Cannons no threat to second string Magpies

Montrose Magpies - 560* vs Chudley Cannons - 110

	Cannons	Magpies
Keeper	Trimble (C)	Wintringham (C)
Chasers	Munch	MacLean
	Oglethorpe	Gorman
	Bell	Sweeting
Beaters	Buttermere	Pyrites
	Ramkin	Ollerton
Seeker	Dorkins	Abberley

It was completely inevitable that for this match against the lowly Cannons, Montrose manager Amadeus Pegley would rest some of his stars. Of that there was never any doubt. But still the tabloids, living in the past as ever, went crazy with accusations of disrespect for the opposition and the fans.

In reality only the three older and logically more fatigued Magpies were actually sat out: Captain Royden Keitch, fellow Chaser Fingal McTavish and Beater Mulciber Moriattis.

The fact is, the Cannons are deservedly last in the League and barring a miracle will not ever threaten for victory against the Magpies in the short term. It is now the business end of the season for Montrose, with three tough matches then the finals to come. Freshness is a must.

To her credit, Cannons manager Verity Yap took the supposed discrediting well, rationally admitting that she would do the same if in Pegley’s position.

Yap herself made two changes, giving Hesper Buttermere another chance to wield her Beater’s Bat and, perhaps over overdue, Percy Prang gave way to new Seeker Evan Dorkins. Chudley’s Chasers have been the clear standouts in recent weeks and recognising the chance to put an unproven Magpie trio under pressure, they were left unchanged with the chance to impress.

For perhaps the first time all year, Chudley’s Transylvanian import Xanthus Munch finally got the chance to show his true colours, putting some impressive early goals past stand-in Magpie captain Euan Wintringham.

After half an hour the score was 60-60 to shock of all present. One could hear the conservative critics sharpening their told-you-so-knives. But it was just rustiness on the part of Gytha Gorman, Yvaine Sweeting and Isolde Pyrites. After all, the Magpies’ performance has been such that no-one outside the best seven has had any part to play.

By the hour mark Montrose had firmly established their ascendency and by the two-hour mark, were well clear of the snitch margin.

The decision not to rest Alison Abberley was based on the utilitarian thought that resting her would potentially extend the effort for everyone else by a number of hours. If showing her usual stellar form, Abberley could get the Magpies off the pitch early, with as little effort as possible.

As an undefeated team, goal difference means little to Montrose. Pegley’s higher priority was to win early and retain maximum freshness for the upcoming blockbusters against Appleby, Wimbourne and Tutshill.

The decision proved an astute one, as Abberley needed little more than two and a half hours to take the snitch and seal a thorough dispatching, well and truly without the need for their rested stars.

Montrose Magpies - 560: MacLean 25, Sweeting 9, Gorman 7, Abberley Capture

Chudley Cannons - 110: Munch 9, Oglethorpe 2

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: FARQUHAR MACLEAN (MAGPIES)