Redruth v Manchester match preview
After their relegation last season, the financial situation at Manchester was such that they took the decision that they could not currently compete in the new National League One without severely risking the long-term future of the club. The painful decision made by the club who had won an unplanned promotion just a season before has led to an exodus of players and a team playing only for pride and a second successive relegation.
Despite Manchester’s woes being well documented, little prepared them, the rest of the league or the English game in general for the scoreline on the opening day of the season. Manchester hosted fellow relegated side Esher in a game which disintegrated a whole host of records as the home side sunk to a 0-148 defeat. Any question that the scoreline was simply a product of the eventual winner of the league playing the most likely candidate for bottom place were then dispelled seven days later by Nuneaton: the newly-promoted and unfancied Nuns came just 5 points short of triple figures themselves. With six games gone, Manchester have so far failed to keep a losing margin below 90 points.
Despite the massive defeats and whatever questions that they raised, Manchester are admirably playing their part in this season’s competition: taking to the field with determination and leaving it with pride. In an interview on Radio Five this weekend, the club president acknowledged that the players taking to the field were not good enough to effectively compete at this level, and that the matches so far had been ‘soul-destroying’, but the performances had been spirited and the club was looking forward to joining Fylde, Preston Grasshoppers and Waterloo next season (although Preston are the only one of the three obliging with a mid-table position at the moment!)
Two seasons ago Redruth left Manchester on the back of a 22-14 defeat, only to lose even worse to the travelling Mancunians at the Rec. Of the players who beat Redruth 10-42 back in April 2008, none remain with the club today, nor any who represented the England Counties side which toured Korea and Japan over the summer. The team’s three tries so far have come from the backs: young scrum half Danny Carlton and centre Matthew Rocky, along with former Stockport winger turned prop/centre Luke Haidinger. Plaudits have also been won from opposing fans by former Sale Jet second row Mike Fitton, fly half Jack Turton and scrum half Freddie Collyer-Bristow (both of whom regularly train with the Jets). With the imminent possibility of reinforcements arriving from nearby Sale and the return of former players left facing broken promises at new clubs, the growth of Manchester’s massive points deficit may soon slow and make seeing out the rest of the season that little bit less traumatic, helping provide a better platform to grow from in the future.
Categorized as Sport, Rugby Union
A very fair, accurate account of the situation at manchester. thank you for an honest summary. This will be the first time I have not been down to Redruth since we played you for the first time some four(or 5 ) seasons ago. i will miss the atmosphere and friends at Redruth and wish you well for the season.
We dont like the scores being posted against us but it is more importatnt to survive as a club than do an orrell or wakefield. It is, after all, only a game!
We missed you in this league last season, and today’s encounter felt like a rather bitter-sweet reunion. It was great seeing Manchester again – a team that we have shared a number of close games with before – and the weather and the atmosphere was great, only tainted by the foregone conclusion which was about to come.
Manchester played well in the first half, and much better in the second half where they put together some good phases and a well deserved and patiently-won try. It was a solid run-out for a number of development players – nothing could be gained from a three-figure score, and only arrogant sides chase records (not that I have our previous visitors in mind
!)
The Manchester players after the game were still buoyant despite the defeat: they know the task ahead of them this season and have steeled themselves against it, and are a credit and an example to other sides who still desperately cling on to league positions which their incomes cannot justify.
I’m looking forward to the return leg (on my birthday weekend!) and also look forward to the day that Manchester recover from their downward trajectory and start rising once again. Of course, if the RFU got their act together and sorted out a cup competition which included this level then we could renew acquaintances even sooner (or we might just choose to follow you down one day!!!)