An injury-hit Hoylake team travelled to Crewe & Nantwich on Sunday knowing that a stern test awaited them after the hosts’ demolition job on the men in green, red and white last season. As it happened, the home team were also suffering with some long-term injuries in their back line but none of this detracted from what was a thoroughly entertaining game of rugby.

The instructions had been clear at the outset. A fast, aggressive defence was needed to deny Crewe the opportunity to get any kind of momentum. Any how the away team delivered on that plan…

With the pack motivated by the always vocal Harry Coffin, bear hugging anyone in a black jersey, Teddy Santer-Wikberg, Joe Coutie, Aiden Fenna formed a human blanket, smothering any attacks and forcing mistake after mistake.

When the opposition pack managed to keep the ball, the terrier-like Luke Lappin chopped them down around the ankles before Jackson McIvor (never happier than working with his nose 3 inches off the turf) shuffled the ball onto the Hoylake side like buried treasure.
The forwards were assisted by Isaac Saunders – either leading from the front or forgetting he was playing centre – in restricting Crewe largely to their own half in the first 25 minutes. The pattern was repeated, turnover ball led to swift hands in the backs and Jonny Young was over for four tries before half time.

A couple of brief lapses of concentration either side of the break meant the visitors went in 20-10 ahead.

The natural order was restored with 11 minutes to go with Jonny Young re-adopting the tried and tested formula as he slid over for his and Hoylake’s fifth of the game.

The advantage was pressed home 7 minutes later. A series of drives from the forwards built a platform a couple of metres out with Isaac Saunders being hauled down just short. Quick ball and sharp thinking from Finn Ellis saw the scrum-half sniping over from the base of the ruck to make it 30-10.

Crewe & Nantwich retaliated with another breakaway try from their hard running outside centre (the scorer of all their points), profiting from some injury-enforced reorganisation in the wider channels. Instructions were hurried on from the side lines to keep things tight and control the ball for the remaining 4 minutes. This seemed to translate into a flowing, carefree move down the Crewe & Nantwich right, with Jonny Young arcing a one-handed pass outside to Teddy Santer-Wikberg who scored at the charge – a well-deserved bonus for 50 minutes of the same - always a willing runner on the shoulder of the breakaway runners.

Some desperate defending from Luke Lappin and Joe Couttie only postponed a last consolation try for the hosts making the score line seem a lot closer than the game had actually been.

Some special mentions for Seb Davies, playing out of position with lung-busting work in the centre, Andy Young with some great takes at fullback and Jacob Stark with his longest stint on the pitch to date, managing to put in some strong tackles on his opposite number.

This was by far the most complete performance by the team to date. The relentlessness with which pressure was applied to the opposition was simply phenomenal – the broncos in the summer paying dividends. The continuity of possession, allowing us to camp in the opposition’s half was also superb. All those individual efforts glued together with positive communication and togetherness. The boys looked like a top-level rugby team this Sunday, the only problem being the high standard they’ve set themselves now!

There was hardly any daylight between the effort levels and skills on display so choosing a man of the match was hard. It isn’t often that scoring 5 tries doesn’t result in buying a jug in the clubhouse (and I don’t care what your dad says Jonny, it’s harder than it looks – and he should know better!). We picked three men of the match and so in no particular order – Jackson McIvor for his constant harrying of the ball carrier, willingness to do the dirty work and put his head in some truly dark places to get the ball back for his teammates. Henry Stephenson and Finn Ellis for conducting the whole effort, unselfishly making space for the outside runners, spotting gaps in attack and anticipating weaknesses to provide cover in defence.

Hopefully another good week of training ahead as we work towards the first Cheshire Cup match on 22nd November.