Things not quite going right at Fleetwood

Having won 4 on the bounce, including a Cup tie and one or two league highfliers, Clitheroe 1st XV travelled to Fleetwood with a degree of confidence – yet knowing their home record is formidable this season. It was a traditional rugby day with a strong wind, intermittent heavy rain and a chill in the air – but the pitch was in good condition considering the recent weather.
Clitheroe took the advantage of the wind in the first half and looked to press this advantage in the first 40 minutes. However, Fleetwood came out of the traps firing and barrelled up the pitch after a spilt ball in the centres with a hack through. They recycled the ball inside the Clitheroe 22 metre area and kept driving the ball into the danger zone, then darted over the try line to open the scoring 7 – 0 to the hosts. Clitheroe took the re-start and powered into the Fleetwood half, while pushing up the pitch there was an unsubtle attempt to drag Ben Rigby at scrumhalf into the ruck which resulted in a long range penalty attempt for Lafranceschina, which he duly took to claw 3 points of the deficit back. Now feeling more settled, the Maroon & Gold looked build on the score – the opportunity for this came a few minutes later when Cowgill won a good turnover ball, the backline struck quickly and decisively as the ball spun to Watson at 10 and on to Peel at inside centre, using his trademark darting run to get in close, it was then Lafranceschina who burst into the line and hauled himself over the line to ground the ball with 3 Fleetwood players hanging on in vain, he also took the conversion to give Clitheroe a 7 – 10 lead. Fleetwood were not done and just before half time Clitheroe were judged to have held on just too long in a defensive tackle and were punished with a penalty in front of the posts which levelled the scores as the half time whistle went at 10 all.
At half time Waddington, having made many big aggressive tackles in the midfield, left the pitch with a dead-leg to be replaced by Bartle. The match was developing into a tight affair and was always going to be decided with a touch of luck to either team. Clitheroe pressed on many occasions, with the Thornber triumberate of brothers Andrew & Mick and cousin Ed showing up well in the loose helping to win turnover ball and secure Clitheroe ball, especially when combining with the props Smith and Edmondson who were charging up tight ball and solid in the tackle. Pushing into the Fleetwood half it was a searing Peel run after a great feed from Watson which was taken on by Ralph Rigby who slipped it nicely to Redfearn with delicate hands. Unfortunately Redfearn could not hold the ball and the move broke down with the try line seemingly at his mercy. It was just one of many moves by the Maroon & Gold which the final pass just would not go to hand when the Fleetwood line was begging.
Fleetwood took a penalty to move on to 13 -10, before Lafranceschina levelled again at 13 all as the match entered into the final 15 minutes. Clitheroe were judged to have been off-side in defence and this gave Fleetwood an easy penalty kick to take a narrow 16 – 13 lead into the final 3 minutes. Clitheroe had their chances to take the game, with Gretton looking to dart in up the blind side from long-range only to be called back by the referee and Bartle making good ground with his trademark direct, jinking destructive runs so appreciated by the back row who know exactly where he is going to support him. The more Clitheroe pushed to win the game the more likely it was Fleetwood could counter attack and they duly did after a chip kick was charged down and their full back ran nearly the length of the pitch to score, then from the re-start Clitheroe scrambled to gain the ball and let Fleetwood through again to score wit the final play of the game, with the final score of 28 – 13 not reflecting the even nature of the game. It was a match which could have gone either way right up until the final couple of minutes and while Clitheroe played hard and well, it was Fleetwood who took the spoils.
Next week Clitheroe entertain Littleborough 2nd Team in what will be only their 5th home match of the season while Clitheroe 2nd Team travel to Chorley looking to build on their excellent performance against Blackpool last week.