Having now seen the BBC coverage of the game, I really do think that we now hold the stronger cards going into the second half of the season. Some opinions on the game and some player, but I want to say that the whole team stepped up to win that game.
Ben Reynolds - I have been a defender of him in the past and he always works his off, but I have also said that I wonder if he lacks the off the cuff factor that the best halfbacks have, and that he should take the line on more. There have been questions also on his positional kicking and his ability to step up in the big games. Well Saturday showed that he is the man for the job, with a brilliantly controlled display in attack and defence. Together with Mellor, he is one of, if not the best defensive half’s in the game and they are now balancing the duties very well. His kick for Inu’s first try was pin-point, his try was a fantastic show and go, with a change of speed that surprised the defence. Overall this was his best game so far.
Krishna Inu - A must have in the big games. He looks fit, fast, strong and very focused right now. He had his kicking boots on and his try was a thing of beauty. His desire to take the ball into contact, and the effort needed to stop him also stood out.
Adam Sidlow - leads from the front and long minutes in the game. A vital part of a very dominant pack. His last ditch diving tackle when Fev were at do or die time and had broken our line, secured us the win. He does need to control his emotions at times, but it is that emotion that also stands out in his desire and work rate.
Kai O’Donnell - I said when we announced him that he would be a strong addition to our pack, and he is now really showing his worth. He runs hard, tackles harder, and is always looking to back up the runner. He is another who works non-stop and will never back down.
Edwin Ipape - our game breaker and in my opinion the best hooker in the Championship. His engine is endless. He also has a great eye for a gap and the best change of pace and side step to get through it. When you watch him run he also has a massive stride for his height, and great upper body strength, that make him hard to tackle. Add to that his power in the tackle and his willingness to sprint in and make sure tackled players go to ground, then bounce up and be back in the line for the next runner. He has it all for a #9.
General points.
Our pack is the best in the league and we still have Green to come. It’s a long time since we had a pack that made so many meters and defended so well.
Our back line is huge, but fit, fast and mobile. Ferguson, Inu and MacDonald take some putting down and set a great foundation to start our sets. Aekins is also a beauty and a constant threat. His ball to Ferguson was fantastic and he comes up with those passes time and time again.
Adrian Lam knows his players, knows how to win games, and the team obviously enjoys playing for him. It is also obvious that Chris Chester rightly has Lam’s respect and an influence in how the team plays.
Overall, a long way to go and no chickens being counted, but I believe we have the measure of Fev in every area of the game right now but it is fine margins. Squad rotation will be key from here onwards and we now have the squad to do just that, and the coach to manage it.
More to come from Fev when Ford settles in, but more to come from us also I believe.
Well done to Derek for making this possible but we now need to push on, fix the small areas that showed occasionally today (discipline can still be improved and the odd gap appeared in the middle in the second half but mostly from broken play) and keep fine tuning.
Happy Leyther here