2's do the Double over TC

A highly anticipated second away visit to Thornton Cleveleys in only a few weeks this time in the Robinsons Brewery Shield lived up to everything that the first encounter had to offer.

After a blistering end to end start 5 mins on the board Anthony Gudgeon collected a lovely little back handed offload from Sam White, lit the afterburners from the maroon 22 to score in the corner no extras added.
A few moments later not to be out done White linked beautifully with his brother Connor White playing his first game at 9 in maroon and gold to score in the other corner again no extras.
TC rallied scoring two tries from simple handling errors no extras added all square 10 - 10.

After some end to end stuff with maroons dominating the set piece with a solid pack performance, a few trademark 'pick an goes' from the club stalwart Andrew 'tubber' Thornber had to retire injured after his bicep took the brunt of a heavy collision.

On came the heavy weight Richard Murray fighting fit, though clutching a dodgy looking doctors note. Needless to say the next few scrums were to set the tone for a miserable day at the coalface for the TC pack. Next to succumb was Martin 'teflon' O'Connor whose ankle gave out after proving his worth tackling everything that moved. Richard Thornber joined the fray in his place.

Clitheroe saw out the half camped inside their own half under repeated pressure but no score he half was blown and the marroons breathed again.
Stern words were had in the huddle and Clitheroe came out swinging with some slick off loads between Simon Cowgil and the centres. White and Gudgeon made good yardage and White jnr was like a Jack Russel around the fringes.

After a slightly dodgy looking kick White the elder pulled up with a tweaked hammy. The enforced changes saw the ever youthful Pund Procter in to the front row, Ben Graves who carried well all day, drop to eight and Marttin Lafrancheschina slip to centres.
Meanwhile young George Hamlett in his second outing made way for new boy Matt Probart in at 10; his first contribution - a penalty just outside the TC - 22 slotting it smoothly inside the left upright.

Now was Gudgeon's turn for a tweaked hammy which brought a taped up White back on.

Clitheroe were still dominant in the heavy work suddenly skipper Kirk Kenyon [pictured relaxing] found himself in the fat lad channel smashing into the TC defence. After making a whole 10 yards, a quick recycle pick an go saw Kino who had stints at 8, 10 and 12, burst through and shocked everyone by actually passing to White Snr screaming on his outside. Operating on only 1 and a half hammys easily scampered past the TC full back to touch down under the posts. Probartt added the extras.
From the restart the maroons forgot to ruck TC picked and went scoring twice extras added the score now 24-20 in home sides favour.

So with 10 mins to go Citheroe regrouped. The cogs turned & the forwards grunted back to life again rolling up the pitch. Another quick change saw Hamlett back on to finish out the game.
A sneaky rip saw fresh off his birthday celebrations, the one and only happy Peter Farnsworth in space on half way. The TC full back, slight in statue, approached. And whether happy Pete ran out of breath, or was scared by the oncoming short lad , passed beautifully to the TC skipper who was tracking back.
The resulting ruck saw the maroons win the penalty. Probart, cool as you like, tapped and put in a beautiful crossfield kick. Poor Nobbs Thornber was unsure if to catch or drop it (did a bit of both). He then handed off a blowing TC forward and crashed over in the corner. No extras & just 2 mins on the clock. A hundred scrums later and defending like demons TC knocked on bringing the well needed full time whistle.
KK's men managed to smuggle the victory so now the last 16 awaits with Ashton Under Lyne 2's on the 1st December

Report by KK