Optimum are proud to announce the sponosorship of five local players on their tour to the South Pacific with the BARLA Great Britain Team.

Wigan St Judes player John McMullen is accommpanied by Wigan St Patricks players Tony Suffolk and recent NCL Player of the year nominee Gary Philips.  The local contingient is made up by Jamie Dallimore and Sean Foster fresh from their National Cup exploits with their team Wigan St Cuthberts.

All five of the players are eager to get over and test themselves at the highest level possible.  This blog will serve to relay messages to familiy and friends back home and also for the well wishers to pass their regards to the players.

All at optimum would like to wish the guys all the best on tour and hope the support we have offered them helps to make this the trip of a lifetime!!!

THE PLAYERS:

Name : John McMullen (Wigan St Judes)

John has represented Lancashire and BARLA at all levels (U16, U18, U21, U23 and Open Age) and is very experiecned on the international scene.  John’s main aims for the tour are to enjoy the exprerience of taking in a new culture, contribute to the team and hopefully win all the games!!!

Name : Gary Philips (Wigan St Patricks)

Gary is a young and explosive player whom has recently burst into the international area.  Having County and BARLA honours under his belt already his aims are to enjoy the experience and to win!!!

Name : Tony Suffolk (Wigan St Patricks)

Tony has seen his inclusion in the squad after strong performances at club level all year and a strong County Championship.  Tony’s no nonsense approach and lead from the front mentality will help him to achieve his goals of playing well on tour and winning!!!

Name : Jamie Dallimore (Wigan St Cuthberts)

Jamie is another player drafted into the squad following an impressive County Championship.  This is Jamie’s first internatinal call up and fully deserved follwoing strong club performances and marshalling his side into the National Cup Final.  His aims of the tour are to win all games and learn from the experience.

Name : Sean Foster (Wigan St Cuthberts)

Sean is an aggressive forward that defends and attacks very strongly.  He leads a pack well and never takes a backwards step.  Sean is another inclusion following impressing at County level and his aims for the tour are to win all the games and to give 100% effort to each game.

St Pats ended their poor recent run of form with a huge victory over table toppers Hull Dockers, St Pats twice trailed the game by 16 points, being down 16-0 only to score through Mick Daniles and reduce the arrears to 16-6 as Scholfield added the extras, then conceding again just after half time to trail 22-6.  This is where the comeback began in earnest.

Completed sets and dominant defence kept Pats in the game and forced error upon error from the Dockers forwards.  The breakthrough came on 48 minutes with Ian Schofield going in from a Steven Bennett pass, Schofield added the extras, Daniels then forced his way over for his second and Gary Philips went in 8 minutes later with Schofield converting to tie the game up at 22 all.

A piece of Schofield brilliance on the hour mark split the defence and committed the full back to give Steven Bennett an on contested 40 yard sprint to the line and the Schofield conversion gave Pats a 6 point ascendency at 28-22, the game breaking score came on 75 minutes as Hull Dockers laid siege to the Pats line and the defence standing tall a fumbled balled dropped to speedster Danny Mason who had the guile and the pace to go 80 yards and put the game beyond Dockers, Hull crossed for a consellation try but the game was then in the bag.

ST PATS:

Tries:

Mick Daniels (2), Ian Schofield, Gary Philips, Steven Bennett, Danny Mason

Goals:

Ian Schofield (4)

HULL DOCKERS:

Tries:

Danny Ulyatt (2), Martin Johnson, Kristain Birch, Steve Sellars

Goals:

Chris Stevenson (4)

MAN OF THE MATCH:

Steven Bennett (Wigan St Pats)

St Pats became the 3rd temathis weekedn to cross the Pennines and come home empty handed.  Again a brave display was rewarded with nothing and a 10 minute spell either side of half time saw Skirlaugh run up 18 points and put the game beyond the visitors.

SKIRLAUGH:

Tries:

Brett Waller (2), Matt Bowers (2), Mark Spence, Lee Waterman

Goals:

Lee Waterman (4)

ST PATS:

Tries:

Jim Brown, Andy Rasburn, Damien Charnock

Goals:

Ian Schofield (3)

MAN OF THE MATCH:

Mark Spence (Skirlaugh)

Oulton continued their impressive recent form and compounded St Pats’ injury woes with a well earned victory.  Both sides showed spells of brilliance however, St Pats’ spells came to late and Oulton’s were too frequent having scored 4 tries and having a couple disallowed.

Report and scorers to follow.