Think that if we played a team who lost 2 forwards and half back by 28 minute mark and was left with one sub for reminder of game plus in same period had a player in the bin for ten minutes, we would expect to run up a decent score against them. Having said that I don't think the players will be happy with the performance and I'm sure will be looking to bounce back.
Sometimes it's just not your day!
Learn and move on.

I was worried after your win last week against Fev and your try on 5 minutes but Fax just kept doing the big hits and wore you down which was probably why you got so many injuries too. Second half we played some great rugby and you were gone. Having a team of all our own players, Saxton apart who is on loan from Fev and are not having DR players helps I think.

Severe lack of personnel warning ... it was on the cards ... and furthermore has just worsened.
We won't win any games putting out walking wounded.
I'm fearing a slump.

We wouldn't expect anything else S-O.

No half measures from you mate.

COYD

Yesterday was a shocker. Truly awful.

A player went from making team of the week to looking terrified of getting the ball. That player also made an incredibly poor and costly decision to put in a shoulder charge. He deserves to be dropped for that performance.

The damage was done before the injuries. Paul Cooke was completely marked out of the game.

The team panicked and started to play one out play down the middle of the pitch. Our lightweight and inexperienced pack got absolutely hammered. This is why the injuries were picked up.

Joe Arundel and Lee Waterman (who I thought had an outstanding game) were our biggest threats. They didn't get enough ball. Halifax wee vulnerable on their left flank but we only exposed this once (our only try). Instead of playing down the middle the ball should have been spread out wide towards the threats.

What this game shows is that we desperately need to sign some big props (especially if Castle is now out injured again)

I worry now about the confidence level of the side. Paul Cooke has got a real job to raise this again. This is the biggest test he has had in his coaching career so far.

Will be interesting to hear PC assessment of the game. Perhaps needed to sleep on it before going into print.

Photos - r82photography.photoshelter.com/ ... q.CnbDN4.I

Photos - r82photography.photoshelter.com/ ... q.CnbDN4.I

From a fax fan, whist I think we were on top by the time you got the injuries, they probably prevented you from any chance of getting back into the game. It was clear some of your guys really needed a break 10 mins into the second half and normally you would have been able to rest them, but you had no replacements. So it’s hard to really judge either teams’ performance on today. I was pleased with how we took advantage and kept our discipline in our attack, but I hope we don’t get carried away with it, just as much as I don’t think you should get too disheartened either, that’s how the game goes sometimes. Hopefully your injuries are not long term fand you can stay in the mix.

We have a game plan to beat the big 4 teams in this division; however it is a fragile one which relies on a number of things all coming together. It is based on a strong defence which requires every player leaving the pitch breathing out of their backsides, and using that base to gain constant field position and take chances when they arise.

The problem is, if players can't get the breaks when needed the defence will suffer. And when we don't have the ball enough we aren't going to force the ball in hand field positions needed to get the points. It's a house of cards which doesn't take too much to disrupt.

I am not saying this as a criticism, it is fantastic given our budget and squad that we can even comprehend getting results against the likes of Featherstone, Sheffield etc. But sometimes it just isn't going to work, they have a better group of personnel on the pitch as a whole and that will be enough a lot of the time.

A day where nothing much went right.

3 injuries (including a teams Scrum Half) in the first half hour where none of the players are able to return would be a big burden to any team. That said we missed too many tackles and our last play attacking options were very poor. Not interested in naming names but there were some very poor individual performances.

However, a chance for a confidence booster next week assuming nothing is taken for granted and the selected 17 apply themselves professionally.

Its coming to something when the opposition posting on here has more positive to say than us...

We have had a tough start to season.

Workington Away - WON
Dewsbury Home - Bonus Point
Batley Away - WON
Fev Home - WON

In between we had a brutal match with army where we picked up even more injuries.

We only really have to DR options in Pitts and Arundel and to be fair if all our team were fit I doubt these guys would get much game time (albeit 2 cracking players)

Players out -
Edwards, Kez, Waller, Nicklas, Cunningham, and in recent weeks Castle, Kelly amongst others...

Ok so Tuffour needed replacing sooner and losing Ward was another blow, so squad is thin and needs addressing.

But last week we were hailing the lads, so bit of a reality check.

I know its frustrating but when your scrumhalf isn't fit and your main man is clearly going to be marked out of game its not going to be easy against a team like Fax. TBH I thought a BP would have been a great result there but hey ho.
God knows lads confidence wont get any better if they read some of the stuff on here...

I trust Cooke and his Twitter post on Sunday Night clearly showed he knew that we had been seriously schooled...

Onwards and upwards and hopefully we can find some players out there looking for a team...Just a pity we didn't get Trout on loan..

As always just my humble opinion..