Eagle Swoop on Maroons

Clitheroe’s opening fixture of this seasons league campaign was in some respects a carbon copy of the previous season; same venue, same opposition and same outcome.

On the surface it would seem unsatisfactory, and although a reverse is nothing to shout about, the team came away from Warrington with more positives in the bank than they otherwise may have thought earlier in the day.
With the usual absentees cricketing and otherwise engaged, there was a late scramble to pull the team together. In came Tom Hardman and Pete Farnsworth into the pack and veteran Simon Gretton onto the wing.
In for his 1st XV debut was wing man Michael McBurney[pic] and returning to the maroon and gold colours after a long absence was prop Will Jones.
With a number of positional switches between the forwards and backs, it would be fair to say the team took to the field with some uneasiness in just how the team would function as whole.

In general their fears proved unfounded.

McBurney very nearly had a dream debut – a long kick and chase saw the odd shaped ball just bounce out of his grasp with the line at his mercy. Even more so when stand in stand off Darren Eagle shimmied his way over after just five minutes to open Clitheroe’s account. Greg Birch was on hand with the extras and suddenly the confidence was up.
The lead was short lived; when the home scrum half spotted an under populated blind side, he sent the winger scooting over for a well worked try. The conversion levelled the scores.

Clitheroe attacked again and forced a scrum in the Eagle twenty-two. This time it was Clitheroe’s eager beaver scrum half, Captain Nathan Peel who burrowed his way over to regain the lead for his team.

This was turning into a great game of attacking rugby from both sides.

With half time approaching an Eagle attack was launched down the left wing, the cover was across to snuff it out but in the scramble a penalty was conceded. Quick as a flash the Eagle scrum half was on it – a tap to himself and he was over for an easy score to level up the scores at the interval.

More of the same were the instructions at the break. Unfortunately the home team had not read the script, and within two minutes of the restart had scored another try.

Clitheroe then had what could best be described as a ‘wobble’. A careless yellow card put them down to 14 men, but luckily the ref kindly put an Eagle player in ‘the bin’ also shortly afterwards.
Eagle then hit a purple patch scoring two more tries in quick succession. But creditably, the Littlemoor men could have crumbled at this juncture. Instead they played some of their best rugby of the game.
Some exhilarating running from deep, coupled with some top drawer support play between forwards and backs alike was a sight that would gladden the heart of any onlooker. In fact with half the team seemingly made up of back row players, it was probably no surprise that Clitheroe got their off loading game going so well at times.

Loose forwards Luke Hayton and Jacob Shorrock were well to the fore, along with Sam Thornber and the ever reliable Chris Waddington.
In fact it was Waddington who was on the end of a handsome move that brought Clitheroe’s third try. Starting from the half way line the ball passed through half a dozen pair of hands before the final touch down.
Eagle not to be outdone nabbed another for themselves, but in the dying embers of the game Clitheroe were still attacking. Another raid on the Eagle line saw the ball spill free and dribble over the line, as everyone paused waiting for the referees whistle that never came, old head Andrew Rigby pounced to claim the try. Play to the whistle, as they say. Birch was on hand again with the extras at the final whistle.

In the final shake down, Eagle were the better side, and were well marshalled by their quality number 9, but Clitheroe must not be dispirited. Four tries and a bonus point was the least they deserved.
There is more to come from this Clitheroe team, a lot more.