The last league game of the season, Bournville, one place above us, at home. We were hoping to win so that we could end the season not at the bottom.
It was not to be, in short summary, they scored three seven-point tries inside the first seventeen minutes to take them 0~21 ahead. It’s a difficult hill to climb, their spirits would be sky high with the feeling that the scoring was going to continue to climb to the sunny uplands of an away win. We may be feeling weary at the prospect of pulling that score line back.
Not a bit of it, we got stuck in and slowly pulled them back and getting a try bonus point and getting to within six points near the end.
I think that whatever the final result the player's effort was magnificent. Once we closed in on them it was actually an even game, I felt if they had not started so well we would have won.

As it was they opened with a seven pointer inside two minutes, Michael Ho broke the defence on the right wing and went in by the score board and around and under the crossbar, an easy conversion for Jacob Fewtrell and they were seven nil up inside three minute, we had actually started strongly and had a couple of decent runs up to half way, but we lost the ball then they lost it then got in back and the first try was scored
The second try came on minute eight with Bournville playing some fast and supportive rugby, the ball got to Nathan Decalmer on the right wing, he was half tackled three times but managed to stumble on and over the line and behind the post to take the score to fourteen points to nil with a Jacon Fewtrell conversion
Seventeen minutes and the third try. Andy Pond took a nice take in a line out on halfway, the pack drove and then the ball went to the backs but was lost, Bournville attacked getting the ball to Jo Nellany for him to run in like the first try for a twenty-one to nil lead after Jacob Fewtrell's conversion.

We pulled ourselves together and after two lineouts on the stand side, the forwards drove over for Aiden Taylor to score; the conversion was missed. 5~21.
On twenty-six minutes, we scored our second, their start kick did not go the distance, they were penalised at the resulting scrum for going down, then penalised again at the next scrum. We kicked for a lineout, took the ball and drove over again for Harri Harriman the scorer, again the conversion missed.. 10~21.
On the half hour, another try to Bournville, they won a lineout in our half stand side, put it to the backs for Sam Grimshawe to straighten up and go through the defence to score under the crossbar, an easy conversion for Jacob Fewtrell and a 10~28 lead and with it a bonus point.
Twenty-nine minutes and a fifth try again under the cross bar this time by Reiss Price with the Jacob Fewtrell conversion a score of 10~35.
The photo of the boot, as one attack on their line was going on this boot came flying high over the crossbar and landed near me. The owner played on for a minute two without it and then once the danger was over came to collect it.
Just before the break, Nathan Decaimer collected a yellow card for preventing Luke Stannard from catching the ball with a deliberate knock on.
That was half time, and despite two tries, we still had a long way to go.

The second half had us playing towards the school.
We nearly scored from an attack down the left wing, the ball was hacked on and a race for the line was just won by Bournville.
From a lineout on the stand side the forwards drove then when stopped the backs took it on with Matt Neyle speeding in supported by Billy Orchard. The Bournville defence was absent and Matt, with a smile on his face, went over by the scoreboard and in close to the posts, Richard Goldsby-West converted, 17~35 after twelve minutes of the half.
We picked a yellow card when James McFarlane was told to go and sit on the wall for ten minutes.
On minute twenty-eight, our bonus point try was scored following a strong run by Dan Lilly and under pressure on the line from three defender after a lineout that we won on the stand side, Richard Goldsby-West converted. 24~35 and at last we had hold of the back of their shirt.
Then from another catch and drive a try, James McFarlane scored.
The conversion attempt did not sound right from the start, and it missed. 29~35.
By a supreme effort we had pulled them back to six points and they and their supporters were probably justifiably nervous.
Bournville then got into our twenty-two two won a penalty and tactically decided to go for the three points to get a nine-point lead, the kick hit the near side post with a rattle, we started to play out then kicked. From the lineout they caught and drove and scored with Lewis Hall the prize winner, the conversion missed. 29~40. The referee said three minutes to go. Time was not our friend at this point.
Bournville's Jacob Fewtrell was yellow-carded.
Then on just about the final play we were attacking but lost the ball, they quickly put it to their left wing for Nathan Declaimer ran in arm raised to score his second and with the conversion by James Weaver, a 29~47 win.
Shaun Crawford was presented with the Nigel Chivell Memorial Man-of-the-match by the Bournville chairman, Darren Clegg.
Thanks to Bournville for a good well played game, they came with a large band of vocal supporters, and as seen in the photos my prize for the sartorial winner amongst supporters of both sides, Steve with Bournville.
So ends our season and our National league stay.

I think the team and the coaching staff have been magnificent this season, and everyone I have spoken to also does.
Forget bottom place, it means we will drop down and next season end up winning most of our games leaving everyone smiling.
It’s the rugby that counts for me, not how high up you are. I would rather we settled where ever our players are comfortable with.
I like having largely home grown players and not a paid for team with no loyalty or sense of club history.
Many of our team have come up through the ranks from being tiddlers on a Sunday and the rest are largely local players from Combination clubs. They can all be proud of the season and can say “I’ve played National league rugby”.
I think that the team, by my records, has changed by an average of 13% week in week out, with all those probably forced by injury.
That to me is a testament to the willingness of the players to stick at it and not say “ I can’t be bothered to travel to Macclesfield”.
I get a closer view than most looking through the camera lens and can see the effort the players have put in to our defence and the calling and encouragement that goes on when we have our backs to the wall.
I am glad the season is over, bar the second team playing Saltash in the Lockie cup at Albion on the 30th, please go and support them. I look forward to next season and a fresh start.

Thanks must also go to all the volunteers who turn up week in week out to make the day run smoothly, to those standing at the gate letting cars in with rain dripping down their neck on a cold day, to those cooking in the kitchens, taking the gate money, serving behind bar, and to name one name, Dan who turned up with a broken collar bone after playing for the thirds a couple of weeks previously to serve drinks, thanks to Sam Mullan and his band of physios tending to the aches and squeaks of the players, and not to forget those second team players who stepped up when injury struck a first team player. Thanks to Jo for turning up in all weathers to take photos and post them on our web page, a valuable addition.
They are the backbone of this club. Thanks.

I can now go and watch cricket and fall asleep on the boundary after a pint of Guinness.