Manchester away was never going to be easy, earlier in the season the Ducks had grabbed a victory in a tight game at Malone Fields and yesterday had the makings of a similar kind of game with the sides level on points from the same number of games before play. On a day when just about everything that can go wrong does, traffic problems delaying the arrival of several players and Ollie Green getting called into work at short notice, the prematch preparation left much to be desired. The boys were shell shocked before the game even after I’d warned them that visiting the promised land would mean there was electricity and running water.

When you only have a one legged Andy Smith on the bench it doesn’t help playing on a big pitch and Manchester’s 1st team pitch is BIG. The lads gave everything they had yesterday, the ageing front row were dominant for the first hour, Oatesy had his best game of the season in the second row alongside the ever improving Jack Liddell and the back row of Dylan O’Dowd, Dan Jenner and Tom Redfearn were superb, line out functioned well, they pushed Manchester all over the park at scrum time. Everyone played a full 80 minutes and just ran out of steam later in the game.

We started off slowly and conceded a try after only three minutes and I thought it was going to be one of those days but after the early set back, we were the better side, Lids scored from a catch and drive after a line out, Ben converted. Now Lids actually scored again not long after, Dylan steals the ball at the ruck, offloads to Tom, Tom does his usual Jason Robinson impersonation offloads back to Dylan who pops Jack in to crash over and score, NO! NO! forward pass. How you can give a forward pass from fifteen yards behind play I’ll never know and the Manchester supporters on the line couldn’t understand the decision either. Referees you can’t play with them and you can’t play without them. Shortly after we concede a penalty, Big Keeno crawling on his hands and knees away from the ruck is adjudged offside and Manchester kick the resulting penalty 8 - 7 down and the score doesn’t do us justice.

A superb drop goal from Ben on the stroke of halftime put us back in front 10 - 7, we’ll take that.

As I said earlier the forwards had dominated but after a hard fought game began to run out of steam on the hour and Manchester took advantage, they scored two tries in five minutes and with fifteen minutes still to play I was worried that the floodgates would open and we’d take a hiding but know the boys dug in and didn’t concede another point.

The backs yesterday were superb, Sam Bram is BACK, tackled, covered and look threatening ball in hand, James Worrall at inside centre made his opposite numbers life a misery (don’t run down my channel), Skippy was good under the high ball and made yards, although we lost him for five minutes trying to get his nose out of the advertisement hoardings. Brookesy and Ben looked good yet again. Del stepped up from the Mavs again and showed why we all rely on him being available each week Mr Dependable. Liam Mc continued his tour of great rugby grounds, McKinney Field, the Allianz, Twickenham and now the hallowed turf of Manchester.

The referee killed us yesterday, 18 penalties to 7, Dylan was awesome at the breakdown, stealing ball the only problem the referee didn’t realise how good he actually is at it.

On the downside, James Dear ended up on the naughty step, flat ball syndrome.

Another game without a Duck of the Day but when everyone gives everything they’ve got for their teammates, they all deserved it.

Now Diffy Duck had a few contenders, Andy Potter-Smith feigning injury, Chrissy Mc being late after having his haircut and then blaming the traffic but no if you let your teammates down after promising them “you’d sort it” and “I’ll be there don’t worry”, you deserve it. Something is beginning to worry me, this individual seems to have an obsession about collecting this award, a little perverse me thinks, yesterday he used the excuse that he was playing first team and even suggested scoring a try for them someone justified his unreliability. Now we all know he’s a minge bag, his Donut exploits shame him but you can’t promise to get the CRATE in and do a no show, “you get it and I’ll give you the money” when we’re already on the motorway does work either, wouldn’t mind but I even got the ice to keep it cold. Cam it’s you again, two crates next week, the lads will enjoy them.

Top effort from all involved. Get well soon Al, we missed you.

Mother Duck