Bournemouth host Petersfield aiming to extend winning run
BOURNEMOUTH host Petersfield as they once again aim to extend their winning run in Regional Two South Central.
The Lions' current run stretches to 14 games, after they beat North Dorset at the start of February.
They beat Petersfield 46-33 back in November away from home, but director of rugby Will Croker said he views Saturday's visitors as one of the best teams in the league.
'I think that they've lost a few games or they've missed out on some results that would have seen them far higher up the table,' Croker said.
'They've got a very experienced squad, Dan Sargent and Liam Perkins and Matt McLean, all very experienced National League rugby players.
'They've got a good crop of youngsters that come in and bolster them.
'We played very well at their place.
'We never really let them into the game and we tried to suffocate their attacking intent and we've got to do something very similar this time.
'That said, we're really confident at home. We're undefeated so far this season at home and we're on a good winning run and there's real confidence amongst the boys.'
The game comes after a fallow week, which Croker said was difficult to get a flow going at this time of year, with another coming the week after the Petersfield match – although that has allowed them to focus on it as almost a one-off game.
But he said he understands the purpose of the gap weekends and said they had used the time well to rest some players and restore them to fitness.
Ben Meaden returns to the Bournemouth side at fly half, replacing Louis Ellis, as they aim to give him some game time in the first team before the run in.
Croker also said Meaden helped to run the game against Petersfield earlier this season and got the Lions attack ticking.
Matt Horne returns at number eight, Joe Rees at open-side flanker and Conrad Carkeet at hooker in the pack, while Jordie Wayman comes into the centres.
'We're feeling pretty confident that we've got a strong side out,' Croker said.
'We've now just got to almost move into cup final mode and we've put ourselves in with a shout now and we've just got to keep doing what we can do.
'Each week we've got to try our hardest to pick up a win and if we can, the bonus point and then we'll have to wait and see what happens to the other results around us. But we feel like we're in a good place.'
Bournemouth's second team face Ellingham and Ringwood as they look to force their way into the top half of the table, with Ellis dropping into that team alongside Carlos Snell and the returning Callum McKenzie.
'We're really looking to try to put together a performance there that can galvanise the side for the rest of the season,' Croker said.
The third team travel to Poole with a strong side, including former first team captain Dan Cawley who returns from a spell out.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Dean Huijsen admits ‘I don't care' about being Real Madrid's most expensive defender
Dean Huijsen at his presentation as a Real Madrid player – 'the best club in the world … there is no other club when they appear'. Dean Huijsen at his presentation as a Real Madrid player – 'the best club in the world … there is no other club when they appear'. Photograph: Chema Moya/EPA 'I don't care,' Dean Huijsen said and there was a shrug to go with his answer. The former Bournemouth player had just become the most expensive defender in Real Madrid's history for £50m, but while the 20-year-old talked about 'living a dream' on the day he was presented at their Valdebebas training ground, the price didn't seem to bother him much. Not least because nothing did. 'I'm quite calm,' he said. 'I am me and I am going to live my life and I do what I like most.' 'Madrid is the club of my life, I think,' Huijsen had said when he stepped on to the stage in the basketball arena, tapped the mic and asked: 'Can you hear me?' The son of Dutch footballer Donny Huijsen, who was sitting in the front row with Huijsen's mother Mascha Wijsmuller. The family moved to southern Spain when Dean was five and it was Málaga he was mad about as a boy, although he said here that Sergio Ramos was his idol. Advertisement Related: Jobe Bellingham to play at Club World Cup after completing Dortmund move Huijsen admitted his initial plan had been to stay at Bournemouth for another season but everything accelerated, above all his development. A full Spain debut came in March against the Netherlands, at which he was booed by the home fans after choosing to represent Spain, and Madrid's rebuild under Xabi Alonso brought interest from the Bernabéu to go with the offers from clubs across England and beyond. 'A lot was said but I just concentrated on my football, giving everything at Bournemouth and trying to finish the season in the right way,' Huijsen said. 'I wanted to be here from the first day; once Real Madrid called I didn't have eyes for any other teams. For me, Real Madrid is the best club in the world and there is no other club when they appear.' 'I think my first nice memory of Real Madrid was the [Champions League] final in 2014 in which Sergio Ramos scored in the last minute of added time. I would have been nine,' the new signing added. 'Ramos sent me a message when [the transfer] was official. He's my biggest idol, the best centre-back in history. I wouldn't say there is one thing about him [to single out], but all the things he had: he was the most complete centre-back too.' Advertisement When the final bid came, Madrid matched Bournemouth's £50m buyout clause, albeit they will pay the almost €60m fee in three instalments. 'I don't think about that,' Huijsen said. When he had been asked about it during the recent international break, he had been even more matter-of-fact: 'It's the clause I had,' he told AS, 'and if it hadn't been that maybe they would have asked for more.' As for the pressure, when he was asked about that here, Huijsen replied: 'Well you've seen me play: I'm quite calm. I don't think about it. I'm doing what I love.' He will wear No 24 for a simple reason: 'It's the one there is [available].' 'I fit very well the football that Xabi wants to play and I am going to try to contribute to the team; anything I can do to help, I'm delighted to do so,' Huijsen said. 'We have spoken a bit about what he expects from me, and I think these will be nice years. Bringing the ball out is something I have, as well as defending. 'I think I have shown I am ready. I'm here to help the team and [as for] the demands here: I want to win titles too. I'm not here to not win titles.'
