BRENDAN LINES
EMBATTLED Brown’s Well expects to bounce back after forfeiting its round four RFL Independent clash with Sedan-Cambrai last Saturday.
The struggling club left no stone unturned in its search for numbers to fill its senior team over the preseason.
In March, the RFL commission’s decision to allow 16-a-side matches offered clubs struggling for numbers breathing space to continue playing after a year off in 2020.
But that breathing space ran out for the Bombers last weekend, and a perfect storm of unavailability, injuries and work commitments, forced the club to forfeit, rather than face the prospect of playing without a full bench.
Andrew Schulz, president of Brown’s Well Football Club, said it was a setback for the club.
“We basically had to take a hit for one week,” he said.
“To make sure we’re right for the next few.
“We had three guys with niggling injuries.
“To head down there with 15 or 16 players, and not have a bench, then have those guys risk aggravating their injury. Suddenly you’re out (again) because you might be short of players for a couple of weeks.
“That’s a pretty bad outcome for the club.”
The forfeit adds to the Bombers win-loss tally, sitting at 0-3, while its points against tally sits at a staggering 577, with a mere 66 points kicked in its favour.
The club plays Cobdogla at home this week, and has a chance to regroup over an extended two-week rest, taking in a bye in round six and the following long weekend in June.