Difficult to offer any excuses for a poor performance at Middlesborough

Just when it appeared that Cleckheaton had turned a corner, this sort of performance appears out of the blue to totally contradict that view. Not only were the team short of spirit, leadership and determination, even basic skills were lacking which added to the overall malaise.

Middlesbrough carried out their game plan effectively but they are hardly the strongest side in the division. This is not being disrespectful to Boro but in reality and on the day they had little to beat. On the 11th of October 2008 this fixture at Moorend was won by Cleck 35-29. Cleck fielded four different players that day to the team which took the field at Acklam Park on Saturday, Boro were virtually the same team. Why then such a change of fortunes? I will leave it to the reader to suggest a reason.

It is difficult to offer any excuses and I'm sure that the players themselves wouldn't want to. The first half was marked by Cleck's inability to string together more than two or three phases of play. A knock on, a wrong option, a poor pass a missed tackle; all contributed to the lacklustre display. It didn't take long for Boro to realise that their opponents were not up for it and they intensified the pressure by keeping possession and counter attacking from Cleck's mistakes. The Boro halfbacks Peter Wright and Simon O'Farrell basically ran the game. In fact the whole match was the Wright, O'Farrell show, the scrum half probing, darting and generally marshalling his troops admirably, with his young stand off partner kicking well and bringing his backs onto the ball at pace. The end result was 2 tries from Wright and 30 points from O'Farrell. Cleckheaton had no answer and their contribution to a one sided game was two Ross Hayden penalties and a Craig Rika sinbinning for a high tackle born out of total frustration.

From a Cleckheaton point of view that is about as much as can be said about the game itself and it is neither the time nor the forum to dwell on inadequacies on the day. The coaching team will have their thoughts and I'm sure that the players will be made aware before Saturday's visit to Beverley in the rearranged match from January 10th. Defeat would leave Cleck in 3rd bottom position with seven more league fixtures to be played. Victory could lift them back into mid table, and a morale boost for the players themselves and the loyal supporters who travel all over the north of England to watch their team.

Last Saturday also saw the official clarification of promotion and relegation from North One this season. The top team will be promoted to Level 4(National League 2).The second placed team in North 1 and Midlands 1 will play off for the additional promotion place to Level 4. Two teams will be relegated from the combination of North 1, Midlands 1,London 1 and South West 1. In other words, the two teams with the worst playing record from the 4 Level 5 leagues combined will be relegated. In addition North 1 will be expanded from 12 to 14 teams. At least we know before the end of the season!