week we've got 40+ lads and are fielding 2 sides, the next week we're struggling for 17. All down to work, injuries and holidays.

Culcheth topping the table, but I've personally felt other sides were stronger. Certainly a competitive division, I think Ashton's loss at Little Hulton is the only blow-out score so far? We let ourselves down badly with 2 very poor performances (I didn't play in either ), but turned it around well with a good win at Crosfields last week.

Gutted about the weekend - we had a cracking double-header lined up: Broncos A vs Hindley B followed by Broncos 1sts vs Hindley A. Hindley B pulled out on Thursday and we couldn't find a replacement, and then our pitch was waterlogged (literally had ducks on it when I went to check!) and Hindley's were also underwater so we couldn't switch. Managed to get about 20 lads down for a run out and took it out on each other instead.

Our division seems pretty good for fixture completion, but the summer leagues were always going to take take to settle in.

Re: NW Mens League Division 5 : Thu Jun 28, 2012 8:57 pm  

Cronus wrote:

Our division seems pretty good for fixture completion

And as soon as I say that Ashton A have conceded, can't raise a side.

Think we're looking for another opponent but it's getting a bit late...

Re: NW Mens League Division 5 : Fri Jun 29, 2012 12:51 pm  

Cronus wrote:

And as soon as I say that Ashton A have conceded, can't raise a side.
Think we're looking for another opponent but it's getting a bit late...

Ashton A have been playing summer/winter rugby now for over 2 years so its perhaps not surprising the lads are tired & probably a bit bored with the constant train/play scenario. This weekend there's 16 lads not available leaving 10 confirmed, so not much choice really. Seems to be a similar story around other clubs as well. Due to a freak run of injuries in the 1st team, 5 key players have been in that team since October and although replacing them has been a challenge, we're getting there. Numbers are actually very healthy just coincidental everything's seemed to fall on one weekend. We wont be playing next week either because we've got a massive club fund raising day and the flexibility in rearranging fixtures hasn't been as forthcoming as we were led to believe & thought we'd agreed before the season started. We'll be more than ready for 14th, we've got Fitton Hill I think.
As a club we took the view that this 1st summer season would be a real mess through the leagues and so its proving to be but it'll hopefully settle down next year. For us we'll have a very good group of 18's moving up with another good set following on from them. Add to that we've just got a massive grant for renovation work on the clubhouse & changing rooms and another one hopefully not far away for pitch remediation, floodlight pitch and training area, we're not too despondent about missing a few A team fixtures this early in the piece.

Re: NW Mens League Division 5 : Fri Jun 29, 2012 1:22 pm  

Morning Glory wrote:

Ashton A have been playing summer/winter rugby now for over 2 years so its perhaps not surprising the lads are tired & probably a bit bored with the constant train/play scenario. This weekend there's 16 lads not available leaving 10 confirmed, so not much choice really. Seems to be a similar story around other clubs as well. Due to a freak run of injuries in the 1st team, 5 key players have been in that team since October and although replacing them has been a challenge, we're getting there. Numbers are actually very healthy just coincidental everything's seemed to fall on one weekend. We wont be playing next week either because we've got a massive club fund raising day and the flexibility in rearranging fixtures hasn't been as forthcoming as we were led to believe & thought we'd agreed before the season started. We'll be more than ready for 14th, we've got Fitton Hill I think.
As a club we took the view that this 1st summer season would be a real mess through the leagues and so its proving to be but it'll hopefully settle down next year. For us we'll have a very good group of 18's moving up with another good set following on from them. Add to that we've just got a massive grant for renovation work on the clubhouse & changing rooms and another one hopefully not far away for pitch remediation, floodlight pitch and training area, we're not too despondent about missing a few A team fixtures this early in the piece.

Not having a go mate, completely understand and it was good of you to let us know early - at the end of the day we're all amateurs and injuries, work, holidays, etc can't be helped and all take priority.

We were in a similar place last summer - a few years non-stop winter & summer had taken its toll and we were more than ready for a rest, having the winter off was a god-send!

Looks like we've a game up at Burnley & Pendle now, but from having 40-odd lads available last week we're down to probably 18. Half of our pack seem to work one-on, one-off Saturdays in sync with each other, and it doesn't help that several are going to the Stone Roses gig at Heaton Park!!

Re: NW Mens League Division 5 : Fri Jun 29, 2012 1:40 pm  

Looks like alot of teams in the summer league are having the same problems. Always 10 times harder for a 2nd team to put the same side out everyweek, but i think even most 1st team are having the same probs and this is why some 2nds team are struggling.
Was always going to be hard in the first summer season, also heard a few summer teams are pulling out and going to winter not sure if its true or who the teams are.
We have been lucky this season at LH we have had good numbers well apart from the culcheth game at the start of the season, we have had a srtong team week in and week out but the last 2 weeks have been hard for us, lost 4 players out to the Hindley game with bad injuries, we had a mix team last week against ashton but a massive game and test for us tomorrow at woolston. Cant wait

Re: NW Mens League Division 5 : Fri Jun 29, 2012 6:45 pm  

Cronus: Didn't take it as having a go mate, I know its frustrating when teams concede so wanted to give you and everyone the full picture.

Should be a decent game up at Pendle, we always enjoyed going up there in the old summer league. Brian Foleys been doing a great job up there and really had his lads well drilled last season, good set of lads to if he's kept them together.

LHreds: We were gutted we couldn't bring a stronger team to you last week because your another team we've always had good games with. We played you in our very 1st ever summer game a couple of years ago and the lads always remember that.

There's a few summer teams struggling and some big names too. Golborne have sadly gone back to winter and there's rumours theres another premier league team giving it strong consideration.

FWIW I think Woolston will win this league again, good team. But keep an eye on Portico, now their new signings have settled they'll be difficult to beat.

Re: NW Mens League Division 5 : Mon Jul 02, 2012 10:43 am  

Well our A team travelled up to Burnley & Pendle for a hastily arranged fixture and won 26-22 (I think). With the late change we ended up with a healthy mix of 1sts and A players. I've got an ear infection so didn't play and spent the day shopping & in the garden. Yay.

Seems we were never in real risk of losing and went ahead about 26-10 before letting B & P back in at the death with a few late tries. Apparently the ref told our club sec he stopped penalising them after about an hour to make it more interesting!!

Always good to get a win.

Re: NW Mens League Division 5 : Fri Jul 06, 2012 2:00 pm  

So how's everyone looking for tomorrow with the great British summer piddling down?

Our game vs Wigan Bulldogs has apparently been switched to Wigan. Anyone know how pitches are bearing up over that way?

Re: NW Mens League Division 5 : Fri Jul 06, 2012 2:49 pm  

Crosfields 'A' v Culcheth Eagles due to be played tonight will be off, Waterlogged Pitches

Re: NW Mens League Division 5 : Sat Jul 07, 2012 9:19 pm  

Wigan Bulldogs 14 - 22 Bury Broncos
(game switched to Wigan)

First time we've beaten the Bulldogs since we both played our first league games in 2008. Went with a decent squad and were probably the better team throughout. Some stupid decisions nearly cost us very dearly - players flying out the line, trying to go wide & getting put into touch, forcing the pass - but we held on. Our defence was awesome at times and we were never behind on the scoreboard, just need to be more intelligent with the ball in hand.

As always, a close game against the Bulldogs, played in good spirit. Their 9 and 7 were dangerous off the scoot.