STEVE P

You are absolutely right about tackling. The win last night was totally founded on stopping Batley from scoring in the first half. Their Plan A having failed, they were then playing the game how we wanted to play, rather than how they had planned it. Another fundamental of how to win a game of rugby league. Their frustration in the second half was testament to how well we had done them over. The effort that went into all this was apparent by the last 5 minutes of the match. The legs had gone, but by then the job was done.

The problem is that anyone who is in a position to invest in a business must, among other considerations, be sure of the future of the market in which that business operates. Regardless of how frustrating it may be to see the club run on a shoe string we should probably think about how much money we would commit to the future if said monies were our own. In my opinion no backer, either current or future, is going to risk a big investment in a club at our level of the game as things now stand. The future is exclusively reserved for the bigger named clubs. By the way, 57 is no age at all. From my end of the spectrum it appears positively teenage.

Yes, we struggled to contain the Batley pack, but that was the whole point of the game. Our forwards did contain them, then they subdued them, then they dominated them. That's how Rugby League should work. I know it would be naive to think that we could expect that level of passion and conviction every week, but I can't help feeling a bit more optimistic than I did yesterday. For now, thanks to everyone involved in tonight's performance for a fantastic evening and a great memory to store with my many other special Dewsbury moments.

He was a class act as a player. I knew a Welsh bloke through work who'd been at school with him. This bloke reckoned that Jones was a natural at any sport that involved a ball and could also have made a living at soccer or cricket. Just the sort of natural sportsman who sometimes finds it difficult to coach into others what comes so easily to them. Nice to have the memory nudged about Clifford Broadhead. I remember him playing loose forward 60 or so years ago. I think he was the blacksmith at Thornhill Pit for his day job.

I never used to enjoy watching him as a player coach. Too eager to try and boss the ref for a start. However he may inject a bit of a more competitive spirit into the pack. Let's hope so.

Although it was a big improvement in attitude yesterday I still feel a bit disappointed because I thought in the third quarter of the game it was there for us to win. The York supporters near us were complaining about the side they had fetched, including the full back who they said was third choice, but for me he was one of their best players. Never put a foot wrong.

Certainly Bradford took their foot off the pedal in the second half, but Dewsbury only came to life after the big punch up. Although still outplayed in all departments, in themselves they looked a different side. For the first time all afternoon they looked interested in being involved in a match after earlier on looking like a beaten side even as they walked onto the pitch. Lack of motivation was a key factor in today's performance. If we don't care about the Challenge Cup as much as we obviously don't care about the 1895 Cup can somebody please let us know before next week and save us all wasting our twenty quid again

It's really grim to feel so despondent so very early in the season, but I fear that Sunday will just be a lesson in how much more can be bought with a pound coin compared to what you get for a twenty pence piece.

Mmm

Sorry, had a drink last night and couldn't resist. Good luck Mr Hicks. Hope we are both in the second tier next year. Apparently it's the most the likes of Keighley and Dewsbury and a few more can hope for now

Immensely. Why do you ask?

I don't blame the ref for the way the excitement was sucked out of the game by his decisions yesterday. He was only following the directives of the league but the question is what is the directive meant to achieve? I was just thinking of how much the advert for Ronseal on the officials' shirts made me want to buy Cuprinol when it came to me. If chunks of the game can be turned into The Referee Show, like it is in Rugby Union, then the marketing value of the space on his shirt becomes immense. Ultimately we could see the poor man dressed up all in yellow with 'BUY BARNEY BARTON'S BRILLIANT BAHAMAN BANANAS ' emblazoned all over him. BTW, doesn't have to BANANAS, just something inane, and nothing to do with Rugby.

Shrug of the shoulders. (Couldn't find an emoji)

Don't worry. The first weekend of televised super duper which consists of games blighted by the stopping and starting we saw today and the telly people will have the issue swept back under the carpet super duper quickly.

Anybody else see the link between the kick off time and the score. Should have kicked off 2 minutes earlier, then we'd have pinched it. I was happy with the performance. Despite the number of hand overs and free kicks we conceded Dewsbury were by far the better side. The Batley pack looked the most ineffective I can remember seeing in a long time.