New York Times
3 hours ago
- New York Times
The Mets' bullpen is good. Here's why they should still add at the trade deadline
DENVER — The New York Mets kept any concerns over the depth of their bullpen to a minimum last week as they reeled off five wins over a seven-game road trip, arriving home with the National League's best record (42-24). They also returned with the second-best bullpen ERA in MLB (2.91), behind only the San Francisco Giants (2.32). Advertisement Still, potential issues lingered in the background of their success. Even if a keen eye was necessary to spot the reasons, the need for a trustworthy late-inning lefty and another even slightly above-average right-handed reliever appeared worth addressing ahead of the trade deadline. There were multiple instances during a four-game series against the Dodgers in Los Angeles where deploying a high-leverage left-hander made sense, if only the Mets had one, and if only A.J. Minter (lat) weren't out for the season. The scenario in the eighth inning of the Mets' 4-3 win in the second game of the series made sense for a lefty. With the Mets holding a one-run lead, Freddie Freeman (left-handed batter), Andy Pages and Max Muncy (left-handed batter) were due up. The Mets summoned Ryne Stanek, who pitched a scoreless inning. Another scenario made for a lefty occurred the next day. If he were healthy (or if they had someone similar), the Mets likely would've attempted to close the game with Minter instead of right-hander Huascar Brazoban, with Muncy set to lead off the ninth inning with the Dodgers trailing one run. Muncy ended up hitting a home run to tie the score, and Los Angeles won in 10 innings. In the seventh inning of that game, with Muncy and left-handed batter Michael Conforto among the batters due up, lefty Brandon Waddell, who entered the season as a depth starter, successfully filled a lane for a left-hander reliever when he recorded three outs without allowing a run. Sometimes the Mets get burned for not having a late-inning lefty, but most times, they do just fine. Since May, the Mets' right-handed relievers have faced 49 left-handed batters in high-leverage spots. In those situations, they have a 3.18 ERA. Among the 16 teams with righties who have faced at least 30 left-handed batters during that span and in that situation, the Mets' ERA is the fifth best. Despite those respectable results, against talented lineups with elite left-handed batters like the Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and Philadelphia Phillies, the Mets will likely need additional help. Those are the kinds of clubs the Mets would see come October. A potential problem for the Mets: The lefty reliever market looks weak, said multiple people with knowledge of who is available in trades. That is subject to change, though. Plenty of time remains before the July 31 deadline. The expectation is for the Mets to continue to monitor the situation. Advertisement Either way, lefty reliever Brooks Raley, whom the Mets signed just before Minter went down with an injury, looms as an important part of the puzzle. As of last week, Raley, who is rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, was said to be feeling good while throwing live bullpen sessions. People close to the player suggest he could begin appearing in rehab games by the end of June. On the conservative side, Mets officials view him as a second-half contributor. In the meantime, the Mets will also likely keep an eye on the waiver wire and hope to work their magic with anyone they might scoop up. The latest success story is lefty José Castillo, whom the Mets acquired for cash on May 15 after the Arizona Diamondbacks had designated him for assignment. With Arizona, the 29-year-old, who is out of minor-league options, allowed eight runs on 10 hits over 6 1/3 innings. With New York, Castillo has allowed five hits and three walks with nine strikeouts in seven scoreless innings. Castillo and club officials attribute his success with the Mets to the club simplifying his approach (he is using just a slider and two-seam fastball) and making him feel like he belongs — not any kind of major makeover with his pitches. Ahead of acquiring him, the Mets did their homework on his personality and learned they first needed to instill confidence in him and lay out a plan. Castillo pitched well in 2018 as a rookie, but injuries have disrupted his career ever since, leaving him wondering if he belonged in the big leagues. 'When I was in Arizona, I put this immense amount of pressure on myself to try to get results with every pitch I threw,' Castillo said. 'When I got here, I spoke with (Mets manager Carlos Mendoza) and the pitching coaches, and all they did was say, 'Go out there and compete. Don't pitch with any pressure. Just play the game you've always played.' That's been the key for me.' In Castillo's view, his stuff isn't quite as sharp as it was seven years ago, but he's getting there. Whether he reaches that point in New York remains to be seen. He could evolve into a more important pitcher for the club. He could be gone in a week. He could also last as something in the middle. The point is, the Mets want to find out. Advertisement Given the way the Mets have identified and developed arms under president of baseball operations David Stearns and pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, New York deserves the benefit of doubt when making pitcher acquisitions. On Monday, they optioned Waddell and