Preston draw in thriller

Hoppers picked up their first away points of the season sharing the spoils with a spirited Bromsgrove side on their first trip to Finstall Park.

Head Coach Dave Baldwin said; “I am quite pleased to get our first points away from home against a useful team and we could have left with more. It was a good comeback after going down by fourteen points early and we showed good composure and kept our shape, but penalties cost us.”

For the second consecutive away game Hoppers found themselves 14 points adrift in the opening ten minutes as Bromsgrove capitalised on turnovers and poor decision making. Jon Critchlow opened the scoring when the home side turned the ball over on half way and kept play alive down the left before a good inside ball put the full back away and when number 8 Drew Harper touched down from the back of a rolling maul the home crowd were anticipating a rout.

Hoppers managed to get themselves back into the game thanks to a big effort from the forwards and good tactical work from the half backs. After kicking a penalty to the corner and trying to launch a rolling maul of their own further penalties allowed scrum half Nathan Fowles to take a quick tap and squeeze over.

Phil Baines got Hoppers second try as they were able to make the most of a turnover and once Russell Flynn had made good yards through the middle of the pitch Bromsgrove’s defence was stretched and Baines was found all alone on his left wing for an easy score. Graham Holroyd added both conversions and a penalty before the break but Hoppers infringed at the restart and allowed Ben Copson to convert a penalty to add to his two successful try conversions and the sides went into the break 17-17.

Hoppers started the second half just as poorly as the first and conceded a try in the opening minutes as missed tackles allowed replacement Chris Morgan to sprint in down the right wing from half way. Hoppers were able to answer straight back as Tom Hughes benefitted from great work from Baines who made up for missed tackles with a powerful hand off and a wonderfully timed inside ball to Hughes who strolled in by the posts.

Again it was poor tackling that allowed the host to retake the lead as they moved the ball well from left to right and Tom Warren powered through the middle of the Hoppers defence to score.

But Hoppers once again fought back to level the scores as the impressive Holroyd executed an inch perfect cross field kick to find Baines in acres of space following a great turn over from replacement Chris Lowden.

Both sides had chances to win the game in the final minutes, with Bromsgrove bundled into touch as timed expired, but on reflection a draw was probably the fairest result, Hoppers could have won the game with a touch more luck as they were close to scoring on a couple of occasions, especially when a cross kick to Matt Hughes was just slightly too high and Dominic Moon was surprisingly adjudged to have knocked on over the line but they were again guilty of trying to play rugby in areas of the pitch they shouldn’t and playing too much behind the gain line, they gifted Bromsgrove tries in the first half and if they can tighten up in these areas then there are plenty of positives to take from the attacking play and they have shown they have the ability to score from anywhere on the pitch given the right ball.

Baldwin summed it up saying; “this is a work in progress and we were a bit sloppy at times but look at the difference to where we were last year and there is a lot more to come.”  

Rugby World Cup Roundup

Another weekend of Rugby World Cup fixtures have been completed and they have gone a long way to shaping the outcome of the pools. With the tier one nations having just the one game left some teams have guaranteed themselves places in the knockout rounds while others head into next weekend’s final pool fixtures knowing its win or go home. 

In Pool A New Zealand are the only team to have achieved the maximum 15 points as they ran in five tries to comfortably beat France and secure top spot. Victory will have been even sweeter for the All Blacks as France have been their bogey team at World Cups. France appeared to have selected a weakened side with many suggesting they were happy to settle for second in the group and the apparent easier side of the knock out draw but nobody can deny the class of the All Black back line as the likes of try scorers Cory Jane, Israel Dagg and Sonny Bill Williams would be a stern test for any defence. Earlier in the week Tonga beat Japan to keep their slim hopes of qualification, they can still reach the knock out stages with a bonus point victory over France. Canada can also qualify but would need not only a victory over Japan in midweek but a historic win over New Zealand in the final pool game.

