Town may consider themselves to be on the up – no predictions from me – but the way things are going at The Recre my fear is that Whitehaven could find themselves on a similar downward spiral if performances don’t improve – and fast.
Mr Stokes remains confident that there will be a revival especially if he could only select his best team.
Coupled with that an easier run of fixtures – but will they be any easier?
However the opposition looks on paper, confidence and belief comes from winning so there are no chickens to be counted, not even those of Eagles and Rams (Sheffield and Dewsbury) at home.
But they won’t come much tougher than Leigh (home), Barrow (away), Toulouse (away), Widnes (home), Halifax (away) and Featherstone (away).
The so-called “easier” encounters start with Keighley Cougars at home on Sunday.
Here’s hoping for Stefan Marsh to return – the accomplished centre was back playing for Wigan in Magic Weekend and really looked the part.
I don’t think dual registration does much for team building but beggars can’t be choosers.
National Rugby League
Sheffield Eagles RLFC vs Keighley Cougars
COMPETITION:Co-operative Championship
COMPETITORS:Sheffield Eagles RLFC vs Keighley Cougars
DATE:27-05-2010
TIME:from 18:30 until 2O:30
Is there more to it even allowing for the difficulties this tormented season has so far thrown up in terms of finance and player strength – though the two are inextricably linked.
My suggestion a couple of weeks ago for clear the air talks between club officials and a constructive group of fans appears to have fallen on deaf ears.
Why does the team continue to squander leads in away matches – it also happened at Blackpool in the Challenge Cup?
At a time when the club and its backers are pushing ahead with a new 8,000-seater stadium it is hardly comforting or encouraging for the team to be doing so badly on the field of play.
Who’d have thought we’d be considering the threat of relegation at this stage?
And while no one wants to be less than constructive, the spectre of relegation does loom.
“Derby games could be back next season with Town, but in the lower division,” said one despondent Haven fan.
Unlikely but not inconceivable.