Year Summary 2003
From the start we made no secret of the fact that promotion was our only ambition and buoyed with generous sponsorship led by BBH Solicitors we recruited five players with Div 1 experience in Messrs. White, Barrow, Kelly and Bradshaw from Manchester and Wynn from Orrell. Added to that Phil Gazzola and Tom Mapp were back from a year in Italy and together with Ian Kennedy and Steve Bellis returning from spells away locally, all looked extremely rosy as the season approached.
There is usually a downside to any plan no matter how careful the planning and in our case three crucial injuries to key positions eventually found us out. Richard Bradshaw at lock underwent surgery and was unavailable until the latter half of the season whilst Christian Saverimutto at scrum half succumbed to various complaints and only played in the earlier half. Perhaps even more crucially Karl Davies at hooker and approaching his prime, retired on medical advice leaving a gap that was never satisfactorily filled. Steve Bellis who bravely moved up from No 8 and Gerallt Evans interchanging from prop attempted to fill the void but Karl's experience especially in the lineouts was greatly missed throughout.
Highlights of the season were undoubtedly our win over Nuneaton, the eventual worthy champions, and our final league fixture when, with at least a play off place on offer to the winners, we deservedly overcame a confident Waterloo XV in front of some 2000 spectators. Low points were when losing a 10 point lead in injury time at Halifax and of course our defeat at Lydney where we never got into the match.
And so to season 2003/4 when again we shall attempt to reach Div 2., this time under the captaincy of Jon Sewell backed by new player coach Ian Wynn and forwards coach Steve Griffiths. With the arrival to North3 of old friends Kendal, Fylde and Macclesfield together with Darlington, who we met for the first time in this year's National cup, and Midland 1 champions Longton we are under no illusions that the task will be any easier.
Certainly our travelling costs will be reduced with half of our league clubs based in the North West. Without wishing them any misfortune we only need Manchester and Sedgley Park and we can have our own mini regional competition.
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