In Pool B England put one foot in the quarter finals with an impressive 67-3 win over Romania. They ran in ten tries including hat-tricks for wingers Mark Cueto and Chris Ashton. Martin Johnson was pleased with the performance but still conceded there is work to be done as the side is still giving away far too many penalties that will be punished against better opposition. The pool was blown wide open with Argentina’s victory over Scotland however, as all three teams can still progress.  Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino’s late try sealed the game for the Puma’s but Scotland still had their chances as a Dan Parks sliced a drop goal in the dying minutes. Scotland will now have to beat England on Saturday and either score five tries or stop England from recording the losing bonus point. Argentina will qualify with a bonus point victory over Georgia or if Scotland gets nothing in an England victory. Georgia will also play Romania in what promises to be an intriguing midweek clash.

Pool C saw Ireland remain top with an emphatic nine try victory over Russia while Italy, who beat Russia earlier in the week, and Australia who ran in 11 tries against the USA both kept their hopes alive. All three teams could still make the quarter finals as Italy would expect to record a victory in their midweek game against the USA to set up a winner takes all clash with Ireland on Sunday and Australia know that victory against Russia in Nelson on Saturday guarantees them progression to the knockout stages and they could still top the group if Italy score an upset against Ireland in Dunedin. No team would want to finish runner up in the group as that would likely set up a quarter final clash with South Africa.

Pool D leaders South Africa continued to gather momentum with a 87-0 victory over Namibia on Thursday, the 12 try rout included a welcomed score for Brian Habana who not only ended his 15 month try scoring drought but also became the Springbok’s top try scorer of all time in the process. It didn’t get much easier for Namibia who completed their tournament with another heavy defeat just four days later as Wales also ran in 12 tries on route to a 81-7 victory. Heinz Koll’s try at least ensured the African minnows were not kept scoreless for the second time in a week. The pool’s other fixture saw Samoa keep their slim chances of qualification alive with a 27-7 win over Island neighbours Fiji, but they will still have to beat South Africa in their final game and hope Fiji can pull off an upset over Wales.

         

Aviva Premiership week 4 review

Sale 29-21 Northampton

Sale Sharks got the weekend off to a flyer to record their third straight victory with a second half comeback against Northampton. With both sides losing several players to the World Cup squad depth was on show and it was Sale’s youth movement that came put on top. After going into the break 12-6 down the Sharks came out looking to run the ball wide and caused the Saints problems especially when the visitors were reduced to 13 men after two sin binning’s in a matter of minutes. Tries from former Saint Mark Easter along with David Seymour and Dwayne Peel along with 14 points from the boot of Nick MacLeod ensured the Sharks unbeaten home record remains intact.

Worcester 15-17 Harlequins

League leader Harlequins also needed a second half revival to beat newcomers Worcester as Sam Smith score and a late penalty try overcame the boot of Andy Goode. It was the ever impressive boot of Goode that had given Worcester a 9-3 half time lead including a monster penalty from inside his own half with Quins managing just a solitary Nick Evans penalty in reply.  Goode increased the home lead after the break with his fourth penalty and a drop goal but it was his opposite number who would steal the show as Evan’s sublime inside ball put Smith into acres of space to score and after Jake Abbot was yellow carded the home scrum couldn’t withstand the Quins pressure and conceded the penalty try with Evan converting for victory.

London Irish 46-29 Newcastle

Tom Homer kicked 26 points as London Irish secured a try bonus point victory and left Newcastle still searching for their first win of the season. Jimmy Gopperth had given Newcastle an early lead but a try from Topsy Ojo and four Homer penalties had Irish going into the break with a 19-12 lead. The second half started with a further exchange of penalties but Jonathon Joseph scored two tries from distance either side of a penalty try to put the game beyond any doubt. Newcastle did get a couple of late tries to give the travelling support something to cheer about as Daz Fearn and Jamie Helleur grabbed consolation scores but the team is seriously struggling even in a time when they should be benefitting from other team World Cup call ups.

