22nd September 2012

On a rather surprisingly warm Saturday afternoon, the energy in the Congleton first team was higher than ever. Throughout the week, the response the captain had received from the players was unanimous. Congleton were fired up for a win. This was unsurprising, considering the current team is probably the strongest side on the pitch for a few seasons, combined with the frustration of the unfair result from the previous week.
As the game kicked off both teams were worryingly quiet, although things soon picked up. Play was flowing well from both teams, but Congleton seemed the stronger side, as much of the first 10 minutes was played in Helsby’s half. A few good rooks and some clever hands from the backs found Congleton putting the pressure on the visitors and mistakes being made by Helsby in their own 22 led to penalties and a few Congleton scrums. At first the two opposite packs seemed reasonably matched, but after scrum being awarded to Congleton 5 metres from the try line, there was only one direction it was going, and that was over the line. Helsby’s pack were dominated as Luc Davenport, who was playing the position of Number 8 for the first time, dropped on the ball and got us the crucial first 5 points on the board.
Play restarted rather similar, with Congleton chipping away at the Helsby defense, which took some beating. The opposition’s forwards were well drilled and aggressive at the rooks and mauls, but Congleton eventually broke through and after another fantastic Congleton scrum, the ball was taken over the line to take the lead up to 10 points. Unfortunately, after the second try, one of Helsby’s props was taken off injured, and with no replacement, we were forced to go uncontested. With this change to the game, Helsby again picked up the pace, and used this to their advantage, their big Number 8 picking up and crashing through the wall. But Congleton proved solid and worked well as a team to keep the opposition from scoring.
Towards the end of the first half, being two tries down, Helsby’s Moral was slipping and they began to spread the blame between their own ranks, but the start of the second half saw Helsby’s composure return, and after a few replacements up front, started to throw themselves at the Congleton defense. Congleton held up well against the onslaught, Andy Watt being the usual brick wall, and newcomer Tom Williams displaying his now trademark demon tackling, gaining him a deserved Man of the Match
With Helsby tiring and losing their heads, Congleton were able to release the full devastating potential of the backs, Ed Williams having another stormer of a game at full-back, making a couple of try saving tackles and using fancy footwork to skin the opposition for a world class try. Some good kicks to touch from the fly half gave us the essential yards we needed for Kyle Ridgeway to score a converted try on his return to the Bears, and a text book move of powerful phases in the forwards followed by great hands by the backs saw Tom Wakefield score the final try of the game, finishing it off at a well deserved 27 points for Congleton.