My Sporting Weekend 14-15th May 2011:
Warm-Up's:
Engage Super League (Rugby League):
Huddersfield Giants V St Helens, Huddersfield opened the scoring early on with Eorl Crabtree powering over on 8 minutes, and Danny Brough extend their lead further on 33 minutes, after making a break through the Saint's defence from inside his own half. The Giants had a good 1st half and the Saints were lucky that they didn't concede any more points than they did, as the Giants had a lot of the ball within the Saints 20 metre line. James Graham had the Saints best chance of the half, after making a good break, but didn't off load fast enough and the chance went.
3 Minutes into the 2nd half Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook retrieved a James Roby kick through to get the Saints back in the game, but the Giants responded on 52 minutes, with Kevin Brown stretching out, and scoring, after a good use of dummy runners, and 3 minutes later Michael Lawence went over after receiving a brilliant pass from Leeroy Cudjoe to extent the Giants lead. Crabtree then got his 2nd try, and Joe Wordel his 1st as the Saints defence started to fall apart and leave big gaps. The Giants looked like they would run away with the game but Joe Ashurst got Saints 2nd score on 67 minutes, after they created an overlap down the left had side, and 2 minutes later Ade Gardener went over down the right wing, after the Giants seemed to have switched off. But the game had already gone for the Saints and Scott Grix completed the scoring for Hudderfield on 75 minutes, for the 40-18 win.
The Saints may have (supposedly) had 10 1st teamers out, but Hudderfield had a great game and blew the Saints away with 4 trys in 10 minutes during the 2nd half and although the Saints never gave up they were too far behind to really challenge for the win. Danny Brough had a great game creating some good chances and scoring a try, as well as having some exceptional kicking.
French Grad Prix (Moto GP):
The Repsol Honda's qualified in the top 3 positions and had a good start off the line, taking the 1st 3 positions, but after a couple of laps Andrea Dovizioso dropped behind Marco Simoncelli and Jorge Lorenzo, who had a good battle for 3rd, leaving Casey Stoner and Dani Pedrosa to fight it out for 1st position.
On Lap 10 Dovizioso got past Lorenzo, but couldn't pull away, and Lorenzo got back past him a lap later, but this exchange allowed Valentino Rossi to catch them both up.
With around 12 laps to go Pedrosa's lap times started to drop off and a lap later Simoncelli overtook him and as he tried to get back past him he stood his bike into Simoncelli and came off, ending his day. A couple of laps later Simoncelli was penalised for, what was deemed, an unfair pass and given a ride through penalty, dropping him back down, and he eventually finished in 6th.
With 7 laps to go Rossi got past Dovizioso, and with 5 laps to go both Rossi and Dovizioso got past Lorenzo, leaving him behind. Both riders then had a good battle to the end of the race with Dovizioso eventually finishing in 2nd, 14 seconds behind winner Stoner.
French team Tech 3 had a poor race with neither rider finishing, on lap 5 Brit Cal Cruthlow came off, after clipping the curb, and on lap 14 Colin Edwards also came off, but he got back out and finished in 13th.
This was a very an entertaining race with some good overtaking, and some big falls, but unfortunately for Pedrosa it was reported that he had a fractured right collar bone, putting him out for a few weeks.
Race Of Italy (World Touring Car Championship):
Race 2, I haven't really watch WTCC before and this was a short sharp 9 lap race around the famous Monza track. Robert Huff had a good start, getting around pole sitter Tiago Monteiro, and he then had a battle to the end of the race with team-mate Yvan Muller putting him under constant pressure. Behind them their was some good racing for 3rd with Poulsen coming out on top, ahead of Monteiro, after some good overtaking. After starting at the back of the field, due to damage sustained in the 1st race, Alain Menu, who was 2nd on the championship standings, did well to get up to, and finish in 5th. This was quite enjoyable to watch, but it seemed like it was very hard to overtake, but the cars seemed quite competitive and kept nose to tail for virtually the whole race, punishing any mistake.
