Caldy – That Friday Feeling 14th Nov ’25

According to Benjamin Disraeli and later plagiarized by Mark Twain “there are three kinds of lies……lies, dammed lies and statistics.” As the Ravers head south to Bedford’s Goldington Road ground to take on the Blues at 7.45 pm in round 7 of the Champ some part of them will be hoping that Disraeli and Twain were correct in their assessment. The stats aren’t in Caldy’s favour as far as matches at Goldington Road are concerned.

Three matches, no wins, 124 points conceded with 62 scored is a sequence that isn’t promising for Caldy and is in distinct contrast with the record at Paton Field where matches have always been extremely close. Sparked by the brilliance of Welsh maestro Lewis Barker, the Ravers picked up a win back in 2023 in what was billed as the best match ever played at Paton Field. They were just pipped by the Blues in the subsequent 2 games. The overall tally for Caldy at Paton Field one win, 84 points scored, 83 points conceded.

Constant themes in games against the Blues is the hugely entertaining and attacking brand of rugby played by Mike Rayer’s side and the inevitability that the Blues stand off Will Maisey and left winger Dean Adamson will almost certainly feature on the score sheet. Marksman Maisey has scored 67 points in the six matches against Caldy and Bedford’s and the Champ’s greatest ever try scorer Adamson has bagged 4 tries against the side from the Wirral at Goldington Road. Both feature in the starting line up for the Blues tonight.

After losses in their first two games this season against Coventry and Ealing the Blues have gone on a run of 4 bonus point wins against some very good sides, piling up 164 points whilst conceding only 40.

On any level the task in front of the Ravers this evening is significant. A potentially brighter outlook for the Ravers in the gloom and the rain which will be brought by Storm Claudia is that conditions may be tipped in favour of Caldy’s powerful pack of forwards. However, even here the statistics are somewhat loaded against the Wirral side. The Blues have selected perhaps one of the biggest back rows ever in the Champ or the Prem with 18 stone number 8 Tui Uru sandwiched between 19 stone Fred Tuilagi and 17 ½ stone Kayde Sylvester. Caldy’s tackle machine Dan Owen along with his colleagues JJ Dickinson and Reuben Logan have their work cut out !

One statistic which may just enable the Ravers and their supporters to look up from their boots is their own form so far this season. Despite two hugely frustrating losses in their last two games the Ravers are still sitting in 4th place on 23 league points a better position than they have been in any previous season after the first 6 games and a very much better place than they were last season where at the 6 game mark they were languishing in the basement with a meagre 4 points. Ad Astra !

The match will be shown live in the Caldy clubhouse where a curry, a naan bread and a pint will be available alongside the live stream for only £9 a head.

Tom Sanders and the Ravers reach for the sky 
Image – Barry Quatermass

Matt Cairns has selected the following squad for tonight’s Friday Night Lights fixture at Goldington Road against Bedford Blues.
The match kicks off at 7.45 pm.
1. M Weatherby
2. M Gallagher
3. J Sproston
4. M Gerrard
5. T Sanders
6. R Logan
7. D Owen
8. JJ Dickinson (c)
9. O Wynn
10. K Wilkinson
11. O Ene
12. M Barlow
13. C Wilkinson
14. R Tudor
15. C Hyde
Replacements :
O Hearn, R Higginson, N Rushton, S Olyott
J Jones, T Akehurst, L Barker, O Roberts ( Caldy debut )

Image – Lewis Barker

For those who are unable to make the trip down to Bedford this evening the game will be live streamed on TV in the clubhouse.
Caldy Kitchen & “President’s Bar” will be open from 6.30pm tonight. 
Away Day Deal £9 for Curry, Rice, Naan & Pint of your choice.
The match kicks off at 7.45 pm.
All Welcome, so please come down to the “Shack on the Hill” and support your Ravers !

