Normal Service Resumed, Alas!
By Tyke Steve
January 4 2006
So the Tykes needing an away win down in Gloucester on New Years Eve were going to give it their all? Push the boat out and show their true metal? Live up to expectations? Play out-and-out expansive 15 man rugby? Thrill us all with a repeat of last year’s bonus point win down in Glaws?
Marshall was ruled out with a shoulder injury after failing a match day fitness test, and several other changes came in as a result of other alterations.
“Another epic round trip for you then Tyke Steve?” I hear you ask. Yeah, 50 minutes on the train for your intrepid reporter, living in South East Wales and not living in Yorkshire has some advantages; it’s a quicker trip to Bristol, Gloucester, Bath, Cardiff and a few others. Less so for Oxenhoper and his better half who made a round trip from Yorkshire to Gloucester in a day!
We met and quaffed a few pints before the match in some pub across the road from the ground, chatting about how we were going to steal a tasty away win, okay, we didn’t, we hoped for a losing bonus point in a well contested game.
I’d got my ticket on the net from the Glaws site and went to a packed terrace on the opposite side from the famous (infamous?) Shed. Oxenhoper and wife were somewhere buried amongst the masses in the packed Shed. I found a spot near some tunnel, thinking that I’d have easy access to the Gents should the couple of beers decide they wanted outlet, by simply nipping down and finding the loo. It was only after I’d come to my senses that I realised it was the tunnel the players came out of!
I guessed the players had come out with a mind to be a rugby league side, as within 15 minutes we were down to 13 men, Rawlinson was binned for 10 minutes for driving in at the side of a maul, and Ross for a deliberate knock on, and to add insult to injury he gave them a penalty try. Mercier seemed to control the game for a while, but then playing against 13 men wasn’t that much of a trial for him.
Tries came, but mostly for Glaws. Two for Simpson-Daniel, a penalty try and one for Mercier who converted the lot and added a penalty. The Tykes were on the rack as soon as we were down to 13. Crane got binned close to the end, which gave us another period of playing catch up rugby with 14 players on the pitch for us.
Were there any positives? Yes, the lineout and scrum weren’t that bad and young Danny Care played very well I thought at scrum half deputising for the injured Marshall. Some hard work brought us some reward with a try for Crane.
However, playing with 13 and 14 players doesn’t make it any easier. Apparently, for the periods we had a full compliment of players on the pitch we ran out winners 7 – 3! And interestingly, Glaws conceded more penalties than we did, but somehow managed to keep all their players on the pitch? Strange that eh?
Back in the pub, Oxenhoper, his missus and I lamented our team’s position, rock bottom facing another relegation struggle. Oxenhoper said how we’re good at pushing the ball about, but it tends to across the pitch and back, and rarely forward! We joked about how travelling would be less of a problem for some next year if we’re relegated. Trips to Otley and Doncaster would be just a short drive, though not for me! I pulled out the remaining fixtures for us and after saying if we play to our full potential, reckoned we could get ourselves out of this!
Bath at home next week, not a trip I can make alas, but get shouting folks!