Co-Operative Championship (Rugby League):
Sheffield Eagles V Leigh Centurions, The Eagles got the opening score with a penalty, but it was Leigh who got the 1st try, with Mick Nanyn going over after a break gave Leigh men over down the left side. The Eagles were finding it hard to get over the half way line with the ball and Leigh had a couple more good chances, but handling errors close to the line gave Sheffield the ball back. Dean McGilvary sneaked in, in the left corner, to get Leigh's 2nd try on 22 minutes, and Leigh got 3 more trys in the half with Martyn Ridyard, Matty Blythe and Stuart Littler going over during a 10 minute spell before half-time to lead 26-2.
Sheffield were poor in the 1st half, not being able to get out of their own half, as well as giving away the ball with too many handling errors and penaltys, although Leigh did have some good play that opened up the Sheffield defence.
Sheffield started the 2nd half better, with quicker play-of-the-balls and better control of the ball, but they still found it hard to get into the Leigh half and it was Leigh who got the 1st try of the half, on 66 minutes, with Tommy Goulden going over. The Eagles eventually got their 1st on 70 minutes with a fantastic move that started out on the right wing, and they then moved the ball across the pitch, with some good offloads, before Quentin Laulu-Togagae cut inside and scored near the posts. But Leigh had already won the game and they got a further 2 more trys, with Ridyard and Jamie Ellis going over, as the Sheffield defence fell apart.
Leigh had a great game and were just too good and way faster than Sheffield, who just didn't turn up and were extremely poor going forward. Full-back Misi Taulapapa didn't seem to be up too speed after arriving back in the country after coming back from injury and having visa problems, but hopefully in a couple of games he will be fully fit and will be more effective.
Main Event:
The FA Cup Final (Football):
Manchester City V Stoke City, Manchester City had a good start, and then pretty much dominated the game, with Stoke only having a few spells where they created any pressure and subsequent chances. David Silva had the best chance of the 1st half, volleying into the ground, but over the bar, after Stoke keeper Thomas Sorensen parried the ball in his direction.
During the 2nd half Stoke dropped deeper and deeper, leaving striker Kenwyne Jones isolated up front, and Man City eventually scored with Yaya Toure firing in, on 74 minutes, after the defence failed to clear a Mario Ballotelli shot. Stoke tried to change the game with some substitutions but the players who came on were just as ineffective as the one who went off and the game drifted to a conclusion as Man City dropped back and defended the 1-0 lead.
Ballotelli was awarded the man of the match and deserved it as he looked to get involved at every chance, as well as having 6 shots which were all on target. During the 1st half David Silva played well with some good passing, but disappeared in the 2nd and was pretty ineffective, also Man City's normal play-maker Carlos Tevez didn't have that good of a game and was outshone by fellow striker Ballotelli. Stoke's best player, by far, was keeper Sorensen as he kept them in the game to the end with some good saves, but the rest of the team were pretty poor, and will be truly disappointed with their performances in a major final. This wasn't the best game to watch as Stoke never got in the game and Man City were far superior, and they truly deserved the win, which could potentially kick start their attempt to become the best team in the world with the backing of their rich owners. To an extent the only way is down for Stoke, after surviving in the Premier League for a few seasons they may finish in the top half this season, along with a cup final appearance, but realistically what more can they achieve, especially compared to other teams that have much better resources.
Cool-Down's:
Probably the most famous trophy in club football has seemingly been relegated again and was contested, not as the traditional final game of the season, but 2 weeks before that, on the same weekend as a full round of Premier League fixtures. Now I can understand that UEFA want the Champions League final to end the European club season, and moving it from mid-week to a Saturday probably increases world-wide viewing figures, but with Wembley hosting the final this year, no other event could be staged there during the 14 days prior to the final. This means that the final had to be played even earlier, so surely the Premier League shouldn't have scheduled any games for the Saturday as they take away attention for the prestigious final, especially as Manchester United confirmed their Title win earlier in the day. The round of fixtures could have being played on Sunday (with the finalists playing mid-week) and this would have given the full attention the Cup final deserves.
Recent Results:
LV County Championship: Yorkshire: 355 & 165-8 (56.0 overs)
Hampshire: 232 & 153-8 (59.0 overs)
Yorkshire drew with Hampshire
Clydesdale Bank 40: Yorkshire: 230-7 (40.0 overs)
Kent: 232-8 (39.4 overs)
Kent beat Yorkshire by 2 wickets
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