The Cavaliers Wall is Breached.

The boys met up on a dreary cold wet winters day with high expectations. A strong squad was named welcoming a couple of new faces in the form of Barry Smith and the returning Steve Cally.

The pack was solid and the three quarters looked very promising. Having dispatched the strong TC outfit twice this year in close games this one was going to be a belter and it was.

TC were good enough to give some of their first teamers some game time to recover their match fitness so the scene was set.

Both sides worked hard in the opening exchanges . The TC pack had an edge at scrum time but round the park the cavaliers were slightly quicker and edgier at the breakdown. After a 15 minute arm wrestle TC were awarded and penalty and opted for three. The mighty maroons fought back and earned a shot at goal themselves. Steve Cally slotted the penalty to bring the game to all square.

Clitheroe had chances but could not quite capitalise and TC had a few strike runners who made good ground and played well together. As always Anthony and Sam were ferocious in defence and evergreen John Banks had a tremendous game in the loose.

Sadly eventually the wall was breached and the TC wing was able to burst through the defence and the outpace the cover defence to score extras added.

Again the cavaliers fought their way back into the game and began to gain ascendancy in the scrum with Danny Cowgill [pic] dominating the line outs. The pressure was certainly building on TC when they decided to play a little bit too much rugby in their own 22 and Sam forced the turnover and then scored only to see a bizarre double movement decision by the ref.

That turned out to be a crucial decision shortly before the half was called.

Clitheroe worked tirelessly in the second half for what would have been a well deserved equaliser but just could quite break down a well organised TC defence. Ultimately TC scored a second try in the dying minutes to seal the game. Special mentions to Barry White sorry Smith on his debut (in all forms of rugby it transpired at the age of 35). Steve Cally on an assured game at 10. All of the boys out their hands up in defence but Sam and Anthony were exceptional and of course unofficial man of the match John Banks for being a General nuisance.

Its great to see a cavalier squad being disappointed to lose a game to such a decent opposition side but sadly next week under captain Kirk its time to start rebuilding the wall.

Report from WRJ