Notes from a Tyke with Dashed Hopes
By John R
February 23 2006
As first time visitors to Edgeley Park, we went with interest to see the league leaders, with a hope of (maybe) if we were lucky, a loosing bonus point? Of that, more later.................
Having endured the pleasure of the M62/M60 on a Friday evening?? we arrived in Stockport and parked up in a street, somewhere near the ground. A Fish & Chip shop just across was tempting and proved to be a very good decision, once we eventually arrived in the ground, which after the likes of Headingley, Franklins, Kingston Park etc. reminded me of a rather quaint, third division football ground of the type my Dad used to take me to fifty years ago!
The pitch looked ok though, but being early, we went for a cup of tea to wash down said fish & chips. The prices in that bar, for everything, were astronomical!! so beware if you go to Edgeley next season. Either eat or drink before you go or outside the ground..........
To the match, Nathan Thomas under the posts in the first minute, converted by Ross, (who didn't miss a kick all evening, despite the noise.......)
Sale get a penalty, (first of too many chaps!) then with much interchange in the middle of the park, a further penalty to each side brings half time at 10 -6.
Hodgeson had come on, Dunbar departed for blood injury and Jordan Crane sent off for a curious incident. Lineout, Chabal is lifted to catch and held in the air, it seemed for ever.....Crane must have made contact and goes....
Chris White, a referee I normally hugely respect is not having a good game,(for us!) It seemed any decision is for Sale, some quite bizarre............
Tykes have been defending magnificently and attacking at every opportunity. Sale (obviously) looked dangerous at times, but Tykes clearly had played the better half and deserved their lead.
Second half and of course, Tykes down to fourteen men. Much effort, though a further penalty against and a try, Sale lead 10 - 16.
And so it stays for a long time with good play by both sides, intersperced with occasional lapses. (Lineout, spilling balls, turnovers,) though devastating tackling by Tykes throughout the match.
Dunbar is back, Bulloch and Murphy on, Biggs & Doherty giving Sale supporters palpitations every time they get the ball, (doesn't this happen to all opposition supporters these days? These children had better calm down or they may get noticed by the Twickenham mob......)
Then Ross is on the end of another attack and scores, again converting, so we lead again. Sale attack, spill the ball on our twenty two, Biggs scoops and goes off on a mazy run, breaking through a number of tackles into space and targeting the try line, so far away! He is tap tackled, but not held, gets up and scores!! Ross converts so its 24 -16 and not many minutes to go.........Blimey, another try and it's a bonus win, so go for it......
And we did attempt to go for it, starting the most amazing few minutes of rugby I have ever witnessed. Tykes attacking and either a spill or turnover produced three tries for Sale, two converted, all in less time that it takes to write about it!
Certainly there were forward passes, certainly there were crossovers, (remember Chris Lewis is not having a good game and the goons on the touchlines need not have been there.....) but Sale are not top of the league for nothing and it showed. Mind you, it did appear there were about twenty seven Sale players on the pitch............
So in the space of very few minutes, from a game won and chasing a bonus, we loose and don't even get a losing bonus, which is really what we hoped for.
"We Wus Robbed" comes to mind! Tykes could not be critisised for their efforts and determination, though maybe a bit for their lineouts, occasionally scrums and spills in the tackles, (though I don't remember anyone being penalised for not releasing...............interesting that?)
It was a valient effort chaps. Well done, despite the result. Just go out again like that next Friday and put Wuss to the sword.
Oh, getting out of Stockport was much more difficult than getting in! Roadworks reducing the M62 to single lane, twice, caused more delays that earlier in the evening. Sometimes you just can't win!!