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 Oooff!: Man of the Match Dave Slater contemplates retirement under a bone-cracking Valley forward! |
In one of the most intense stand-offs of the season, the Police rugby team lost the Minor League to Valley during the final on January 29, by a mere point.
After a tough season which saw the Police squad undefeated but for one match, the side succumbed to a series of errors which allowed Valley to win the final 24 to 12 and inch a point ahead in the league to take the crown. The Police squad had gone into the final as strong favourites at the top of the league with Valleys, who they had defeated earlier in the series, in second spot.
However, four tries during the game won Valleys the critical additional point they needed to take the league.
Frustrated Police skipper David Lewis said that after a mediocre start, the side started to reel-in Valleys towards the end of the match with two great tries to David Slater and Jon White.
"During that latter part of the game we were pressuring Valleys but we made too many mistakes. Our forwards won quite a lot of possession but the errors prevented us from taking the ball forward properly," he said.
"We were fairly dominant in the forwards with long periods inside Valleys' 22 but they had some young and very quick backs who played particularly well, defending their try line."
Slater's silken skills saw him crowned the Police team's Man of the Match, in what colleagues feared could be his last run on the paddock, as he contemplated retirement from the side.
Despite the loss, Lewis ensured the team remained upbeat as another opportunity to meet Valley could be in the wings.
"We may have the chance to exact revenge as we now go into the Grand Championship, and the winner of that will become the Divisional Champion," he said.
However, the players may need to be blessed before the next bone-cruncher. Team flanker B.J. Smith quipped after the game bad karma was to blame for the loss.
"I don't know what it is, but there's some kind of jinx whenever you guys are around," he scoffed at an innocent-faced OffBeat reporter.
"We've had a great season but the only times we lost were both occasions OffBeat came over to cover the game!"
[Ed note - We feel some of the 'bad karma' may have come from the players' own systems considering the classic Burns Supper was held the night before! Anyhow, OffBeat promises to look into bringing a fung shui master to the next big game and ensure a win!]
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