A wet Saturday and the team raring to go after a cried off match the week before. Congleton are once more away vs Bury. A long drive and torrential rain do nothing to dampen the spirits, as a strong team arrive and take to the field. A mix of youth and experience fills the field and Bury kick off. Game on. Immediately debutant Sherratt takes a difficult high ball and thunders into the oncoming pack, the forward pack follows in and the game truly commences. Congleton taking short pick and drives moving slowly toward the Bury half. Craft and C Hodson smashing the ball up like twin pistons driving through the defence. The ball is turned over and it’s Congleton’s time to defend. Davies and Dolman-Bailey throwing their bodies on to the line, making tackle after tackle, the back row hurling themselves into rucks looking for the turnover. Bury get closer and closer, Congleton indiscipline caught on the wrong side of the ruck. Bury take the penalty at goal. Bury 3 – Congleton 0

Congleton kick off and Bury knock on from the catch. Scrum time. Congleton’s scrum drives over Bury and the scrum collapses. Disaster. Congleton’s powerhouse hooker has allegedly been eye gouged and takes exception to it. After a brief interlude both players are dismissed from the field and a game of 14s will ensue. Bury kick the penalty deep into the Congleton half, they win the lineout and again start to throw in the heavy runners to attack the line. A spirited Congleton defence holds, huge hits fly in from the likes of Noone and McNicholas, driving the attack backwards. Another penalty, Bury concede that they can’t breach the defence and kick for goal. Bury 6 – Congleton 0.

Congleton kick again and Thornecroft and Holbrook hit high and low together but the ball still gets back their way. Once again battle commences and Bury throw all they have at Congleton, Lovatt on debut shows transferring from football was a good choice as he hurls himself into tackles preventing the overlap. Congleton turn over and J.Hodson works well with Coombs to find space and tear the Bury defence apart. Lamb smashes the ball up pulling in three tacklers to bring him down and the ball is recycled. A chip over from Milne sees Bury scramble, the bounce favours them and they get a drop out. Coombs bring the attack back and once more plays the kicking game, Bury regather and start charging into Congleton like a wounded animal. Their efforts redoubled and with nearly a half gone Congleton are tiring. Bury exploit a half gap, Congleton scramble to defend, desperate hits come in but to no avail. Bury cross the line for the try. Conversion is good. Half time Bury 13 – Congleton 0.

After a rousing half time talk and oranges clearly laced with pure energy Congleton retake the pitch as a team possessed. A big hit from the kick off by Tideswell driving Bury back, they look in shock Congleton's efforts re-doubled. The hits are harder, the runs are more direct with more intent. Congleton knock on. The momentum looks to change. It doesn’t. Congleton’s front row of Lamb, N.Hodson and Ridgeway show their talent as the Bury scrum runs backwards and crumbles. Davenport picks up and bounces off one player and is brought down by two offloads in the tackle to Jacob who streaks up past half way. The ruck over is fast and Congleton’s forward pods get to work with Noone carrying hard and breaking the gain line. Davenport streaks in again and is driven through a gap by Craft and Tideswell who quickly clear out. Milne flicks the ball out to Dolman-Bailey then out to Davies he steps round two and gets the ball to Coombs. Another tackle broken, the centres clear out. In enters the man of the moment, Thornecroft sprinting through with the grace and power of the bear on his shirt. He streaks over the line to ground a try in the corner. Milne steps up to the plate and converts. Bury 13 – Congleton 7.

Bury kick off to Congleton, their heads up they attack once more. Bury are being stretched, ten minutes to go and Congleton are battling like wild animals hurtling themselves in without any care for self-preservation. Addlington on debut takes the ball around the wing and breaks a tackle but is brought down by the fullback. Congleton clear out and the bludgeoning attack continues. Bury's defence holds, Congleton are desperate and J.Hodson puts a box kick over the top. Addlington and Holbrook chase and tackle the catcher, it’s nearly turned over but somehow Bury retain the ball. They batter Congleton. They find a gap and break through Sherratt takes down the runner with a huge hit and he knocks on. Last play, last hope. Congleton scrum. The scrum is good but the ball gets caught up in the front row. It bounces back and Congleton drive for it, the scrum goes down. It’s over. The referee penalises Congleton. Bury kick into touch. Bury 13 – Congleton 7.

The final twist as Congleton discover that without their knowledge, there had been a league change. They played the 2nd team, as the 3rd team have dropped down a level. Congleton walk away with their heads held high. The attitude of the team is fantastic and the atmosphere electric. Onwards to next week for the first home game!