Leicester 25-50 Saracens

Saracens put Leicester to the sword in a repeat of last year’s final as the defending Champions ran in six tries to inflict the Tigers to their heaviest Premiership defeat. The first half saw Charlie Hodgson convert three penalties and his own try before Captain Ernst Joubert extended the visitors lead. Leicester winger Niall Morris scored just before the break to reduce the deficit to 23-11 at the half but a breath taking display in the second saw two quick tries from Owen Farrell and Jamie George put the game out of reach. Julian Salvi crossed for Leicester but the comeback was never on as Joubert add his second and Brad Barritt crossed by the posts to ensure Ben Wood’s late score was nothing but a consolation try and Saracens even had the last say as Farrell kicked a penalty with the last touch of the ball to make it a cool 50 point haul for the visitors.         

Gloucester 23-6 Bath   

Gloucester overcame Bath in a physical West Country derby where the home forwards dominated to maintain local bragging rights. It was Bath who took an early lead with two Sam Vesty penalties and were looking comfortable until Tim Taylor’s penalty was quickly followed by a Darren Dawidiuk try just before the break. Bath were unable to get into the game in the second half and even the usually reliable boot of Vesty was having a poor outing, Gloucester extended their lead with two further Taylor penalties and with Bath searching for a score that would at least give them a losing bonus point they knocked on and Charlie Sharples kicked ahead and showed his blistering pace to sprint past the Bath defence and collect the kick to the delight of the home crowd.

Exeter 21-11 London Wasps  

Exeter continued their impressive start to the season with victory over Wasps as they denied the visitors of any quality ball and used the conditions and a strong pack to their advantage. It was Wasps who had the lead at the break as slender as it was at 6-5 with former Chief Ryan Davis slotting two penalties either side of a Tom Johnson try as the flanker was on hand to round off Sireli Naqelevuki's break. In the second half Fly-half Ignacio Mieres kicked two penalties and his replacement Gareth Steenson came on to add a further three points but it wasn’t until Chris Budgen’s try that the Chiefs were able to put the game away and even though Wasps got a try of their own with Jack Wallace’s late score it was too little too late.

So after four games only Harlequins are unbeaten while Saracens, Exeter and Sale are just behind with three wins each. London Irish lead the chasing pack thanks to picking up a league leading three bonus point while Leicester, Northampton and Worcester will be hoping for a change in fortunes with just one win to their names and Newcastle are still searching for their first win to give their new owners something to smile about after their recent investment.

With the Aviva Premiership maintaining a full fixture list through the World Cup many teams will be using this time to pick up some valuable wins that will help the push for the top four, European qualification or just Premiership survival but for the teams heavily affected by World Cup call ups just picking up a few bonus points here and there will be vital. Leicester, Northampton and Wasps will all be hoping for a change in fortunes once their international players return. 

It is great to see the youth movement at Sale thriving even though they are as affected by the World Cup as any team. Steve Diamond came back to the North West with high expectation and after an opening week blip they look to have turned things around. Fielding a starting XV on Friday night with an average age under 24 and two further players on the bench well below that Diamond has really brought a passion and intensity back to the club that was severely missing in recent years.

It is also nice to see Exeter maintaining their impressive start to their second Premiership campaign, many expected the Devon outfit to go straight back down last season but a great infrastructure along with a team that fully believes they can win any game is not only keeping their heads above water but pulling off some eye catching results, especially at home. 

Next weeks fixtures; Worcester v Northampton, Bath v Leicester, Exeter v Saracens, Gloucester v London Irish, Harlequins v Sale, Newcastle v Wasps  

NFL - Week three review

Another week of big scores, big performances and shocks in the NFL and week three was the week of the comeback. The league is starting to shape into the teams that have, the teams that haven’t and the teams (and coaches) who have literally no idea what they have or haven’t got.

Houston Texans 33 New Orleans Saints 40

Two of the league high powered offenses produced the shootout that was expected of them and with 37 points in the 4^th quarter alone you have to wonder what the defences were doing. Houston were guilty of leaving points on the field and having to settle for field goals and this was ultimately their undoing, as the Saints led by 370 from Drew Brees came from behind twice in the final quarter to further solidify their playoff credentials. This was the first real test of the Texans new 3-4 defence and they failed miserably after a decent start but then again against Brees and a Sean Payton offense who doesn’t.

