Orrell pasted Bulldogs a few weeks back and Bulldogs best player is the poor lad who broke his neck, orrell can thus afford to lose another game(hopefully against us) and will still finish top provided they win all the other games.

I think that was the game when the lad got injured so that might have had an effect on Bulldogs. Either way should be a close call come October & the playoffs are going to be interesting.

Chester not travelling to us (Ashton Bears A) tomorrow and they say that's it for them this season due to losing lads back to union.

Posted on another thread that we're looking for a friendly so if anyone else is in a similar position let me know.

Cheers.

Mystic ball and all that

Tigers 41 Bury 6.

Tough opening 15 minutes but then we got on top and only conceded a try from a quarter of a yard scoot by a prop. 14 wins in the last 15 for us now, really keeping up form towards the playoffs and have now confirmed at least a top 3 finish.

Remaining games;

Orrell (H) 17th Sept
Mancunians (H) 21st Sept
Little Hulton (A) 28th Sept

Fitton Hill beat Wigan after failing to travel to us last week. Make of that what you will!

I wasn't at the Widnes-Bury game (think my season is over

) but not heard good things.

Same as last week, not surprised we lost - too many key lads missing again and a couple who let themselves down by being p!ssed Friday night. I believe it was a pretty bad-tempered affair with a few sin-binnings and even our coach lost his rag at the poor refereeing and ended up being sent off.

Not gonna go on about what I've heard but suffice to say a referee who watched from the sidelines was disgusted at the lack of protection for our lads, and with what Widnes got away with. Sounds like the Ashton report a few weeks ago may have been close to the mark?

Oh well, that's their first ever win over us.



Big surprise at the Fitton result - sounds like they might have drafted in a few St Annes lads again. Whatever, it's opened things up for Orrell though they've two big games against Wigan and Widnes coming up.

I suppose you didn't 'hear' about your lads raising elbows constantly all game? Out discipline was good yesterday, but lads can't be blamed for reacting to players leading with elbows and kicking out when tackled(deliberate kick to head which began handbags which then led to one of your lads running 30 yards to throw punches) to be honest they both should have been sent off as the referee admitted he saw what went on. 'Our 1st win over you'? It was a one sided game after 15 mins and it was a shame that some of our blokes saw it as a training exercise or we would have put 60 or 70 on you, with players still to come back into the fold we look strong and I hope we can play to our potential in these playoffs!

Hard luck Bury but continuously crying wolf after losing makes you look stupid Cronus and I also believe one of your 'coaches' entered the pitch and laid hands on a Tigers player, maybe your mob aren't as angelic as you portray them!

Big win for Fitton there, we've got to go there in a few weeks time, sounds like its going to be a tough one.

Our remaining fixtures are
Mancunians (A)
Westhoughton (H)
Fitton Hill (A)
OSJ (A) TBA

We'll have no part to play in the play offs so good luck to the top 4 you've earned the right of be there & it looks like its going to be a cracking end to the season.

The kicking out was due to the lad being spear tackled and your lot were throwing high shots and elbows "all game" as well. Certainly not as "angelic" as you portray them and not the first time this has been mentioned in this thread if you recall? As I said, a neutral referee was watching and said as much to us after the game.

Either way, we knew a win would be a big ask yesterday with a largely second-string team making the journey. We played poorly - our half backs are fuming at the lazy display by some of our forwards. But congrats, glad your boys enjoyed it, must have played well to dominate the 2nd half so much.


Bit like you lot after Fitton?


He was sent off for having a go at the ref and he'll rightly face the music for it, it's unacceptable. He's played at a far higher level than any of us - for him to lose his rag is very unusual and says a lot.

Fitton Hill game? Must be mistaken because I thought we won that game?

Your 11 wasn't spear tackled, it was momentum which carried him over the horizontal and certainly no malice(as I was the one who picked his legs up) and you seem to be justifying a direct kick to the head region of another player, for that I think you are on fine ground my friend. Anyway my rod and bait are going away for now. I await your next defeat when you will blame it on your '2nd team' lads!!

You did, but didn't half cry about them.


Aah, the momentum excuse. Funny how that crops up when you go around picking legs up. The lad you speared is one of the nicest you'll ever meet and has never even reacted in a game in the many years I've played alongside him. Think I'll take his word, the word of our lads and the word of a neutral referee, who called it as a clear spear tackle, over yours thanks.

You played the better rugby and dominated well. It was a good result, enjoy it.

Cronus as you said you wasn't at the game so don't start claiming what happened.

There were 5 cards in the game. 4 yellow and one red.

Bury

1st yellow. Deliberate Kick to the head of a tigers player
2nd yellow. Fat lad running 30 yards to throw haymakers, further provoking an incident that he wasn't involved in.
Red. A coach, not for the first time coming on the field being an aggressor (an incident I believe should result in a large fine. In excusable)

Tigers

1st yellow. Retaliation from being kicked in the head
2nd yellow back chat to the ref 10 minutes from time.


I think the evidence shows who's discipline was worse.

Bury didn't have the skill to to beat us, tried to resort to bully tactics and then got out bullied and out played.

