Off-form Ellenborough disappointed
Last updated 19:43, Thursday, 29 May 2008
ELLENBOROUGH coach Gary Murdock was devastated by what was arguably his side’s worst display in years.
In the Barlett’s Insurance Champion of Champions final Elbra gave an uncharacteristic offering in which barely a set was completed, particularly in the first half.
Now Murdock has the task of lifting his side for tonight’s Cumberland division one top four play-off final against Kells at Copeland Stadium, Whitehaven (7pm ko).
At Fylde, Blackpool, on Sunday pundits had expected a close clash in the Champions final between Elbra and their Warrington opponents.
But Rangers, feeding on mere crumbs of possession for much of the game, were never in contention.
Prop Paul West, while by no means the only offender, was far from his best, spilling the ball in the tackle on five occasions in the first 26 minutes.
The Bulls, unbeaten champions of the North West Counties League, were in no mood to be generous and made Elbra pay with five tries in the first half, mounting a 26-0 lead by the break.
Winger Chris Ross, who closed with four touchdowns, notched one, with centre Neil Smith, full back Ryan Fieldhouse, and second row pair Nick Braide and Craig Millington also crossing the whitewash and scrum half Anthony Braide landing three goals.
Rangers, to their credit, hit back after the restart, battling scrum half Eddie Robinson sending hooker Kyle Lofthouse over the whitewash and stand off Steven Stoddart landing the extras.
Loose forward Barrie Murdock also nipped over, Robinson goaling, but Bank sealed their win with Ross’s second half hat-trick and ties by Millington and prop Phil Braddish - the Dave O’Connor man of the match for a barnstorming display.
Murdock said: ”We failed to complete our first four sets, we never met them in the collision area, and you can‘t give a good physical side like Bank Quay the room to win tackles like they did.
“We talked about the fact that they’d had no rugby and we’d had a busy schedule, sometimes it works in your favour and sometimes it doesn’t.
“Our preparations, through injuries, have been diabolical, we had only 12 men training on Thursday, but we’ve no excuses.
“We got beat by a totally dominant side, and it was men against boys. Their completion rate must have been about 80 per cent; ours was around 30 or 40 per cent, and you can’t win games with those figures.”
Ellenborough: Dean Scholey; Stuart Ackerley, David Whitworth, Steven Brough, David Sewell; Steven Stoddart, Eddie Robinson; Paul West, Kyle Lofthouse, Kevin Clarke, Paul McGee, Craig Holdsworth, Barry Murdock. Subs: Lee Albert, Jamie Watson, Jason Moore, Darren Branthwaite.
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