By corporalcarrot
November 4 2013

Just back from Roth so a few thoughts whilst they are still in mind. Travel was easy – I got the redeye to Gatwick and various trains got me to Roth by 11.30 before the ground was officially open!

First mention goes to Guy Hinks a first rate club man who made Bunny Le Saux’s day by giving him a club blazer badge before the match. For those who don’t know Bunny he is unquestionably Jersey’s number one travelling fan – he is in a wheelchair, lives near Southampton and his family drive him to every away game. Lovely touch Guy –it’s the small things like this that make the club a proper rugby family. 

I met the ref and ARs whilst I enjoyed a pie (not up to Donny standards but still pretty good) and beer (highly rated Iron & Steel a lovely bitter brewed in Roth). They seemed like normal people and they had a decent match but I assume the weather was their fault – a mixture of Yorkshire’s finest autumn stuff – bright sunshine interposed with sharp HEAVY showers and a “lazy” wind straight off the Pennines that went through you rather than around. 

Other people will summarise the game better than me but my key thoughts are: 
• Inside Centre is a real problem – starting with 87kg Drew Locke was never likely to offer a real prospect of success and I only hope his injury doesn’t keep him out too long because he is a great player wider out. In the absence of Tom Cooper, Dai Bishop is the only member of the full time squad who in my opinion is physically equipped to play in that pivotal position at Championship level. When Drew went off we pulled Mark McCrea in from the wing. Mark is probably the form player in the backs on current form and he had an excellent game in both defence and attack. 
• The experiment of playing Aaron Penberthy at full back worked defensively but there was limited opportunities going forward to see if he could pick attacking lines when we had the ball. 
• We have a well structured defence when we do kick the ball long as conditions at Clifton Road certainly dictated but we do need the wingers to absolutely “bust a gut” to chase these kicks. 
• Jersey’s back row was outstanding and Ben Maidment probably had his best game for Jersey so far. I thought he scored our try rather than Tom Brown as announced on the public address although I was a long way from the play. Brown and Buckle were also outstanding and Buckle’s yellow card looked to be “taking one for the team” rather than anything else. 
• Line outs were poor but then so were Roth’s. The wind was huge and we persist on calling for throws to the middle or back of the line. 
• Voss and Stratford were both a credit to the club and neither looked out of place. 
• The TWO penalties which were kicked dead and resulted in a loss of ground rather than an attacking lineout cost us at least a bonus point but on balance of play we would have been lucky to have got one. 

I watched most of the game with big Nathan Hannay who had come down from Leeds to see his old mates. I then cajoled Richard Collinson from Radio Jersey to interview him in the half time break so hopefully a few others will have heard him. Nathan’s a great bloke and I look forward to seeing him again towards the end of the month. 

Roth is a great away trip with friendly Yorkshire fans and the atmosphere in the bar when the players filter in after the match is what rugby is all about. I realise Jersey needs the income we get from the corporate lunches but it’s a great shame we can’t do the same at St Peters.