Sat 18 Jan 2025, 14:30
Saturday 18 January 2025, KO 14:30
Pre-match preparation can vary week to week but I advise a healthy meal loaded with carbs and soft drinks Friday night, early to bed and get you game head on. Do as I say not as I do, as after a few sharpeners with The Prince on Friday evening we enjoyed three bottles of fine vine rouge, a magnificent lamb curry with mushroom rice thrown together by the Prince. We relaxed with post meal cigars before returning to The Ship for night caps. The word shabby best fits my condition now but hey, I only need to be encouraging these days, write something mildly amusing from what pans out during the afternoon and focus a camera. Enjoy, its another corker from the United.
Before we go further, as a point of admin, it is belated birthday wishes to Ann Davies. A very Happy Birthday, week Thursday ago, and you were sorely missed from training on that evening. The diminutive Club Secretary and United Manager opting for a plate smashing Greek experience swopping her usual Guinness for straight up Ouzo. Patrons of Demetrius Taverner were delighted with the high kicking emotional charged spectacle of Ann and husband Steve dancing and smashing plates with gay abandon that would have put Stavros Flatley to shame.
As we focus back on the rugby the United haven’t played for two weeks with the game against Bridgwater & Albion last Friday evening cancelled due to the freezing weather. The United are looking to build on the success against Wellington the previous weekend and hoping the break in play hasn’t put a hurdle in the way. We meet Cheddar Valley at home this week and it’s a pleasure to welcome one of our closest neighbouring clubs to the Rec. The earlier encounter at Cheddar pre -Christmas went our way and was the first win for the United this season. We were just starting to feel that there was some consistency in the team following a close fought defeat to Bridgwater the week previously.
Looking at the selected team we can see the consistency is being maintained with familiar names in the United, complemented by the likes of Callum Bliss-Climo and Ross Chester having enjoyed some first team experience. Nice also to see the return of Billy Kirk who, now that the seal clubbing season has come to an end, is finding time on his hands for rugby. There is also a debut in the squad for young Max Paterson. The 18 year old has been playing his rugby at Winscombe and more recently Filton College. In his early years he enjoyed the film Billy Elliot watching it on repeat until the DVD wore out and set his heart on being a profession Ballet Dancer. This unfortunately hasn’t panned out as he’d expected, save appearing for a small fee at local Wassailing Events, but has made transition easy into the backs and appears on the wing this afternoon.
We kick off and the United are on the attack from the start with an error from Cheddar providing a scrum in front the posts.Darren Burns snipes over and kicks the extras for a perfect start.
United 7-0 Cheddar, 5mins
Callum Bliss-Climo breaks from the base of the scrum runs through two tackles and crosses the try line, Burns with the extras
United 14-0 Cheddar, 10mins
Chesher good from the restart carries the back well looking hungry with Jones in support, scrum back on the half way. Cheddar enjoying a better phase of play but United defence holding. United win possession in the loose and clear their lines, knock on from Cheddar and it’s a United scrum on 22. Ball is moved to the backs before the recovering forwards from the scrum are back in action at which point Chesher strides away like a charging bull elephant carrying the ball behind the sticks. Burns with the extras 3 from 3.
United 21-0 Cheddar, 18mins
Billy Kirk on for Bliss-Climo, 20mins, some tape work needed to the head of Bliss. United scrum in 22, ball is sent through the hands and Blyth gets the glory. Burns’ boot is not magic and he misses the extras.
United 26-0 Cheddar, 25mins
Great hands from the backs, Matthews lob pass falls perfectly for 15 Marshall as he joins the line and scampers away to go over at the corner.
United 31-0 Cheddar, 39mins
HT at the rec, United 31-0 Cheddar Valley
Few changes at HT with Burge off Bliss-Climo back on head bandaged, Wheatley off and Donegan on.
Matthews puts grubber through, McCarthy chases it down dribbles and scores, Burns’ boot is working again. Chester screaming “don’t kick, don’t kick, DON’T KICK IT……ignore anything I say” we generally do.
United 38-0 Cheddar, 45mins
Backs looking smooth happy to run moves this time Truman punching through in the centre to score and Burns collects the extras, normal service resumed.
United 45-0 Cheddar, 48mins
Curry off Bridgman on and Jones off Walker on, 50mins.Almost immediately the try magnet Mark Walker is at work and the referee’s arm is flashing up and down quicker than that of the Hitler Youth at a Nuremberg Rally. Mark just can’t keep his hands out of a ruck or understand the concept of supporting his own body weight.
It’s not all going the United’s way and Cheddar sustain a period of attack to be rewarded with their first points of the game.
United 45-5 Cheddar, 51mins
Terrific line out forwards drive a couple of times close to the line. The ball is then passed wide with Matthews lifting it in the path of Blyth who races in for his second. No extras but United are feeling comfortable.
United 50-5 Cheddar, 53mins
Williams off, who has had another solid game and Burge returns at 55 mins. Kirk’s turn now, returning to the club glides in under the posts, Burns making no mistake with the extras.
United 57-5 Cheddar, 60mins
As the conversion is taken Nash is off and Wheatley back on for the restart.
There’s time for a final cork to pop from the champagne bottle and Matthews directs a cross filed kick for debutant Max Paterson to collect, beating his opposite number finishes under the posts. Burns steps up and over it goes for the extras. Well done Max a terrific debut for Weston, looking forward to seeing you in action next week.
United 64-5 Cheddar, 69mins
70 mins and Dorrington on for Burns, and Jones comes back on for Chester, all reps used and playing their role. Nash rejoins the field of play for captain Wheatley who was unceremoniously bumped and sat down with a thick lip.
As we enter the final stages of the match Nash, sounding like a madden hyena provokes the Cheddar players unnecessarily. This so often as the wrong effect and to Cheddar’s credit they finish strongly to show that there’s plenty of spirit in the team and have the final say crossing for their second try and collecting the extras.
United 64-12 Cheddar, 75mins
FT United 64-12 Cheddar Valley
Thank you to our guests today, Cheddar Valley RFC, the very best of luck for the remainder of the season. Well done United a competent performance this afternoon and built on the teams consistency. There are better numbers at training but this still needs to improve. With the improving numbers and new faces competition does start to develop and this is healthy and how it should be, get to training and contribute.
Reflecting again on the match well done to Darren Burns for a fine afternoon with the boot and great individual tally 19pts (1 try & 7 Cons), Max Paterson and his debut try and finally Tom Calamity Blyth who on 7 tries from 12 caps is the United’s top try scorer. Finally the United who have moved into positive points difference, 355 for to 352 against.
Backs Darren Burns, Huw Matthews, Max Paterson, Truman Currie, Mike McCarthy, Tom Blyth, Ollie Marshall
Forwards Charlie Owens, Harry Nash, Tom Wheatley, Ross Chesher, Vinnie Jones, Rhodri Williams, Tom Burge, Callum Bliss-Climo
Reps (all used) Ryan Donegan, Billy Kirk, Clayton Dorrington, Jack Bridgman, Mark Walker
The pleasure is all yours,
Mark Mongo Matthews