San Francisco 49ers 13 Cincinnati Bengals 8 

In stark contrast the 49ers and Bengals could generate little offense to inspire any real hope for the season ahead. The Bengals and rookie QB Andy Dalton had been brought back down to earth with a bang after a week one victory and going 1-10 on third down just won’t cut it, but this as we know is a rebuilding project that will take time. The 49ers on the other hand have a great opportunity to make the playoffs in a week division that so picking up wins no matter how ugly is a bonus and QB Alex Smith while not spectacular must see that if he doesn’t lose games like this for the team then special teams and defence could carry them to a division title and the playoffs.

New England Patriots 31 Buffalo Bills 34

The Bills beat the Patriots; Tom Brady has as many interceptions in this one game as he had in the entire 2010 season and my fantasy team led by Ryan Fitzpatrick and Wes Welker goes off and finally wins. Yes the Bills snapped a 15 game losing streak against their high flying neighbours. Fitzpatrick led his Bills to their second heart stopping comeback in as many weeks with many commentators and analysts believing they are for real and not just on an early season hot streak. New England however have severe weaknesses and once again show that if Brady isn’t on form the defense cannot stop anybody and with nobody to run the ball consistently controlling the clock it has to be Tom Terrific all day.

Jacksonville Jaguars 10 Carolina Panthers 16                        

If ever a game showed just how important the Quarterback position is in the NFL it was this low scoring affair. Carolina didn’t do anything in the first three quarters but then the #1 overall pick Cam Newton earned every penny of his deal orchestrating a fourth quarter comeback with a TD toss to Greg Olsen (who is also found on the 2 point conversion) while Jacksonville struggled in Blaine Gabbert’s first start even though they seemingly hadn’t entered the season wanting to play the rookie (David Garrard must still be on the floor laughing counting his money). Carolina are in a tough division and will not be expected to win many games but after his big yardage multiple turnover games it was good to see Newton make few mistakes and come up big when required.

New York Giants 29 Philadelphia Eagles 16

So much for the ‘Dream Team’ as Vince Young christened them in training camp, even if the road loss in Atlanta could be swept under the carpet this certainly cannot as Eagles fans do not stand for losses at home especially against the Giants. To add insult to injury or technically injury to insult Michael Vick left with a broken hand (the non throwing one) and replacement Mike Kafka had two interceptions in seven attempts. Even more worrying is that the big money defensive backs were shredded by Eli Manning as he threw for 254 yards and 4 touchdowns including a 74 yard toss to Victor Cruz and scored another right over Nnamdi Asomugha but at least have LeSean McCoy in the backfield.  New York on the other hand have answered their week one critics with two solid performances and if their running game can reproduce the thunder and lightning of the previous decade Manning has the tools to lead them to another Superbowl.

Miami Dolphins 16 Cleveland Brown 17

Even the emergence of rookie running back Daniel Thomas won’t satisfy the Dolphin fans who saw Cleveland come from behind to win with a late Colt McCoy touchdown. Miami are still searching for their first win and on this eveidence it will be a long time coming as even with time to mount a comeback Mike Adams picked off Chad Henne with seconds left to thwart any Dolphin hopes. Cleveland can take heart from the win and the performance of the ever improving McCoy but in the absence of Peyton Hillis their running game could not provide the platform the young QB will need against stronger opposition but they are another young team who appear to be heading in the right direction.

Detroit Lions 23 Minnesota Vikings 20

In yet another of the week three comebacks Detroit turned a 20-0 half time deficit around to win in overtime against division rivals Minnesota. The Vikings have now blown leads in each of their opening three games with many wondering if the right choices were made at Quarterback and if the Head Coach Leslie Frazier is up to the job. Detroit fans will point to the combination of Matthew Stafford to Calvin Johnson as the main reason for victory as the pair hooked up for two TD’s and a huge overtime play that set up the game winning field goal. The win puts the Lions joint top of the NFC North at 3-0 while the Vikings may want to start scouting Andrew Luck as they are still without a win.

