Amateur RU: Worst conditions YMCA remember

Jan 20 2010 by Mel Booth, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Amateur RU: Worst conditions YMCA remember

“Normally we fork the field every Monday morning, which we have to do by hand, and replace all the divots, and we do have a machine to flatten out the bumps, but one of our biggest concerns has been the state of the drive approach and car park which has been absolutely treacherous.

“We don’t have any equipment for that purpose, neither a plough or a grit spreader. In fact, the only thing we have is a brush and shovel, and it was so bad last week when I went up to inspect one day I got stranded in the car park, hanging on to a car door handle and had to be rescued by Steve.”

Meanwhile, down at Lockwood Park, the Huddersfield RUFC groundsman, John Lockwood, is also optimistic of getting the first team field ready in time for this weekend’s second team fixture.

“We still have a bit of snow and ice under the shade of the stand, but generally the ground is draining well, and I’m expecting it being ready for play this weekend,” said Lockwood, who has helped work on the ground since he retired from the fire service eight years ago, but took over as head groundsman 12 months ago.

“We have a bit of mould here and there and some moss appearing on the bowling green (which he has looked after for several years) but we’ll soon get rid of that, and I’ll be spiking the main field now I can get on it.

“There was nothing we could do when the field was covered in snow because if you start going onto the field then you can cause more damage than you do good.”