Chapel Held To A Draw As Unbeaten Record At Home Maintained

This week saw Liverpool St Helen’s (LSH) visit Station Road. Earlier in the season Chapel had lost this away fixture and now in what was probably the bleakest conditions imaginable Chapel knew this was not going to be a pleasurable afternoon. However being top of league and unbeaten at home carries its own responsibilities.
This was arguably the coldest game most of the Chapel team have ever played; it was 2 degrees and raining sideways.
From the off there were some ropey hands from both sides. This coupled with some strong runs and inadequate tackling from the home side meant they were under pressure right from the off. The teams were closely matched for large periods of the game and tempers were boiling over. After a MMA style flip from one of the LSH forwards on Joe Foulkes the local hungover Jeremy Clarkson lookalike Dan Martin retaliated and both found themselves in the bin.
Overall, the game was fiercely fought and it was only penalties that the teams could use to get the edge – At 3 – 3 with 15 minutes to go Chapel continued to pile on the pressure. Strong breaks from the Chapel forwards Rob Moore and Mark McEnaney meant that the pressure was well and truly on LSH and this lead to a penalty which was well converted by Andy Davies. However, within 2 minutes of this some poor discipline let LSH back in, it was now 6 – 6. Chapel tried their best to get the winning points, with 2 missed penalties it seemed today’s fate was sealed.
With the 22 yard drop out for LSH as the last play they decided to take the draw. A draw away from home with the conditions and the mounting pressure from Chapel was a good result.
This was a tough one in which most of the players had probably entered early stages of hyperthermia. The game was fiercely contested until the very end and Chapel got better as the game went on – on this occasion they had left it too late. The saving graces are that we are still unbeaten at home and top of the league for Christmas.