1st Team Back On Track

Saturday saw Chapel travel to top of the league: Altrincham Kersal. On paper this was to be the toughest test of the season so far with the opposition unbeaten at home.
With a couple of late dropouts, chapel had to reorganise the morning of the game with influential centre Luke Blagbrough missing through illness and experienced scrum half Ed Meyrick out injured. Chapel were forced to move flanker Tom Chambers to outside centre and call Ollie Rose up to the wing.
The game started well for the away side with Conor Gavin and Will Mitchell putting the boys in blue on the front foot with some heavy carries. The first 20 minutes saw no real chances but Chapel were enjoying the majority of the possession with young scrum half Harry Dyson controlling his pack well. The first try came just after the 20 minute point when a scruffy looking Blaggy (Tom chambers) stole the ball on the 10 metre mark and charged down the wing to score in the corner. Chapel’s pressure didn't stop there with Stewart Butters starting to bring in his back line into the game. An excellent move off a lineout set the backs running at pace and a perfectly timed pass from full back Joe Baskerville fed flying winger Joash Riley who strolled under the posts. Kersal came back into the game with some hard running from their centres. A period of pressure forced Chapel back into their 22 and it wasn't long before the pressure told. A high tackle from returning prop big Jim Hamilton led to a penalty 5 meters out, a yellow card also followed. A well worked move from the penalty saw the home side score out wide. Half time followed shortly after with the score at 5-10.
The belief had grown throughout the half and chapel were confident they could come away with the win. Dan Martin was emptying his tank on the side line ready to be lighter and more mobile for the second half.
Despite this belief, chapel started poorly to the 2nd half and were tested in defence with a few missed tackles. The home side scored and levelled the scores. Straight off the kick off Rob Moore fired the lads back into life by turning over the ball off the kick off. This was the boost the lads needed to get back into the game. Dan Martin and Joe Foulkes were doing the dirty work and were doing it well which was making a mess of all opposition ball. A 60 metre kick from fly half Stewart Butters put the ball on the opposition try line and an excellent kick chase from debutant Kirk Drummond and Joe Baskerville pressured the home sides defence. A dropped ball allowed Joe to pounce on his mistake and score. Playmaker Harry Snape was linking well with Stewart Butters and the game was opening up which lead to the home side giving away cheap penalties. Butters converted 2 and stretched Chapel’s lead. Some big defence from skipper Dom Moss and 2nd row Mark McEnaney repelled a last gasp attack from Altrincham which allowed the boys in blue to kick the ball out and end the game.
Overall, this was a spirited and structured game with plenty of character shown. The hard work with Head Coach Johnathan Stanway at training is starting to show both in defence and attack.
Man of the Match was a split decision between Harry Dyson and Stewart Butters who both showed superb commitment by playing when they shouldn't really have.