Clee bring the pain in the rain

"Not a good day - but it happens" - simple but true words from the coach straight after the game.

In truth from conceding a try in the first minute we were always on the back foot throughout the game as the Clee back row dominated. Apart from a 10 minute period at the start of the second half, Aldridge played most of the game on the back foot, and when we did attack our ill discipline especially at the ruck/contact area cost us.

4 of Clee's tries were scored by the back row with the other was from a front row, which showed the Clee game plan and Aldridge simply couldn't answer this power game. A few players really stood up to the onslaught with Man of the Match Lea Ross leading from the front.

Full time Score: Aldridge 1st XV 3 Clee Hill 1st XV 25

Head Coach Jon Arch...

"Firstly there is no point in pointing fingers or ranting at the players after - we win as a team and lose as a team, and today we lost to a very good Clee Hill side who have strengthened well over the summer. I could see the disappointment in how we had played in the guys faces; we have set standards and goals far higher for ourselves than people realise and today we fell well short in all areas.

We had parity with them in the set piece but their game management and discipline was far far superior to ours... that to me was the worst part. Most were genuine penalties and we have to be a bit more disciplined than we were - we gave them easy exits.

I wouldn't want to play in the Clee Hill backline as i don't think the ball went past their 12, but it worked for their game plan. They had obviously worked on nullifying Danny Mac and Adam Reed in attack, but this is when we need other players to take the lead. In all honesty we didn't look like scoring a try in 80 minutes of rugby.

We move on now, we will make changes to the squad if only to freshen things up and we will address the discipline in the contact area. We have 3 tough games coming up in November and I have challenged the guys to accept nothing less than 3 wins!"

Aldridge 1st XV travel to Essington RFC this weekend for league action - kick off is 2.15pm