January 31st , 2009

North West Counties Division 3

When the fixture list came out in August this was proberbly the game most people looked for first.  Having lost the first leg of the Cross Bay Challenge by 8 points to 6 back in November the Atoms were determined to redress the balance but everyone realised only their very best performance would be enough to claim the points.  The Atoms were made to work extremly hard for their victory with very little to choose between the two teams with the Heysham side gaining the all important upper hand in the first half with some exciting handling and support play.  All who braved the bitterly cold January weather commented on the commitment on show that was hard but fair throughout the afternoon, with a referee sympathetic for an open free flowing game. 

The Atoms took a while to settle with nerves getting the better of them leading to a handling error quickly followed by a penalty which meant they had to defend their line sooner than they had expected.  Their defence looked compact and organised which was an area they had worked hard on during the week.  They kept their line in tact which lifted the confidence of the team.  An attack down the middle of the park brought the Atoms their first points of the contest.  Dan Scanlon made the most of making the starting thirteen for the second week in succession.  He made serious inroads into Hindpool's defence before live-wire hooker Mike Marrin brought play back to the narrow side.  Keith Hartlebury, returning from a foot injury, ran hard into a half gap.  He still had plenty to do but showed enough power and determination to force his way over the line.  The cross field wind played havoc with the goal kicking so much so that only one out of the seven tries in the game was converted.  The Atoms have been looking to expand their play more and straight from the restart the ball went through seven pairs of hands taking play from one side of the field to the other and more importantly over the half way line in one play.  Hard working Rob Shaw was heavily involved in taking play close to the Hindpool line.  Hartlebury found captain Mark Walker with a wide, accurate pass and the loose forward forced his way over the line, on his 50th appearence for the club, for his 6th try of the season.  Another player making his 50th appearence was winger Martin Pike who too had kept his place after impressing the coaches in the heavy defeat last week at Leigh Miners.

The third Atoms score was the pick of the seven on show but it was all started with some solid defending from Ginnochio and Winder which halted any forward momentum in the Atoms half.  Hindpool were forced to kick to gain any territory but they only found full back Billy Livingstone in outstanding form.  He carved an opening for himself blistering away through the line taking play 40 yards upfield.  The Atoms piled up in support and each and every player who handled the ball in the move kept the ball alive in contact.  In form centre Mike Holmes finished off the move which was a joy to watch for all the Atoms supporters.

Although the Atoms had a 12 nil lead at the break their job was far from over as Hindpool showed great resiliance to keep coming at the Atoms with their second row and prop proving a handfull when running with ball in hand.  Hindpool had plenty of pressure in the opening to the second half and this weight of possesion brought them their opening score when the Atoms just ran out of defenders.

Stand Off Neil Walker grew in confidence and authority as the game wore on picking out his runners well and pinning Hindpool back with some intelligent kicking.  The Atoms chased hard on these kicks that split Hindpool's Full Back and left winger forcing them to bring the ball out from deep in their own quarter.  This proved to be the right tactic as Hindpool found it difficult to break off the shackles of an enthusiastic Atoms defensive line.  A Neil Walker pass got the Atoms back line moving once again into Hindpool's territory.  Stuart Lacey made a classy outside break before finding Billy Livingstone up in support.  He offloaded in the tackle to winger Jake Harrison who steamed onto the pass to take him away from the cover defence for an excellent finish to the move.  At 18 . 4 the Atoms had again wrestled the iniative away from the Barrow side and should have taken the game away from Hindpool.  Barrow certainly were not going to go down without a fight and a piece of good fortune gave them hope.  A chip and chase in the middle of the field landed between two Atoms defenders which neither was able to kill the ball.  The bounce favoured the Barrow chasers and the ball was fly hacked over the Atoms try line.  Hindpool's stand off won the foot race to touch down and bring his team to within ten points of the Atoms.

The Atoms kept their tactics sensible with hooker Mike Marrin finding a lot of yards around the rucks keeping his side moving in the right direction.  The Atoms line wasn't really threatened again until the final seconds.  A mix up in defence left a big whole that Hindpool greatfully accepted.  The move was only halted by a thunderous Dan Scanlon tackle 2 meters from the line.  Sheer weight of numbers took Hindpool over the line with the last play of the match bringing to an end this thouroughly entertaining and absorbing contest.

Team:

B.Livingstone, G.Winder, M.Holmes, S.Lacey, M.Pike, N.Walker, K.Hartlebury, D. McVernon, M.Marrin, D.Ginnochio, R.Shaw, D.Scanlon, M.Walker (capt )

Res: A.Helme, J.Harrison, S.Weed, P.Livingstone,

My English mates have been quite nothing stirring for a while
The losses apparently for the Atoms they were starting to pile
Some niggling and banter was starting to show
A victory was needed for the club to get back on the go

The Tigers from Hindpool set off on a trip
To the Trimpell at Morecambe and a bus full of lip.
Our first round loss to the Tigers, boy that really hurt
Will beat the Barrow boys at home on Trimpell dirt

The whistle sounded the start and the battle begun
The Atoms started on fire and were out for some fun
We needed this victory lads so keep grinding them down
For if we win today will go out on the town.

An old mate of mines birthday he was turning twenty odd
He has had a few problems of late with the bod
I spoke to him on facebook and he typed with great passion
Will win today coach and give them a thrashing.

Now by all accounts of the game I have spoken to a mate
He said that Maz was outstanding,  or simply just great.
He played with some heart and was the best that he had seen
You need to continue this form Maz for the better of the team

Now me old mate the Iron Rod called the shots around the field
With man of the match votes and three points he did yield
His kicking game was pin point and gave the tigers nothing but dregs
One day they talk about this player and the bar between his legs.

Now Billy Boy played fullback with plenty of room to razzle.
To show his awesome sidestep against the tigers he did dazzle
Now Jakey's try  was brilliant and a victory looked like fate
But  Holmsey's try was special and his courage simply great

Rob the teacher scored a point and is starting to gather quite a few
Rob you need to lead the way for the young ones will follow you.
Other older players need to lead and leave nothing at the gates
Wear your heart upon your sleeve lads and give it all for your mates.

Other tries were scored by players that that I put into a group
Of very special individuals and there called Gripper and the Soup.
Others played well but you need to do some more
To get into my poems you must win or you must score.

Now I heard that hindpool players thought the food was quite a treat
Apparently the two cooks in the kitchen were trying to find some meat
They added chips they added gravy they hid this thing with peas
If  Chris and Crowy cook next week you'll be paying doctors fees.

I'm looking forward to next week and can hardly wait to write
A poem of a victory against Saddleworth and some stories of the fight
Their second last on the league ladder but don't let that fool you
Respect the side your playing and go back to back for two