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NOWIRUL Premier League – Saturday 15th November 
Macclesfield 2nd xv v Caldy 2nd xv kick off 1.00pm 
at Priory Park, Priory Lane, Macclesfield SK10 4AF
Caldy 2nd xv squad for tomorrow’s away game : 
1. M Rabbette
2. T Bywater
3. T Williams
4. J Oosthuyzen
5. H Lightfoot
6. J Wilson
7. I Hardisty
8. C Ridgway
9. J Pickering
10. D Rabbette ( c )
11. C Brown
12. E Banks
13. L Wiggins
14. D Carroll
15. F McGrath
16. G Mault
17. L Denn
18. S Roberts
19. H Williams
20. H Evans 

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Caldy Rav3rs have a rest week but will be back in Div 3 West League action on Saturday 22nd November 

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Congratulations Scarlett Fielding – Sale Sharks Women 50th appearance
Scarlett will make her 50th appearance tomorrow for Sale Sharks Women away at league leaders Gloucester-Hartpury in the Premiership Women’s Rugby. Prop Scarlett is an original Shark, joining Sale Sharks Women when the team was formed ahead of the 2019/20 season. Before Sale, she turned out for Caldy, as well as Ellesmere Port, and Waterloo and she has represented England at u15s and u18s level. 

Scarlett first tried her hand at rugby at Caldy at the age of just five when she was watching her brother play and was invited to have a go herself. Scarlett played for Caldy Minis and Juniors from 2007 to 2013, more than holding her own amongst the lads. She’s come through some serious injuries along the way in her rugby career and has shown huge resilience and determination to get back each time.

Good luck tomorrow Scarlett !

Scarlett back in the day                                                                           
Image thanks to Dave Arthur 

Original Shark Scarlett Fielding
Image – Sale Sharks Women

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Community Rugby – Sunday 16th November 
This Sunday, our Minis have another local derby against New Brighton and our Juniors have a range of matches with teams across Cheshire. Odds are away and Evens are at home. u16s have a home double header against Lymm and Sale on the 3rd team pitch kick off at 10.00am and 11.15am
Following a successful Prelim League A campaign,  Senior Colts are starting their NW Conference League A games with a home game against Lymm at Paton Field – kick off at 2.00pm – the lads would welcome as much support as possible !
Junior Colts have a rest week.
Minis
u6s training at home
u7s, u9s, u11s away at New Brighton
u8s, u10s, 12s at home v New Brighton 
Juniors
u13s away at Winnington Park
u14s at home v Marple
u15s away at New Brighton
u16s at home v Lymm & Sale
Girls  
u12s, u14s, u16s, u18s training at home 
Junior Colts
u17s recovery week
Senior Colts
Halbro NW Colts Conference League A
u18s at home v Lymm kick off 2.00pm at Paton Field
Senior Colts squad for Sunday :
Forwards: Bobby Banks, Alexander Clark, Kyle Cooper, Tom Hazleton, Theo Hendry, Will Hollis
Luke MacDonald (c), Joe Murphy, Oscar Song, Isaac Waldron, Oliver Wilson
Backs: Jamie Arista, Frankie Johnstone, Dylan Jones, Jamie Lewis, Fin McDonnell, Luka Mulhall
Sylvain Pennington, Jack Phythian, Ruben Smith, Luis Thomason, Rob Waring, Drew Woodward

Everyone welcome, please come along to Paton Field on Sunday & support the future Ravers !

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Good luck to everyone & enjoy your rugby this weekend !

But please remember “No referees, No games” – disrespect or verbal abuse of rugby match officials is totally unacceptable & has no place in rugby.

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Rugby coming up

Saturday 22nd November – NOWIRUL Premier League
Sale FC Vikings v Caldy 2nd xv kick off 2.00pm at Carrington Lane, Carrington M31 4AE

Saturday 22nd November – NOWIRUL Div 3 West
Port Sunlight v Caldy 3rd xv kick off 2.00pm at Leverhulme Playing Fields, Bromborough CH62 3PU

Sunday 23rd November – NW Colts Senior A Conference League
Caldy u18s v Chester u18s – kick off 2.00pm at Paton Field

Sunday 23rd November – NW Colts Senior A Conference League
Caldy u17s v Chester u17s – kick off 12.30pm at Paton Field

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Date for your diary 
Dicky’s Dinner – Friday 21st November
7.00pm for 7.30pm start 
Any queries, or if you want to book a place please contact Pauline Dickinson :
email : [email protected]
mobile : 07971 827717