Disappointing start continues at home for South

South failed to subdue a fiesty and determined Longton side which lead to a comprehensive defeat by four tries to one. Probably one of the most disappointing performances by a South side in the five season's I have been associated with the club! No need to heap blame upon the referee as his direct interventions would not have changed the result unlike the previous week.
Things went downhill from as early as the eighth minute when an attempted wide attack broke down and Grant Hallam the Longton winger picked up and scampered to the line to open the scoring. The conversion failed. Normally reliable South kicker Mark Lord then missed two kickable penalties, scrum half Greg Jordan was sin-binned for retaliation after some skullduggery from the Longton back row and then Rich Lang was injured being replaced by Danny Yeow.
The South side regrouped and played most of the latter period of the half in the Longton 22, but couldn't get over the try line. Strong runs by Nick Griffin,Chris Bale, John Hemsley and debutant Max Castrogiovanni (Tigers prop Martin's younger brother) kept the pressure on, but all this good work was undone when someone in green and white talked back to the referee and Longton kicker Chris Buck punished South with a penalty goal.

Half Time: South 0 Longton 8.

Longton started the half with another penalty, a try and conversion from the aforementioned Buck as the away side took control. South responded by replacing Stu Bale with Ben Antill which prompted South into action. Nick Griffin scored a great try after some determined drives from both Bale and Hemsley. Lord didn't convert. Dan Robson the Longton scrum half had a valiant Francois Steynesque long range penalty attempt thwarted, but then proceeded to torment South continually driving Longton forward in attack resulting in two more tries for Rich Kelly and Grant Hallam, one converted by Buck. This enabled Longton to gain the precious attacking bonus point and put the final nail in South's coffin.
Gaz Jones replaced James Shepherd in the front row for the last ten minutes, but by that time the damage had been done.
On this evidence South's season could be a steep learning curve. Unless the mistakes made on a Saturday are communicated accurately to, and dealt with effectively by, the absent coaching staff during midweek training then the South faithful are in for torrid time.

Team: McFredries, Griffin, Armstrong, Lang (Yeow), Martin, Lord, Jordan, C.Bale, Castrogiovanni. March (c), S. Bale (Antill), Bayley, Harris, Shepherd(Jones)

Man of the Match: Nick Griffin (again)