Talk about a "Game of Two Halves," we had not only that but Dr Jekyll, Mr Hyde, Titty Lips, Ducks thrown out the Pond and a whole lot more thrown into it as well. "Does it always hail in Eastham?" Was a passing remark from one of the Manchester lads before the game.

For the ninetieth time this season we played a team from Gods Little Acre much to the annoyance of the lads, this week however, we did go back in before the game, there wasn't a minutes silence and Alan was looking after the vallies and as I said before the game "I don't like any of you."

The first half we played into the wind, hail and rain, Manchester came out of the blocks intent on blowing us away, we defended manfully, exerted pressure on their backline forcing them to make mistakes and although on the back foot seemed reasonably comfortable in the first twenty minutes. Eventually Manchesters dominance told and two rapid fire tries, one converted, was probably just reward on the balance of play. When we had ball in hand we looked good, in the conditions we recycled the ball well, the forwards to the fore. Evo was immense, Joe after getting his ear chewed off came alive, Tyler and Chris carried well, bad decisions at the wrong time stopped us from getting points when we got ourselves in try scoring positions.

Having Mr Hyde playing fly half wasn't the best decision we came up with at selection on Tuesday night, when the strops on he doesn't half wind his team mates up. 12 - O down at half time.

A fatherly discussion at the break, after all that's what you pay me for and Mr Hyde suddenly becomes Dr Jekyll, kicks three penalties, continually turns Manchester around with some great kicks from hand and starts to do what he's been doing for the last few weeks, bossing the game. Today wasn't a game for the backs, today the battle was won upfront, Spot, Niall when he came on, Dan Jenner, Eddie and Wellsy all put in a shift.

Now as I said before, the reason they pay me so much is to make the big decisions, a subtle change with twenty minutes to go, Liam to nine and Andy switching to wing, I can hear Kris now "Why have you done that? We need Liam's pace out on the wing." Liam upsets their nine who then knocks on, Liam makes good yards breaking from the ruck, Liam's being a nuisance. We are now on the front foot and exerting all the pressure. Dr Jekyll makes a little break and delivers a great little pass to "Andy the wing" to flop over in the corner. 14 - 12 a great comeback and another win.

Duck of the Day could only have one winner today, Jose Mourinho sorry I meant Me, it's my write up and I can do what I want. Seriously though 1 - 18 performed superbly especially in the second half, not good for Old Ticker but a nice late birthday present.

Diffy Duck, again could only have had one recipient today, Dr Ben Jekyll Hyde Sadler Wells, who can get cramp in both legs and fall on his backside after kicking a ball, who can wind so many of his team mates up in one half and then win you the game in the other, the crates on you next week Scrooge. Comment from a watching spectator after the game " Only Ben could have made that pass for the try, everyone else in the backline would have taken the contact and tried to offload," a great bit of summing up.

Cueilles du Canard

Mother Duck.

Ps We're at Lymm next week, it's not quite Manchester, more an overspill.