1st XV
Matches
Sat 24 Feb 2018  ·  North One East
Cleckheaton RUFC
1st XV
27
19
Bradford & Bingley
Cleckheaton 27 - 19 Bradford & Bingley

Cleckheaton 27 - 19 Bradford & Bingley

Neil Gillan27 Feb 2018 - 19:56
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Cleckheaton come from behind to take the points

Cleckheaton overturned an early twelve point deficit to gain a much needed win over local rivals Bradford & Bingley. The victory brought Cleck’s 2018 points drought to an end and elevated the club two places into the middle of North 1 East. Head coach, Thiu Barnard, declared himself fit and was also able to include Luke Pearson in the second row for the first time since Boxing Day, which incidentally, was the last time the team had won. Mikey Hayward had to miss out though with the hamstring injury he picked up at Northern but James Wilson was back after a serious, painful, but thankfully fairly short illness. Prop, Andy Piper, was also a late withdrawal after turning his cankle at training on Thursday, which allowed Tim Mobbs to make his 1st XV debut.

A long afternoon seemed like it could be on the cards for Cleckheaton as Bees’ former Tonga and New Zealand Rugby League international, Fuifui Moimoi, steamrollered up the centre of the field, scattering the defence and creating a position from which scrum half, Jeffry, strolled in for a try under the sticks. Tanner converted. Not long after this a ball which should have been gathered following a Bees kick, was spilled and the visitors collected it, playing the knock-on advantage and spreading the ball from one side of the field to the other, for Morton to score in the corner. The conversion attempt went wide but after only 15 minutes Bradford & Bingley were 12-0 up.

The calming and determined words from Barnard and skipper Matt Piper kept Cleckheaton focussed and the latter then put in a captain’s knock, carrying the ball hard at every opportunity, eventually breaking through his more famous opposite number, to put Wilson in for Cleckheaton’s opening try. Mike Swetman converted and then also added a penalty following a bit of mid-pitch handbags between the two sides. It looked like Piper was going to put Cleck in front for the first time as the half drew to a close but in his excitement, he dropped the ball over the line. Within 90 seconds he had made up for it though, spotting the Bees had little cover out to Cleck’s left, he quickly tapped a penalty and threw a pass out to winger Grant Fitzsimmons who blitzed over in the corner. The conversion was missed but at the break Cleckheaton led 15-12.

The second period saw Cleckheaton put in an impressive defensive display as Bradford & Bingley, now playing into the elements, struggled to get out of their half. Joey Carley put in a stand out hit on Moimoi to quell a possible break and Man of the Match, Jack Bickerdike, was terrier like in constantly disrupting and tackling opposition players, whilst marshalling the pack forward. Cleckheaton extended their lead with another Swetman penalty as Bees where reduced to 14 men due to a yellow card. The same player then struck a drop goal attempt which agonisingly bounced off the post but the visitors were penalised again before clearing the ball from their 22 and Swetman banged over his 3rd penalty goal. Bradford & Bingley, in a way that typified Cleckheaton’s performance throughout January, continued to infringe and Swetman kicked two more penalties, bringing the total to 5 and adding an impressive 12 points to Cleckheaton’s second half tally. With the game in injury time and Cleckheaton leading 27-12 Paul Turner was yellow carded for over exuberantly congratulating a Bees player for knocking-on near Cleckheaton’s line. Bee’s stuck the ball up their jumper and drove over from close range for a consolation try.

A much needed and well deserved win from Cleckheaton, who showed some real grit to come back from 12-0 down. For the first time in a number of games Cleckheaton have not had the dubious honour of topping the penalty count. If Cleckheaton use the last hour of the match as a benchmark for their defensive effort, then they will not concede too many tries in the next few games.

This weekend Cleckheaton welcome West Hartlepool to Moorend and hope to make it honours even over the season, having lost to the north Teesside men at the start of November. It is a special occasion on Saturday when the club is holding a Breast Cancer Charity Event, which will include the team playing the game in a specially commissioned pink strip.

Match details

Match date

Sat 24 Feb 2018

Kickoff

14:15

Competition

North One East

League position

8
Cleckheaton
10
Bradford & Bingley
Team overview
Further reading

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