That Friday Feeling!!!

Last weekend’s satisfying 50-12 win against a big Otley side keeps Caldy at the top of National 2 North but Head Coach Matt Cairns knows the next two weeks will let the league leaders know exactly where they really are 7 games in.
“Playing third placed Sedgley Park and then second placed Fylde will certainly test us” said Cairns “Both sides have given us some of our toughest games and in our promotion year three seasons ago Sedgley did the double over us. This Saturday’s fixture will undoubtedly be one of our biggest games of the season. Sedge away is just about as hard as it gets in National 2 rugby.”

Since Sedgley Park dropped down from National 1 in 2013 they have been consistently in the promotion mix in National 2 North never finishing below 4th position and twice missing out on promotion through the play offs, most narrowly in 2018 losing a close game away from home to a very powerful Chinnor side.

Sedgley are 6 from 7 with only an early season loss against Tynedale marring an otherwise perfect start and they have a habit of finishing games strongly. A terrific last gasp win away against Stourbridge was bettered last week as the North Manchester side scored 21 points in the last ten minutes to run out winners against a stunned Chester.

The history between Sedgley and Caldy makes uncomfortable reading for the Wirral side. Caldy has only once beaten the North Manchester side at their Park Lane ground, sneaking a 24 – 20 win in 2016. In the last fixture between the clubs in May 2017, Sedgley won a close contest which was notable for the intervention of a large Canada goose. The bird tangled itself up in Caldy’s backline, thwarting a promising Caldy attack before it was encouraged to fly off. Cairns understands the significant threat that Sedgley pose and doubts they need any assistance from rogue birds.

“Sedgley are always in the promotion mix. They have a great set up with a strong group of players including a few standouts who can turn a game on their own. In the backs Steve Collins is the conductor, his kicking game from hand and from the tee is exceptional. Up front they have some exceptional forwards including second row Rob Birtwell and former Gloucester and Sale number 8 Tom Ailes. We are going to have to be at our very best for the full 80 minutes to come away from Park Lane with a win”

Cairns confirms there will be some rotation in the Caldy match day contingent but is picking from a fully fit squad. “Certain positions take a physical hammering over the course of the season and we have to rotate to keep everyone fresh” acknowledged Cairns. “It is a big bonus that we now have scrum half Cameron Davies back from injury. Cam has been out of action after picking up an injury in the Sheffield match but came back strongly last week against Otley. Liam Issacs who stepped up in Cam’s absence played terrifically well and kept our unbeaten run going but we are going with Cam’s power against Sedge.”

Head Coach Matt Cairns has selected the following squad for the away game against Sedgley Park

1. John Whittaker, 2. Ollie Hearn, 3. Derek Salisbury, 4. Jack Collister, 5. Tom Sanders, 6. Harrison Crowe, 7. Adam Aigbokhae 8. JJ Dickinson, 9. Cameron Davies, 10. Lewis Barker, 11. Ben Jones, 12. Mike Barlow, 13. Gavin Roberts, 14. Nick Royle, 15. Rhys Hayes. 16. Ted Stagg, 17. Jack Parker, 18. Martin Gerrard, 19. Callum Ridgway, 20. Cameron Owen

The match kicks off at Park Lane at 2.30 p.m.