MOST of those connected with Maidenhead Rugby Club will glad to see the back of 2001 and especially the first half of this season.
With just four wins from 11 matches, no one at the club before the season started would have predicted the situation the club finds itself in.
All the thoughts originally were whether this really would be the Braywick team’s year, and whether they would move up the one gear needed to challenge for promotion.
Yet the stark reality is that Maids are third from bottom with just eight points, have conceded more points – 283 – than any other team apart from bottom-of-the-pile Dorchester, and now have to face up to the fact that they are in a relegation dogfight.
After a dreadful opening to the campaign, the team seemed to have turned the corner with three straight wins against Dorchester, Keynsham and, most impressively, Barnstaple.
They racked-up 137 points and seemed to have learned from their earlier mistakes.
Not only were they winning, they were playing more expansively and more passionately.
However this was a false dawn. As impressive as they were against Barnstaple, the following week they were abject against Stroud, and the situation is yet to improve.
The reasons for the disappointing season are numerous, but injuries have played a large role in preventing coach Simon Edwards from picking the same team two weeks in succession.
Crucially the vastly experienced prop Allan Greene has missed most of the season, and Maids have not looked their old self up-front without him.
Ironically, in particular it is his drive, energy and experience that is missed; as his replacemnet at loosehead, Cormack O’Byrne, has been one of the few success stories of the campaign.
Adding to the ‘flat’ feeling around the ground is the club’s struggle to field four teams.
Indeed on days that clash with the international matches it is only the 1sts that can raise a side.
With no game tomorrow (Saturday), the club now needs to re-focus and use the Christmas break wisely as they start the second half of the campaign at home to leaders Weston Super Mare on Saturday, January 5.
The Somerset side have lost just once in 11 starts and seem unstoppable in the race for top spot.