Today was my first visit to Cas. Really enjoyed the atmosphere and banter with fans. A proper old fashioned stadium with character not one of those meccano numbers the RFL seem intent to get us all into. Really enjoyed the cheerleaders also although they were much too far away on the halfway line

Have to ask though, I spent a hour before the game looking for the clock and scoreboard. Gave up after asking the guy next to me as he couldn't see it either. Where about was it I spend the whole game checking my mobile phone to keep up to date with the score.

That explains it then I was where the Sky screen would usually be. Added to the excitment though only had guesstimates as to how long was left of the game.

Everytime Leon Pryce got the ball near our line you could feel in your gut it was already a try him and Eastmond were the most obvious difference makers today but saints as a unit just seem packed with rock solid athletes and unfortunatly defending with heart and determination is only part of the equation for RL. Tip of the hat for wainwright the man does not take a backward step and was not intimidated by the saints amazing front rowers also sherwin played like a man desperate to regain his reputation and compared to the Wakefield game was very creative and pegged the Saints back in their own half in the first fourty which is probably the only thing keeping the score so close so well done to him. Ainscough needs some decent ball or what is the point in having him the poor lad is here to play superleague not jog up and down the touch line. Mcgoldrick was good at FB once again but made a big boo boo by forcing the pass to Ainscough when the line appeard to be at his mercy apart from that I am glad to see him playing with confidence again. Westerman did not hold back especially with his mouth!!
Is it that we cannot defend our line or is it that we just always seem to find ourselves there? probably both. the tactics were to me quite sound in the first half by kicking to touch on the last play in order to keep them back but we all know that Saints can hurt you from anywhere on the pitch.
All in all that first half was 100% better than the entire eighty minutes against Wakefield but it is clear that we needed something big comming out for the second fourty in both matches Wakefield and Saints seemed to get quickfire tries against us and thats all she wrote. Is it fitness? or are the lads carrying nocks we dont know about? because this second half syndrome is painfully predictable.
We come up against a similary big side in Huddersfield in just a few days and its on SKY!!!! we have every right to fear the worst but always hold out hope in sport because they have no right to win this match its about who earns it so to the Cas lads I say if you want it go out there and earn it! and to Matterson I say get em all in the changing room and lock the door and say what has to be said and to the board I say give the fans something even if it is negative as long as you level with the fans then we can all make informed choices and who knows maybe an informed conversation that does not involve someone bringing up that there mate at work says that Richard Owen is on his way to the Denver Bronco's in order to pay for the loan signing of Dale Ferguson on a match by match basis! or that we are going to ground share with the womens institute bowls club(Crikey we really will have to watch our language then wont we!) We live in hope.

P.S. The Dale Ferguson rumer is total fiction and the only reason it is there is to illustrate some of the silliness doing the rounds in 2010. The W.I. however.......

Kept losing count memory not what it was