3rds maintain winning start to the season.

Any team aspiring to compete in the Miller Homes League 5 South  (more than a mouthful, eh, Tripod?) will need to perform well against today’s visitors to Green Lane, Old Aldwinians. It’s within the reach of recent memory that Aldwinians won the Intermediate Cup at Twickenham, and many of those cup-winning players still turn out in the red and white hoops. Our very own Phil Butcher enjoyed a season or two playing in Audenshaw before joining the Moor. The fixture was therefore always looking like a tough one, and that was the case today.

Moor took the field with confidence, buoyed by a win against local rivals, Burnage, on the opening day of the season. The home side looked to have a speedy set of backs, and the game plan was to release them at the earliest opportunity. A makeshift pack was charged with the responsibility of gaining clean, fast ball so that the backs could take on Aldwinians.

Moor welcomed Chris Owen back into the front row and he played through the pain barrier for his team, ably assisted by the courageous Mike Ireland and dependable ‘Ziggy’ Bowers in the front row. They gelled in the first half with Jon ‘Spike’ Kaye and Steve ‘Fullback’ Charlesworth in the second row to give a solid front five platform.  It looked like a classic case of Aldwinians forwards versus Moor backs for the match, but the Moor forwards wanted a say in that prediction.

The front 8 were magnificent. They battled for every ball, forcing many turnovers through pressure and desire, particularly the ubiquitous Silva, who was to prove a thorn in the side of the visitors, turning over ball in the loose almost at will, until forced to the sideline by injury (and boy, did we miss him in the last 20 minutes!).

Chris Owen played like a man possessed – hitting every ruck, accumulating a respectable tackle count, and becoming a ball carrier on many occasions, despite being punched in the face and generally manhandled all afternoon. Jon ‘Spike’ Kaye was revelling in the freedom of not being tied up in the front row and made many telling tackles around the defensive fringes, resulting in more turnover ball for the Moor backs to exploit, he now needs to get the ball in hand more frequently as he is a difficult man to stop in attack.

Chris ‘Pimp My Ride Cabriolet’ Sutton on the left wing looked across at his opposite number – an original Model T Ford, and immediately fancied his chances. Deft handling released the Nitrous Oxide Sutton and he roadrunnered past the Aldwinians Wily Coyote at will. It was immediately apparent that Moor had the beating of the visitors wide out. Wily Coyote was transferred to the centre to negate the Roadrunner threat, but he was then taken to the cleaners by Phil Thomas and Grimbo in the centre. A word about Thomas – he hasn’t changed shape, the belief is still there, his first tackle was a ‘don’t try it down my channel or else’ marker, he takes responsibility for the ball and will devastate sides at this level, once he learns to manage his delicate toenail condition. The ref made a point of asking me after the game… “Who was the little, round lad in the centre? He couldn’t half shift!”

Reedy… how many beers on a Friday night? Steve is the bravest ball carrying winger I’ve ever seen – he’s fearless, but often takes the ball into contact when he doesn’t need to – Piss Poor Perks had the same problem. Get down to training and we will rebuild you, Steve!

Steve ‘SAS’ Darwin had gone about his covert business all afternoon – he must have crystal balls to predict where the play will end up, because he always seems to be there! He released Flight Officer Heath having gathered a poor clearing kick from Aldwinians and the said officer released his Cabriolet to score in the corner.

Some cracking handling, all instrumented by Flight Officer Heath (der puppetmeister) pulling the strings at 10, resulted in belting first half tries for Cabriolet, Thomas and Oggie. Spike Kaye benefited from his own quick thinking to take a tap penalty from 10 metres out, and no-one was going to stop him. Jaz had obviously lent his kicking boots to Maz, so Phil ‘Boom Box’ Thomas was required to convert his own try, losing a ball in the allotments in so doing. Moor had the complete run of the first half and went to oranges 22-3 in the lead.

The magnanimous Moor skipper decided to make many changes at half time to give committed lads a game, a decision that nearly came back to haunt him. Jaz took over the reins to excellent effect, but the Aldwinians pack started to dominate. Oggie proved that he is a leader as well as a damn fine player by taking over his skipper’s reins in the second half and running the back line to good effect. Notably, Oggie has learnt how to tackle, and his quick pressure resulted in the visitors’ backs receiving ball under pressure throughout the half; but for the immense efforts of his forwards, Oggie would have been a stand-out candidate for man-on-the-match. Owen, Silva and Kaye were immense in defence, and the willing Ireland made a nuisance of himself. Colt Luke Whitehurst took the field in the full back position and made some excellent runs, turning defence into attack, before joining the forwards as a flanker – he had an excellent debut and will become a great player for the club in future years, hardly putting a foot wrong and showing he can compete with the big boys.

A special mention for Charlie – he fronted up in the second row, returned to his more familiar Full Back position, and played the match our without a murmur of discontent – a true club man, willing to play any given part for the cause.

The final 20 minutes were nail-biters as Moor tired and the Winnies pack began to dominate. The home side, led by vice captain Jaz who exemplified commitment,  put up a defensive shield and made it clear to the visitors that there would be no easy passage. The lads put their bodies and fitness on the line, and emerged winners. Played 2 Won 2 is an amazing statistic, and I hope that this squad will grow in self belief as a result.

All in all a very pleasing win for the 3s, and an excellent start to the season.

Some comedy parts….

Flight Officer Heath with back to ball as Jaz launches a won lineout ball – the old fart was too busy trying to tell his centres what the move was! First centre also misses ball (Thomas deep in conversation with his skipper), and outside centre Grimsley volleys the ball, left footed, into touch a la Peter Kay … ‘ave It!

Chris “Hitman” Owen receives the fifth right hook to his face and declares a stoppage! Everyone stops as he remonstrates with his dirty opponent, even though no whistle has been blown – if he’d released the ball before remonstrating then Moor might have gone on to score from deep.

Jon ‘Spike’ Kaye wonders if his shorts will last the match, having split his best pair in training last week.

Charlie does a Monty Panesar with a swirling ball – never looked like getting anywhere near it!

SAS Darwin leaves the dressing room in a black vest… followed by Ziggy in a salmon pink one (with his nipples on full show). Are we being infiltrated by Village Spartans spies?

20 Stone Prop runs at Veteran Flight Officer Heath and gets dumped!

Man of the Match… Well, you need a leader to take you to victory. Chris Owen led through the pain barrier to ensure that Moor had the spoils, and deserves recognition as a result, with serious competition from Thomas, Ogden-Smith, Darwin and Silva. However, Flight Officer Heath was the acknowledged leader on the day, so guess upon whose pillow the spoils rest and the olive wreath lieth???