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West
Hartlepool 19 - 41 New Brighton
9th February 2002
By Colin Bentley
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Team
Sheet
:
West:
Walton, Thomas, Kerr, Thompson, Hodgson, Connolly [capt],
Tighe, Cholmondeley, Cullinane, Cook, Webb, Davies, Sawyer,
Baggs, Bennett. Replacements:
Wright, Masshedar, Rudd, Tones.
New
Brighton:15. Paul Brett, 14. Anthony Birley, 13.Emrys Evans, 12
.Steve O'Connor, 11. James Moore, 10.Riaz Fredericks, 9.
Christian Saverimutto, 1. Mark Dorrington, 2.Karl Davies, 3,
Gerallt Evans, 4. Paul Campbell, 5.Carl Turley, 6.Loa Tupou,
7. Jez Lamb, 8.Jon Sewell.
Replacements: 16. Adam Kettle, 17. Darren Davies, 18. Jay Stirrett, 19.Sam Cottrell
Report:
New Brighton made the long trip to Teeside on Saturday to comfortably
defeat West Hartlepool 19 – 41 in this National League
North 2 encounter. Despite a spirited performance from the
home team the Blues always had this game under control and
were worthy victors.
Carl Turley opened the scoring following a mighty effort from the Blues
pack with a push over try. Brett added the conversion. New
Brighton repeated the medicine on 15 minutes with another
push over score, this time going to Emrys Evans. Brett
reliably added the conversion.
Playing into the wind the Blues continued to dominate setting Steve
O’Connor up for a well taken try just five minutes later.
This time Brett failed with the extras.
West Hartlepool 0 – 19 on 20 minutes
The once mighty West Hartlepool have experienced a dramatic fall from the
The
once mighty West Hartlepool have experienced a dramatic fall from the heights in recent seasons, but they showed spirit and
resistance when Davy
Tighe fed Jamie Connolly from a penalty 25 metres out to
send Darren Thomas in for a score in the right hand corner.
Blues Tongan flanker Loa Toupou picked up his second yellow
card in two weeks to spend 10 minutes in the sin bin.
In
recent weeks the Blues have becoming accustomed to playing a
man short and made light work of the disadvantage to set
Anthony Birley up for a score out wide. Brett failed with
the extras. New Brighton improved West’s chances further
when James Moore was sent to the sin bin following a tackle
on Darren Thomas. Grabbing their opportunity West surged up
field for Michael Walton to score in the right hand corner.Walton
converted his try with a fine touchline kick across the wind
to complete the first half scoring.
Half-time West 12 New Brighton 24
With
the wind at their backs New Brighton held the whip hand and
converted their advantage with further tries from Evans,
O’Connor and Moore. Brett converting once. A fighting
effort from the Teesiders gave them the last word with Tim
Sawyer try converted by Walton
FINAL WEST 19 – 43 BLUES
CUP STORM
BREWING
The question on every ones lips after the Game on Saturday was not the
game with West Hartlepool, but the impossible position
awaiting New Brighton players who face two games in two days
next weekend following a mid week ruling from Cheshire RFU.
Re-arranged fixtures face New Brighton with 1st and 2nd XV
National League game against Morley and Otley next Saturday.
On their return to the Wirral the Blues must raise a team to
face Chester, in Sundays scheduled quarter final of the
Cheshire Senior Cup, just 24 hours after their league
exploits in Yorkshire.
Following an agreement made last summer with other Wirral clubs, New
Brighton made a policy decision not to run colts and junior
sides. Concentrating on their senior side was viewed as
supporting other clubs by allowing talented players to
register with other teams.
“In the past when New
Brighton ran lots of teams we could cope with the demands of
cup and league fixtures on the same weekend ” Said Blues Director of Rugby Mr. Alistair
Saverimutto. “Under
normal circumstances we have the playing staff to be able to
accommodate Cheshire Cup games, but next Saturday all our
playing staff are involved with two tough National League
games. Let’s not forget that, amongst others,
Alan Hesketh and Christian Jones were released by us to go
to Birkenhead Park, with Julian Williams, Richard Moore and
Steve Johnston going to Chester already this season.
In the last round of the cup New Brighton fielded a young second string
line up against Stockport and were able to scramble a narrow
victory. With all their players in action next Saturday this
option is not open to them.
Chester with a free weekend have no such problems but, as an ambitious
club realising the Blues problems have understandably
refused to switch to a midweek date. New Brighton chiefs
sought assistance from the Cheshire Cup Committee and were
told that the Cup game would have to be played on designated
Sunday.
Anxious to fulfil Cup and League commitments the Blues sought
clarification from the RFU on president and protocol. The
RFU confirmed that National League fixtures, even on
rearranged dates, take precedent over local cup
competitions. A further communication from reeds Lane to
Cheshire RFU Executive committee was sent last week
requesting the assistance of the Counties Senior Executives
to mediate. In the event the Cheshire Executive endorsed the
decision of the Cup Committee, effectively compelling the
Blues cup team to play two games in two days or scratch from
the competition
Despite their best endeavours for reason and compromise New Brighton
appear to have no option but to pick a cup team from the
same squad of players who will have played National League 1st
and 2nd XV Northern League fixtures just 24 hours
earlier. If they do go ahead with the fixture the Blues
could well be rounding up what fit players they have on
Sunday morning to field a cup team for the same afternoon.
“It really is a serious dilemma” added
Mr Saverimutto, “Why we can’t play the game under
lights midweek defies reason. We must fulfil our National
League fixtures. Our 1st XV game with Morley has
to be played and we can do nothing to risk our status in the
2nd XV League as it is imperative for the
development of our emerging players.
Blues front line management have maintained a dignified silence in the
face of this very difficult problem, but fans and supporters
are reported to be furious that their team are being treated
in this way. New Brighton Director Dave Wilcox said:
“I’m greatly saddened by
the intransigence of the Cheshire Executives. New Brighton
have made huge strides forward developing the quality of
Wirral and Cheshire rugby and fully supported the County,
not the least of which was our contribution of 9 from our
squad that helped Cheshire lift the County Championship
Trophy at Twickenham just two seasons ago.”
“ This really is a
shameful way to reward New Brighton’s effort. Serious
injury is more than likely should we field battered and
bruised players from games played just 24 hours before.
Common sense and fairness dictate that the game should be
played midweek under lights. The Cheshire committee stance
flies in the face of RFU dictate that players should have a
minimum of 48 hours between games and quite simply defies
reasoned logic.”
New Brighton players were asked for their views on the issue and they
wanted to play the game. “Having
a free day on Saturday certainly gives Chester a clear
advantage, but the lads want to play and we will see what
happens” said Mr Saverimutto.
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