Keighley Development Team 15-19 Huddersfield A Team
Your scribbler is moved to pen a match report after this magnificent victory built on guts, guts & more guts.
Many of us had had a long lunch on Friday & arrived late as usual. We wandered out into the sun to be confronted with the Keighley Massive running round & doing what I am reliable informed were backs moves. Very impressive they were too.
My random team selection was made even more random due to three changes as we “stretched off” due to Sowers having to be helped off before we had even started the pre match drop goal competition. He had hurt his leg – or pulled a hamstring as he claimed – been watching too much Premiership on telly I think. We also had to contend with a no show from Mr Wood who had the longest lunch of all (it won’t be the last he’ll be hearing of that tourists) & a late arrival from Dunc (he had even had to have his pre match banana & packet of Marlboros in the car he was in such a rush).
Anyway, off we jolly well kicked & it turns out that however good your backs are, your forwards need to get that egg shaped thingy for them first – which Keighley summarily failed to do for most of the first half. Somehow we turned round 3 tries up – two moments of magic from Duffster at fly half going over himself after a dummy to Andre (we all knew he wasn’t going to pass to the half pot Saffer but Keighley thought he was) & then he repeated the move & this time passed. Well blow me down Andre only went & caught it & went over the line at a right old lick. No idea who or how we scored the third try.
Second half, just like the first, a little bit louder & a lot lot worse as Keighley brought on fresh fast legs & it was the complete opposite of the first half; tackle after tackle after tackle. All hands to the pumps.
They scored early, Duffy limped off with a more believable hammy strain than Sowers & uh-oh ! Pazzer to 10 – cool for cats. After a number of penalties on our line I was issued with at least the third team warning & told the next would defo result in a yellow card . At that point Robin’s ears pricked up & he sprung into action to immediately give away a penalty for a ten minute rest – like it Scruff, you’re not as daft as you look. Well, you couldn’t be. So with the Blakester also off concussed after performing an heroic impression of a speed bump in front of their onrushing no. 8, we were down to 14 men when Lazarus like, Sowers rose from the dead & limped on. Shortly afterwards the ref told me there were 4 minutes left & we were 19 -10 up – blimey we might actually win this thing ! I turned round & stuck four fingers up at Stan. He had no idea why. Anyway we contrived to let them score again & now it was just like my wallet – nothing in it !
With the last play of the game Keighley attacked again & inexplicably they decided to try & kick it to their wing. Bezza gobbled up his opposite man (so to speak!) & after a massive panic all round Howard ran it into touch & we had, indeed, won.
Outstanding performances from The Duffster, Howard & Stan. The rest of you boys were merely brilliant.
