SEA COP MEN BATTLING FOR SURVIVAL

Date: 6th August 2014

A Paul Edwards copyright exclusive for L&DCC Official Website.

Lee Rimmer calls for three more wins

Fleetwood Hesketh skipper Lee Rimmer believes his side need three more wins from their remaining seven Premier League matches if they are to avoid relegation to the First Division of the Med Imaging Liverpool Competition in September.

Yes, while there is still a huge chunk of summer left to enjoy and a lot of good cricket to be played, the games are beginning to run out for the teams at the top and bottom of the Competition’s three divisions.

It doesn’t help, of course, that it has been a season characterised so far by good weather and wet Saturdays. All teams have been affected to some degree, but Rimmer’s players worked hard to get Sea Cop fit for the visit of league leaders Ormskirk last Saturday, only to take two fewer points from the frequently-interrupted drawn game than if they had suffered a complete abandonment. Not that the skipper regrets his mopping up efforts one bit.

“I would never turn down the chance to snatch a victory,” he said. “I don’t believe in just walking away with five points.” In the event, Rimmer was grateful to his last pair Matt Collins and Craig Todd, who defied the pace attack of Gavin Griffiths and Nicky Caunce for four overs to secure the draw, this after Ormskirk had made 120 for seven in 26 overs and left Fleetwood Hesketh 21 overs to get the runs.

“It was a good declaration but lack of application with the bat cost us once again,” said Rimmer, who will be hoping that his top order are in their best form for the home game against Maghull on Saturday.

The Marshside club trail tenth-placed Rainhill by 21 points and Rimmer accepts that the “must win game” cliché applies on this occasion. He would therefore be delighted with a similar performance to that his players produced to beat the Victoria Terrace team by three wickets a week last Saturday.

Because for all that the Sea Cop side beat the drop with only four victories last year, Rimmer expects the bar to be raised rather higher this summer.

“That was one of those games we had to win and so we were delighted to do so. Our bowlers were excellent again and then Andy Watts and Huw Summerfield supplied some vital runs.

“But it’s that lack of runs that has dogged us this season. If we can manage to post totals that give our bowlers something to defend, we will stay up. It’s as simple as that.”