So near yet so far !

Well here we go. Another week, another performance and another defeat. A close look at the match will show what The Mavericks need to do to start converting good committed performances into wins.
Usual Saturday morning arrived with the usual Saturday morning complications surrounding player availability. Friday evening and the team sheet containing 21 players looked very healthy, a range of players available as finishers and a good strong team to take to the park on the Saturday afternoon. Ellesmere Port were the opposition and despite our poor showing against them last time at theirs they were beatable and the gaffer was confident in his belief.
Saturday arrived with the loss of two main strike runners and out 21 were now 19. Still plenty of cover though.
The match report is separated into two elements. First will address the game and the way the Mavericks played. For those of us that’s have limited private and family life and are a little but ‘sad’ you may recall the last time we played Ellesmere Port and the stinging post match verdict that I published in these hallowed pages, to quote ........
“The forwards made very little contribution to the game and were constantly relying on the backs to do the hard work in rucks and mauls.” and ..........
“Laziness cost us this game. “
Well what a relief, a completely different performance from our last meeting. The Mavericks put in a quality forward performance, strong at the set piece, strong in defence and good ball handling around the park. Commitment and pride from 1-19 today another exemplary performance for 75 minutes. The backs played with speed and determination, great tackling and great in contact. So! I hear you say, how did we come to lose by 35-19 if we played so well. More of that later.
The game kicked off and the large Ellesmere Port pack came at us with all guns blazing, the forwards, never took a step backwards and repelled all attacks for the first fifteen minutes. Then at this stage The Mavericks turned the screw and started to achieve parity, then dominance. Winning all scrums and pushing the heavier Port pack backwards and off their own ball . On the 20 minute mark The Mavericks scored their first try. And duly converted by Gordon 7-0 to the good. All today’s tries came from the forwards, using strength from close range to drive over the whitewash. It was excellent footwork and handling by the backs that got us into the positions to score and tries this week came from Graham Keen, Nev Pickard and with his first for The Mavs Jack Liddell. Two conversions from the boot gave us our final score of 19 points .
Ellesmere Port battled back to gain parity with seven minutes to go the score was 19-19 and the Gaffer was confident of a positive outcome to the afternoons proceedings . However I refer to my earlier comments about playing for 75 mins. As The Mavs somehow managed to ship 16 points via a bit of ill discipline resulting in a converted penalty followed by a rapid two tries by the Port pack.
So what do we need to do ?
I feel the answer is easier to explain than to execute . Somehow we must find a way a converting great performances and determined strong individual performances into points. Then we need to concentrate, concentrate, concentrate !! for the full 80+ minutes. We are playing teams on a regular basis who aren’t necessarily better than we are, they just know how to win. I know I’ve said it before but the teams we play against are generally 2nd teams and those teams train together. You train together you win together ........ simples. Of the 21 players we had available maybe three or four train . We must increase those odds if we want to compete against the Birkenhead Parks, The Mossley Hills and St Edwards Old Boys.
Despite the call to arms over the last few weeks I am still incredibly pleased and proud of the direction we’re heading in and am sure we are only improving. Noticeable mentions this week go to Gordon Rogers and The new boys. Jack, Jez and Kev all had really good games Jack with his barn storming try, Jez and Kev but as much effort and commitment into 40 minutes as a lot have previously put into 80 minutes. Keep it up lads but today’s man of the match goes to Dom Neville, adding a new option in the back row, providing real impetus from deep when returned to full back and constantly proving a thorn in the side of the opposition. Despite all the tries coming from the forwards it was the backs who kept us in this game for long periods. Overall a great game to watch and with a few tweaks I’m sure we’ll be back to winning ways in the weeks to come.

Semel a Mavericus, Semper a Mavericus

The Gaffer