Time to lift the curse of Castle Park.
By Hopeful Hax
February 10 2016
The late, great Don Revie was so convinced there was a gypsy curse on Elland Road, he brought in psychics and clergy to lift it and make Elland Road a fortress. Superstition or not, it worked, and few teams envied visiting Leeds United once the curse had been lifted.
Well, Yorkshire Carnegie seem cursed every time they visit the home of Doncaster Knights, and many current supporters, and players come to that, cannot recall the last time a team from Headingley won a fixture here at Castle Park. Perhaps if anyone is in contact with whoever worked at Elland Road, they could arrange a visit to Doncaster, preferably before 2.30 on Saturday afternoon.
With the Yorkshire Regiment Trophy secure, this weekend’s long awaited fixture is simply about winning valuable league points as both sides strive for a place in the Championship play offs. With only 7 fixtures remaining, both are well placed, and it seems inconceivable that whoever comes out on top this week will fail to achieve their ambition.
Doncaster are currently in second place, only 2 points ahead of Bedford and Carnegie, and I think it is fair to say the hosts have played well above their expectations to get there. That is, until last weekend, when they travelled to basement club Ealing Trailfinders, and were surprisingly, held to a draw.
The previous weekend, Carnegie were surprisingly turned over at London Scottish, but they got back on the rails with a bonus point win over the in form Cornish Pirates last time out. Even then, many fans weren’t impressed with the performance, critical of the errors made by a side packed with experience.
Both teams have used the driving, rolling maul to great effect, and with rain forecast to go along with the cold weather predicted on Saturday, it will be no great surprise to see both sets of forwards striving for supremacy while the outside backs look on and try to keep warm.
I wouldn’t like to guess what 15 will run out for Carnegie, but I’d expect some changes from last week. I’d like to see Matt Smith brought back alongside big Mike, and maybe a couple of changes in the backs as well. If he is fit, I’d have Sinfield back in the side for his experience, but more importantly his kicking. I predict a tight game with few try scoring opportunities, and I’d be surprised to see either side turn down the chance to put points on the board.
Yorkshire also need to kick better from hand and show more discipline than they did last week, and not give away penalties in their own half of the field. It would also help if they could keep 15 players on the field for the whole game. If they can do all of that, they can win what I am sure will be a very tense and tight local derby.
As ever, I am looking forward to the hospitality that awaits at Castle Park, but if somebody in the know can lift that curse, I’d be delighted. Yorkshire Carnegie to win by 3.
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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2016:03:05:08:53:01 by Gelbel.
So we may have to wait for a faster tempo.
We need to win at Donny, if for nothing else, to convince the doubters (of whom I am one!) that we are promotion contenders.
The Reverend John Jackson, who lifted the ER curse, died a long time ago so it looks like we will have to do it the old fashioned way.....by scoring more points than the opposition!