replaced him with Justin Garza, a right-hander they recently acquired from the Giants in a cash deal. Ideally, the Mets would like to leave some room to give internal options a chance. It worked last year with Dedniel Nunez. Possible minor leaguers who have yet to debut in the majors and could help this season include Felipe De La Cruz (lefty), Ryan Lambert, Jonathan Pintaro, Dom Hamel and Dylan Ross, among others. It's important for teams to produce pitchers with club control, and that's especially true in the volatile, up-and-down world of bullpens where there's seemingly never enough quality depth. Given all that context, the Mets could still use another slightly above-average reliever, at least, regardless of handedness, to give them some additional cushion. Back-to-back lopsided wins inside a three-game sweep against the historically bad Colorado Rockies over the weekend enabled the Mets to ease up on the usage of their main set-up relievers. Recently, and particularly since Minter was lost for the season, such opportunities for the Mets were hard to come by. Without Minter, New York had leaned heavily on right-handers Brazoban, Stanek and Reed Garrett as bridge relievers to closer Edwin Díaz. During a stretch of just over two weeks starting May 21 and ending Friday, New York used or at least warmed each reliever on nearly an every-other-day basis. Within that span, Garrett (9 1/3 innings) and Brazoban (nine innings) were among just six relievers in MLB (excluding bulk or traditional multi-inning pitchers) to log at least nine innings. 'We have been using them pretty hard,' Mendoza said before Saturday's game. 'That's not sustainable. We have got to be careful here.' Advertisement Enter the Rockies (12-53), who obliged by losing in blowouts on Saturday and Sunday. Garrett did not pitch at all in the series. Stanek, Brazoban and Díaz logged an inning each on Friday. The Mets are off on Monday. In his second appearance since returning from the injured list, Paul Blackburn effectively piggybacked in relief of starter Tylor Megill on Sunday, covering four innings and saving the bullpen. The Mets went into Saturday or Sunday knowing they would utilize Blackburn in such a role on either of the days. Could the Mets use that route again? New York's recent increased usage of its setup relievers was the product of playing a bunch of close games; Mendoza otherwise has operated mostly judiciously. San Diego Padres reliever Jason Adams leads MLB with 33 appearances. Garrett (28 appearances) leads the Mets, followed by Diaz, Brazoban and Stanek (26 each). Jose Butto is next with 24. Behind All-Star-worthy seasons from Garrett and Díaz, the Mets' bullpen is demonstrating that it is good. The construction of the late-inning group charged with getting the ball to Díaz also indicates the Mets know what they're doing: Garrett was a waiver-wire pickup, and they bet on bouncebacks from Brazoban and Stanek in deadline deals last year. Based on their track record, the Mets may not have to part with much to effectively supplement the group. Nonetheless, a need is peeking out for additional quality. (Top photo of Reed Garrett: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
City sign attacking midfielder Alex Newby after Altrincham exit
YORK City have completed their second signing of the Summer - boosting their ranks with attacking midfielder Alex Newby. Newby will officially join York on July 1 upon the expiry of his contract with fellow National League side Altrincham, having reached double figures in goals for the Robins last campaign. Advertisement The 29-year-old brings welcome experience to the City fold, similarly to their first signing of the Summer in Ollie Banks. Newby began his footballing career in the academy of Bolton Wanderers, before turning professional with hometown club Barrow. He made one appearance for the Bluebirds in a bench appearance against Southport, as well as having a loan spell with local side Kendal Town. The midfielder would drop into non-league permanently to join Clitheroe, before climbing up the pyramid to join Chorley in the National League North. Newby stayed a Chorley player for three years, making 90 appearances and scoring 24 times, his first of which came against York in 2018. Advertisement He would also have multiple play-off campaigns with Chorley, which included a promotion into the National League. Following a season in the fifth tier, Newby made the step into the Football League and into Sky Bet League One, joining Rochdale in 2020. Newby did suffer relegation with the Dale to Sky Bet League Two in his first season, managing 82 appearances and 13 goals in two years. Another two years in the Football League would follow for Newby, joining fellow League Two side Colchester United. He made 34 appearances and scored three goals for the Essex-based side, which also included a loan spell with Altrincham. Advertisement Seven goals in 18 games for the Robins made his move permanent, where he has since helped Altrincham to a play-off semi-final in the 2023/24 season. Whilst Altrincham did narrowly miss out on the play-offs in the 2024/25 season, Newby scored 15 goals in 44 matches, proving to be a key player in Phil Parkinson's side. Speaking on his move to York, Newby commented: "It's brilliant to be here, it's a great move for me, it's something that I was really keen to get done as soon as it was mentioned. "Obviously, meeting the manager as well, I'm just really excited to get started."