Denver Broncos 14 Tennessee Titans 17

Matt Hasselbeck threw for 311 yards and 2 TD’s as the Broncos defense still can’t stop anyone no matter what scheme they are playing. In fact the only person unable to move the ball on the Broncos was Chris Johnson who looks like he is running with his entire $53m contract in his pockets. In truth neither team was able to move the ball on the ground and the game was won as the veteran Hasselbeck was able to look after the ball better than Kyle Orton who threw two interceptions. Tennessee could yet have a say in the AFC South as Jacksonville and Indianapolis look dead in the water with their QB troubles and if the Titans can find the running game an improved defense and a savvy veteran in Hasselbeck are just what is required.

Baltimore Ravens 37 St. Louis Rams 7

Rookie Torrey Smith did not even play in Baltimore’s opening two games and after a disappointing pre season the team signed veteran Lee Evans and many were thinking the former Maryland Terrapin was something of a bust. Then came a trip to St. Louis and Smith’s first catch as a pro was a 74 yard touchdown, his second was a 41 yard touchdown and his third a 18 yard touchdown (he also had two further catches but they didn’t go the distance) and using Peter King maths that’s equates to a season production of 70 catches for 2128 yards and 42 touchdowns. Thanks to the Joe Flacco to Smith connection, three Billy Cundiff field goals and a 28 yard fumble return from Haloti Ngata the Ravens ran out comfortable victors against a Rams team that had promised so much but have delivered so little this season.            

Kansas City Chiefs 17 San Diego Chargers 20

A week after losing star running back Jamaal Charles the Chiefs almost pulled of a surprise victory and if not for safety Eric Weddle repaying some of his position leading new salary they would have. Philip Rivers threw two interceptions as the Chargers looked like the early season Chargers of old but Weddle’s late interception and a anaemic Chiefs offense spared Norv Turner’s blushes. But why Rivers was attempted 38 passes when the running game, led by Ryan Matthew 98 yards and 2 TD’s, was working well and the team was leading is anyone’s guess, but a 2-1 Chargers side will get out of September above.500 and are on course for a return to the playoffs.

New York Jets 24 Oakland Raiders 34

If the league is becoming a pass driven affair then somebody has forgotten to give that memo to the Raiders and star running back Darren McFadden (or more likely they got the memo and Al Davis has chosen to ignore it and go his own way again). McFadden ran for 171 yards and 2 TD’s with Michael Bush chipping in for 22 more and a score of his own. Have the Raiders exposed a weakness it the Jets defense or are McFadden and the Offensive line just that good, only time will tell but maybe the Raiders can provide a challenge out west. They still gave up over 350 yards through the air and if not for a couple of costly Jets turn overs and penalties this could have been different and Rex Ryan will say the Jets are still Superbowl bound, but we expect no less.

Green Bay Packers 27 Chicago Bears 17

I am not the only Bears fan that wants Mike Martz fired (the fact I never wanted him hired in the first place is testament to that) but if he is still in charge when the Bears and Bucs roll into Wembley I will not be responsible for my actions. Granted the outcome of the game may not have been different if Mike Tice or even I was calling the plays but Martz’s complete abandonment of the run for the second game in a row coupled with these pointless pre snap motions and long drop backs are killing this team and may kill the franchise QB. That being said Green Bay look as good if not better than the side that won the Superbowl on offense but there are concerns of defense and where it not for a phantom holding call on what should have been the play of the season on a Jonny Knox Punt Return the Bears would have had a chance to win. Both teams are what I thought they were, Green Bay are playoff bound and Chicago are driving their fans insane as once again the defense and special teams are their just the offense or to be exact the offensive co-ordinator are holding them back. Remind me, how much do hit men make?

Atlanta Falcons 13 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16

Tampa Bay were the second team of the day to snap a long standing divisional losing streak as they beat Atlanta for the first time in three years. Despite a late Falcon comeback it was a swarming defensive effort that forced three turn overs, four sacks and limited Atlanta to just 30 yards of rushing offense. While the offense wasn’t stellar it did just enough especially late in the fourth quarter as the games key play may have been Tampa’s ability to lure the Falcons offside and enable them to run out the clock. Most people expected Tampa with a tougher schedule to last year to regress but it’s the Falcons who have been nothing like their 2010 vintage even with Matt Ryan’s 330 passing yards.

