They say you can always tell a good side, they win when they aren't playing well and this was our day. This was a proper local derby, two good teams, no quarter asked, no quarter given. Without fear of contradiction every player on the pitch today put their body on the line for their team mates. Massive hits by both teams dominated the day, great defence by both sides, the only thing lacking today was perhaps some clinical finishing.
HOYLAKE 2s are by a country mile the best side we've played all season, they didn't let us play, completely frustrated us at times and are the first side to score a try against us since October. The boys dominated the opening exchanges today but became increasingly frustrated by Hoylake's defence. A bit of White Line Fever added to our woes. On one of Hoylake's rare sorties into our 22, a mix up in the middle and a missed tackle led to the games only try.
In front of a large home crowd and being cheered on by a partisan following, bolstered by their 1st team squad watching on the side lines, Hoylake raised their game to a level not evident in our earlier encounter this season.
If there's one thing I've learnt about the Ducks this season it's that they are a team, they play for each other, fight for each other and they will put their bodies on the line for each other, today they needed too. It wasn't pretty, but they fought for every scrap of possession, dominated in the scrum and clawed their way back into the game. By dominating posession and territory in the second half we eventually gained a penalty which gave us the opportunity to put some points on the board. Brookesy converted it and hey ho 5-3 20 minutes to go and we're now on a roll again. Another penalty 10 minutes later and we are in front for the first time in the game. Stout defence in the last 10 minutes saw us home.
These are the types of game nobody wants to lose and the Hoylake team and their vocal support must have been absolutely gutted, we on the other hand were absolutely ecstatic, another four points in the bag and on we roll, heads still struck above the parapet.
Duck of the Day went to the McGowan family, Dad and Lad, Chris for his massive ball carries and dominating his opposite number in the scrum all day long, Liam for a superb 80 minutes, sniping from the base, great distribution and a big hit on Hoylake's big ball carrier just when we needed it. Diffy Duck went to Cam 'the donut' Clayton for obvious reasons.
COUILLES DU CANARD.
Mother Duck