The bald statistics don’t make for very good reading. Cleckheaton sit bottom of Regional One North East with just three points from seven matches, all of which they have lost.
However, all is not doom and gloom and their persistence over 80 minutes in their 45-26 defeat at Ilkley and the banter on the touchline between Cleck’s players, coaches and spectators suggests that the club are still in good heart.
Cleckheaton’s forwards coach Simon Worrall said: “We picked up a (four-try) bonus point, and there is definitely something to work on.
“We got a bit of a hiding the previous week against Heath (lost 73-22 at home) but the lads have come back stronger this week, learnt a few lessons and put a few things right.”
The visitors won five penalties in the opening 13 minutes at Stacks Field, but trailed 14-5 to Ilkley at half-time on the back of two tries that came out of nothing - one from a loose pass in midfield and the other from not filling the field after Cleck fly half Dale Breakwell intercepted and hoofed the ball downfield.
“They were from our individual errors - poor skill from us - and they have players who can capitalise on stuff like that and they scored some really good tries,” explained Worrall.
“But the attitude and the graft that we showed over 80 minutes was really pleasing. That was Cleck through and through. We are a dogged team and it showed at the end of the game.
“We aren’t a fair-weather team, though we can score tries, but we have to be clinical in the right areas, and once we click we are good.
“The weather is changing now and it is a different ball game when it is muddy.”
Worrall added: “We are in a bit of a rut, but we are certainly not a team that should be at the bottom of the division.
“There are a couple of games coming up that we need to win against teams that are around us in the table as we have played a lot of the top teams so far.”
Cleck don’t play next week but on the horizon is the home game with York (who are next to bottom on eight points) on November 8, followed by a visit to current fifth-from-bottom Kendal a fortnight later and a home match against third-from-bottom Sandal on November 29.
On the flip side, Cleck have already faced the current top seven of Heath, Ilkley, Alnwick, Harrogate, Penrith, Driffield and Blaydon, and they have only played seven matches!
Former Leeds Rhino Worrall said: “We are now focusing on the York game, which is a big one for us.
“The ones that we have lost some of them were close, but we are a new team this year, we are rebuilding after players have left and we will stay positive as we are not far off (winning).”
Cleck kicked off towards the river, won an early penalty and, showing good continuity, took the lead when scrum half Tom Egan went over after good work by prop Ben Thrower.
Little play was in Ilkley’s half as the hosts continued to give away penalties but a dropped ball in midfield in the seventh minute allowed Louis Anderson the chance to hack on and fellow centre Harry Harrison profited with a try that Anderson converted.
Visiting fly half Dale Breakwell was short with an ambitious drop-goal attempt in the 14th minute and the hosts again had few opportunities until the former kicked ahead eight minutes later having intercepted near his own 22.
However, four Ilkley players led the chase back and they scored via a potent attack down the left wing, with Harrison’s well-timed inside pass giving Anderson the chance to sprint in from near halfway.
Anderson’s conversion made it 14-5, which seemed harsh on Cleck, who then couldn’t profit from a man advantage after home flanker Rory Garbutt was sin-binned for a high tackle on full back Tom Breakwell in the 27th minute.
The first-half scoring was completed by an Anderson penalty a minute before the interval, leaving Ilkley 17-5 to the good.
Ilkley went into the changing rooms while Cleck stayed on the pitch on a day that was chilly in the shade, and the visitors had to show good defence to keep Ilkley out two minutes after the restart.
A minute later, however, Ilkley had their third try when full back Ben Magee put winger Will Martindale over, Anderson’s conversion stretching the advantage to 24-5.
Magee was warned by referee Kris Garland for catching Tom Breakwell with a boot after the ball bounced kindly for the Cleck player, and Marshall was over in the 48th minute after a 50-50 soccer-style tackle broke kindly for him and he gathered and galloped over, Dale Breakwell converting.
Ilkley added to their lead with the bonus-point try five minutes later, and it was worth the admission money alone.
Fly half Charles Morgan chipped over the Cleck defence, skipper Magee caught the ball on the full and put the former over for a try that smacked of the Barbarians, Anderson converting for 31-12.
Back came Cleck with a 58th-minute try try by winger Jack Marshall, Dale Breakwell converting, but Anderson replied four minutes later with a try
after a thrilling run out of defence by Magee, whose footwork and balance is something to behold.
Anderson’s extras made it 38-19 but Cleckheaton persevered, with Egan, Sam Shepherd and Archie Rika-Rayne threatening, Dale Breakwell’s kick to the right wing almost bringing a try.
Ilkley flanker Tom Reavey was yellow-carded with seven minutes remaining, and the visitors got their bonus-point try a minute later with Egan bagging his second to add to Marshall’s brace, Dale Breakwell’s kick making it 38-26.
There was still time, however, for the home side to get their sixth try, Anderson crossing in the 78th minute and converting to complete an enjoyable afternoon.