Arizona Cardinals 10 Seattle Seahawks 13

In case anyone cared there was a game in the Pacific North West as the low flying Cardinals faced off against the grounded Seahawks. In a game where both sides could move the ball, as the opposing defences’ are just as bad as the offense, but struggled to get in the end zone it was left to Seattle QB Tarvaris Jackson to score the crucial TD with you guesses it his legs not his arm. If not for another spectacular catch by Larry Fitzgerald Arizona wouldn’t have found the end zone and it makes you question his loyalty to the franchise as he signed an extension earlier in the year when every team in the league would have thrown money his way in free agency. This win leaves both teams at 1-2 but in a division with St. Louis and San Francisco who knows which team will make the playoffs and just how few wins will be enough.

Pittsburgh Steelers 23 Indianapolis Colts 20

Was this a sign of life in Indianapolis or of Pittsburgh’s underlying problems? Most expected a blow out on Sunday night but the Steelers who have been one of the leagues better running teams over recent season couldn’t get anything going on the ground against a Colt’s side who usually allow 100 yards to a JV squad. This time it was left to Big Ben Roethlisberger and the defense even though they needed a Shaun Suisham field goal to secure victory. Indianapolis fans were delighted to see Peyton Manning even if it was in the co-ordinators box and must have been wondering why, after Kerry Collins was knocked out of the game, Curtis Painter wasn’t trusted from the start as baring a fumble caused by James Harrison and returned for a TD by Troy Polamalu the backup QB nearly lead the Colts to an unlikely victory.

Washington Redskins 16 Dallas Cowboys 18

It wasn’t a classic by any standards but who amongst us would honestly be doing anything with two broken ribs and a punctured lung let alone playing professional sport, but Tony Romo lead his Cowboys to a division victory over the previously unbeaten Redskins. Six field goals from Dan Bailey on the back of 155 total yards from Felix Jones were enough to overcome three Graham Gno field goals and a solitary Tim Hightower TD in reply. Both teams have started 2-1 and will be happy to be sharing the NFC East lead with the Giants but neither will be satisfied here, this was a real chance for Washington to record their second divisional win and move a game clear and Dallas in spite of a win will be concerned that the team couldn’t convert any of their drives into more than field goals.

5 thoughts on the week;

1.       Whether Detroit and Buffalo make the playoffs or not, and in two tough divisions the later is possible, they are for real. And it is nice to see some spark in two historic franchises that have been dormant for too long. Both have done it through the draft with some shrewd free agent acquisitions but because they have drafted wisely even if this isn’t the year they are built for the long haul.

2.       In a league that values parity it is amazing that one player (usually the Quarterback) can have such an impact on a team’s fortune. Yes it’s the key position but there have been many good teams lead by average QB’s, even some who have won it all with the likes of Trent Dilfer and Brad Johnson but the woes of Indianapolis, Seattle, Miami and Jacksonville show just how important the signal caller has become.

3.       Unless of course you’re in Oakland (another example of Al Davis going against the trends of the NFL, Just Win Baby) where after years of big armed QB’s and speedy wide receivers leading the way Oakland have hitched their wagon to Darren McFadden. He is one of only five men who have over 300 yards (he has 393) and five men to be carrying the ball over 20 times a game. In years gone by 25 attempts was a mythical number that stud running backs wanted but in the era of the QB there is little left for a franchise back.

4.       All the talk was due to a shortened off season defenses would rule and that is just not happening in fact it’s the offense that is coming out on top in nearly every game. And in some cases (Green Bay, New Orleans, New England, Buffalo, Houston) this isn’t stopping teams from winning. Is this move to high scoring all offense a sign of things to come has years of college spread formations finally caught up to the pro’s or is it just that right now we are seeing an anomaly that will rectify itself by the end of the season, or is everyone just so gripped by fantasy football that they are just wanting to make sure that their team puts up as many points as possible just to make our lives more frustrating.

5.       No matter what sport you play you cannot just buy success, teams are built over a series of years and Philadelphia are the latest team to be finding this out the hard way. Just because you decide to bring in every top name free agent doesn’t mean you are going to be successful, in fact the only player performing at a dream team level (LeSean McCoy) was their all along.