Year Summary 2005
National League 3 North is a tough league and the Blues ended the campaign in a creditable 6th position, with a record of 11 wins, 12 games lost and 3 draws. But, so far as the league is concerned and judged by their own high standards, New Brighton's end of season report should read, "Performance average, but basically, a very good side, capable of doing very much better."
In the Powergen Cup, we lost at Halifax, who deservedly finished the season 3 North Champions, but the Thwaites Cheshire Cup is safely in the Hartsfield trophy cabinet, after a glorious and dramatic end to the season. Alastair Childs' last gasp try against Macclesfield, in the Final secured the Cup, for the fifth time.
Performances have varied in inverse proportion to the standard of the opposition. Excellent games against League Champions, Halifax and third placed Bradford & Bingley ended in draws. In both cases, the Blues were denied outright victories by last minute scores and Macclesfield's penalty kicking secured a win at Reeds Lane, without crossing the home goal line. At the other end of the scale, each of the relegated clubs, Bedford Athletic, Dudley Kingswinford & Rugby Lions managed to beat us, on one occasion.
Captain, Richard Bradshaw led from the front, in his own, uncompromising manner. Big Tongan No 8, Katilimoni Tui'pulotu was ever present and Player of the Season, Adam Kettle missed only the last league game and the County Cup Final, before leaving for a Southern Hemisphere season, with North Otago, along with Chris Planchant. Kettle and Planchant played leading and invaluable roles in the Club's Schools Liaison programme and our expanding and successful Junior and Minis sections.
Other players, who have performed consistently, throughout the season included props, Ian Davies and Gerallt Evans and backs, Matt Pennington, Antony Birley and Paul Brett.
Doug Thorpe
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