Clitheroe travelled down the well trodden M6 path to Warrington, home of Eagle RFC last Saturday looking to carry their encouraging pre season form into the new league fixtures.
How disappointing then to have all their hopes crushed by rampant Eagle XV, whose superior support play was the stand out feature of a bruising encounter.
Although Clitheroe still have a number of players still absent holidaying & cricketing, they were still able to raise, what on paper was a decent looking squad.
With the Club Captain away, lock forward Ross Chamberlain led the side for the first time. The pack had a settled look about it, so much so that returning second row cum flank forward Andrew Rigby had to be content with a place on the bench.
Chris Waddington, Dan Smith and Bicky Dickinson all made their first starts of the season in the back line.
A firm dry playing surface was perfect for running rugby, and the match started at a decent lick. Both sides sizing each other up for the opening period, probing for the openings.
And it was the home side that drew first blood scoring two tries in quick succession to give them a strong upper hand.
Clitheroe then suffered grievously, when influential flanker Richard Slinger had to leave the field with a groin strain. Alex Bolton went on to deputise on the side of the scrum.
Eagle nabbed a few more tries to seal the game up before the interval. But this seemed to spur the maroon and gold’s on and their best period of the game was directly before half time and the following twenty minutes afterwards.
A fine individual try from scrum half Smith, with Dickinson on hand with the extras, gave them some confidence going into the break.
Rigby came on at loose forward and with renewed vigour the visitors spent long chunks of the second half in opposition territory. But Eagle were resolute in defence and sniffed out any openings for a counter attack, which they capitalised on with aplomb; their red headed scrum half being the architect of all that was good and a thorn in Clitheroes’ side all afternoon.
For the second week on the trot Clitheroes fitness kept them competing till the end. But the support runners, off loading in the tackle and powerful running were the downfall for the plucky town team.
Eagle were worthy winners, no complaints from anyone associated with Clitheroe RUFC, but there is a lot more to come from this particular squad of proud players, who stood firm without dropping their heads.
The pressure now is unrelenting – the first home league game is this Saturday – Crosby St. Marys RFC are the visitors to Littlemoor [ko 3pm].
Hard work on the training paddock, correct attitude off the pitch and proper preparation, are instrumental in drawing out the positives from this game.