Clitheroe Squander It

Clitheroe 1st XV took to the road and headed to Warrington with a strong squad and feeling confident and after some recent good performances, they were looking for a win. Their hosts Eagle had recently regained the winning thread with a good performance against Ashton the week before.
After many a week of getting bogged down in the mud, Clitheroe had the pleasure of a flat wide dry pitch in Warrington and clearly the squad relished it. Backs and forwards combined to place their hosts under pressure, with their only response to that pressure being the chip over clearing kick. Full back Fitzhenry returned these with interest, charging back into the Eagle half ably supported by his wingers, Beery & Waterworth who enjoyed the spring-like conditions and they plenty of early ball with which they stretched the Eagle defence with their pace.
Up front the likes of Rigby, Hough, Graves & Atkinson made a near permanent ?????? of themselves in the ruck and run game Clitheroe had gone to war with. With Clitheroe clearly in the ascendancy it was only a matter of time before a scoring opportunity came the Maroon & Gold way. Under pressure Eagle conceded a penalty, the conversion attempt just sailing wide of the posts, Eagle restarted from the 22 metre line and again it was Fitzhenry who charged the ball back up the pitch, the recycling back row trio ensured the ball came back on the attack side. Prop forward Atkinson rampaged up the pitch and gained great yards, Edmondson in support provided the secure bridge for Dam Smith to slip it out to Watson at stand-off who delivered a pitch perfect pass to the hard running Chris 'Wadders' Waddington [pictured] at centre. He crash through 3 would be tacklers to score near the posts and Clitheroe were in the lead.
They did not let up with this score and again attacked the Eagle half with a series of hard runs – Peel looking sharp in the backline and again Atkinson proving to be a real handful for the Eagle defence. However, it was Eagle who scored next, a raking kick from a penalty gave them a good attacking lineout and to be frank – the Clitheroe forwards we caught flat footed in defence and Eagle scored in the corner, conversion missed meaning Clitheroe retained a slender lead at 5 – 7. Eagle had weathered the Clitheroe storm and having scored they looked less shell shocked and more sharp. A kickable penalty was conceded by the Clitheroe forwards and Eagle took it well to move into a marginal lead at half time of 8 – 7.
At half time the skipper called for a high level of discipline and the continued barrage of the first 30 minutes. Clitheroe looked at every opportunity to run the ball and at times really threatened the Eagle line. Notable pressure at scrum time from the wily trio of flankers Rigby & Chamberlain and scrum half Dan Smith gave them opportunities to attack, but to no reward. By this time Penny had been replaced by Holmes at hooker and a prop swap of Graves for Smith had also taken place. Meanwhile in the back line Keogh had come on at full back and bullocked his way up the pitch, returning the ball with interest as Eagle teased kicks over the Clitheroe backline.
As the game progressed Eagle ran more and more ball in the typical style of a rugby union team deep in a rugby league area and from this the gained just reward, scoring two tries and converting one of them to run out winners 20 – 7.
Clitheroe can rue missed chances for that elusive win and will no doubt look forward to the reply at Littlemoor in a three weeks time. Next week Clitheroe entertain Chorley at Littlemoor looking to avenge an away defeat earlier in the season. While the 2nd XV get back to league action with the short trip to Colne & Nelson in what will be the usual tightly fought derby match.

by O.McE.