So you had players missing? Join the club. Check our team sheets and I can confirm we were missing the following from our regular starting 1st choice 13

Duggan, Sheridan, Gee, Edge, Syers, Wayne, Arra, Smith, Mullaley.

Still had more than enough though so no complaints.


And yes that's right we made excuses after BEATING Fitton Hill......!?

Pahahaha

Same old bobbins coming from your mouth Cronus.

Ive been through the thread to find all the times you said you were players 'missing'...

1. Bury beat Westhoughton 42 - 18 yesterday. A little worried in the run up as we were missing some of our better players

2. Anyway, we lost 20-12 at Wigan Bulldogs. Had 8 first-choice players missing at a wedding

3. Pleased to get the win today over a previously undefeated Orrell. Several first choice players still missing

4. New Springs conceded to us Friday night. Would have been a tough fixture for us with at least 8 1st teamers out

5. A big win considering we were massively depleted this weekend

6. We'd been struggling for a squad the last few days

7. Same as last week, not surprised we lost - too many key lads missing again

Shame all these lads show up to put 100 on Mancunians but wont play against us or Orrell, that's the measure of where Bury are as a club, Orrell to win your play off semi by 50, or 70 if you have lads 'missing'

Good to see you're so obsessed with us! Not sure what your point is though - that we win some with lads missing and we lose some with lads missing? And we've already beaten you and Orrell this season.

Just a reminder before you carry on, WidnesTigers wrote:

1 - we need to get our best 17 together and get a result soon

2 - we will probably get the usual 7/8 let downs and end up with a scratch side

3 - Last minute pullouts etc could give all the excuses in the world

4 - had we been able to field our strongest side, we would have dispatched Ashton comfortably

5 - we were 8 players out yesterday who would almost certainly have featured

6 - Travelled with 12 lads unavailable and still managed a solid win

7 - This was the one week we knew would be tough on our numbers

8 - We are starting to get our strongest 17 out regularly now [i(lucky you!)[/i

[size=85p.s. we were several lads down against Mancunians.[/size

Tigers host likely league winners Orrell tonight. Change in weather will make it interesting! Will be a good yard stick as to how we are looking ahead of the Play Offs and how we have developed since we lost up at Orrell in the first week of the season.

Tigers 15 Orrell 0

Great all round performance in difficult conditions. Cheers to Orrell for the game!

Mancunians have conceded to us tomorrow. Sorry state of affairs when all these teams start giving games away at end of season. Last game for us is away at Little Hulton, which wont move us up or down anywhere, the top 4 is already decided and I just hope the playoffs don't get sacked off too!

Irlam Hornets rang me yesterday looking for a friendly, might be too late but worth a try.

And so here they are....

NWML Div 4 playoff semi finals;

Orrell St James Vs Bury Broncos
Wigan Bulldogs Vs Widnes Tigers

I think Orrell will beat Bury on their own patch and our game vs the bulldogs will be too close to call, they are the only side we haven't beaten this season!

Wigan Bulldogs 18 Widnes Tigers 20

Tigers controlled this early and should have really put it to bed early in the second half when we went 16-4 up. Credit to the Bulldogs they fought back and got their heads up which made them more difficult to contain which lead to a nervy last 10 minutes.

Should be a good day out next week at Hindley for the final against Orrell. Orrell will go in favourites having dominated the regular season. I think if we can keep the penalty count down we stand a good chance of sneaking it.

Orrell 23-14 Bury. Cracking game over at Orrell on Saturday, a very fiery encounter - several Orrell lads said afterwards it was the toughest game they've had this year.

We probably dominated the first 20 minutes but couldn't build on a 2-0 lead, and then our trademark silly spell kicked in with stupid penalties and infuriating decisions with the ball costing us badly - then a sin-binning 10 minutes before half time saw us concede 2 quick tries which were ultimately the difference. Penalties made things much harder - 12-3 at half time, to 14-7 after 80 mins.

The 2nd half was fairly even with both teams fierce in defence - big collisions and a few too many high shots across the (very narrow!) pitch, but that's what play-off rugby is all about. A mistake from a deep kick late on led to Orrell's final try which sealed it.

Lots of sore bodies, a few split foreheads and black eyes and one of Orrell's props (Hogan I think) appeared to break a couple of ribs at the end. Slightly disappointed as we gained good territory several times only to take the wrong option, but the lads enjoyed it and mostly feel they gave a good account of themselves - and it's all good experience.

Good luck to Orrell and Widnes next week. Hard to predict the winner - my gut feeling is Orrell will need to show a little more in attack to win it but it should be very tight.

Thanks for your wishes Cronus, we will give it our all.

Widnes Tigers 20 Wigan Bulldogs 18

Quite a 'tame' game compared to some of our encounters and apart from the first 5 minutes we were never behind, but credit Wigan they never gave up even at 16-4 down they got 2 tries back before we exchanged tries late on. Had the penalty goal attempt been successful il be honest I think Wigan would have beaten us in ET. We were really clinging on! Picked up a few knocks as well!

Should be a cracker and if our discipline improves we will give ourselves a hell if a chance!

Orrell 28 Tigers 6

Dreadful from us, congrats Orrell on a deserved win!