MINT BRIDGE : 2.15pm Saturday (12th) ===========================================================================
Three weeks away, and after a great start to the New Year, and just two losses before Christmas, suddenly two losses in a row.

Two totally different performances. At Broughton Park (11th) the opposition played an excellent game, and after conceding early scores the team fought back and looked like they could win, before Park found something extra. Last week, against Birkenhead Park (5th) again early scores, but the team never seemed to get going (possibly due to a delayed arrival due to their coach breaking down in Kendal (Reay’s one not Garry – who even seemed fairly calm during the game)) Birkenhead Park did not look the team their results suggest either, so it could be a totally different game when the two teams meet again at the start of next month.

Hopefully last weekend was just one of those game teams have occasionally, and they will bounce back on Saturday.

Earlier this season, at this weekend’s visitors Wilmslow (then 11th), we were 14v0 down after ten minutes, then went 14v19 up early in the second half, only to quickly concede again, but came back to look safe at 21v36 with fifteen minutes to play, only to end the game clinging on for a 33v36 win.

Wilmslow’s six wins are spread equally between home and away, but with the exception of poor travellers Penrith (2 wins in 8), most have come against teams around them in the lower half of the table. Their last four games have all been away wins, with them winning at Broughton Park and Altrincham Kersal (so both fairly local), but losing at home to then third placed Manchester, by just 6 points, but were well beaten a fortnight ago against Waterloo.

They had no game last weekend, which was a catch-up one, as their two games in hand are against Carlisle and Glossop, who were both in action against other teams (although Carlisle weren’t)

TEAM : The Good News is Steven and Matt are back after missing last week's game (not that Dan and Alistair did anything wrong). Hugh and Reece are out so Dan (R) and Ben (L) come in

Behind the pack Joe Fiddler gets a first start after coming off the bench twice, and Dan (L) moves into the centre

Danny Barker again starts on the bench, with Tom Moulton and Dane Blenkharn.

The second XV travel to Wilmslow with a strong team including Chris Evans, Alex Ryder and Nick Carlton (at outside half)

WEATHER : The MetOffice (or whoever arranges the weather) has caught up that we have not been getting enough rain on Saturday’s when we are home recently, so is sending a day of heavy rain.

Hopefully it has been dry enough for the rest of the week that we do not end up on the 3G.

OMEN : Whilst looking for the date of something non-rugby related I found next Tuesday is two years since another very wet afternoon - Pocklington !

Having looked up the team, Chris Park and Glen Weightman are the only two still in the same position behind the pack, whilst Glenn Chesher and Robbie Collinson again start in the front row and Steven Nelson and try scorer Matt Houghton in the back row. Ben Dixon moves from 14 to 13 and Greg Wrathall from 4 to 6. Lewis Kincart was on the bench, and Danny Barker in the centre.

It cannot be that wet again - Can it ?