FOLLOWING a run of three successive defeats, early season pacesetters Lymm have been reduced to the role of spectators in the National Two North title race.
Lymm finished 10th last season following promotion and set the league alight at the start of this campaign, winning their first 11 games including a dramatic victory over table-toppers Leeds Tykes.
However, since then the Cheshire side have picked up just five wins from 12 and have fallen out of contention, with Leeds and Sheffield forming the two-horse race for promotion.
Captain and second row James Yates is disappointed at how his side has fallen away but says it will fuel the fire to make amends next season.
He told The Rugby Paper: “We started really well, and we were really fortunate with injuries, so we had that consistency in selection and continuity in combinations right through until about mid-January.
“Unfortunately, there were inevitable injuries here that have cost us.
“We’ve definitely done better than expected, but as soon as we got a taste for that sort of title race, the boys fully jumped into it. When we, unfortunately, fell away from that, there was quite a feeling of disappointment.
“But we’ve regrouped, and we’ve set different targets, and we’ll see if we can do better next year by staying in that fight for longer.”
Aside from one season at Bedford Athletic,
33-year-old Yates has played the entirety of his rugby career at Lymm and the 6ft 3in, 17-stone lock is hugely honoured to lead his beloved local club.
He added: “It’s brilliant. We have a largely homegrown squad. 75-80 per cent of every match-day squad has come through our minis and juniors. I’m sure it’s not just myself that feels proud to be out there in a Lymm shirt. It’s a really great club with fantastic support. We have an amateur ethos and amateur spirit. It’s a badge of honour to go up against some really big clubs of National League repute. To punch well above our weight is something we’re proud of.
“I had ankle surgery in the off-season last year. National League rugby is really tough, and it took me a few games to get back up to speed. But I’m feeling more like myself now and looking forward to finishing the season strong.”
First-place Leeds look set to go one better than last year and earn promotion back up to National One, given they came into this weekend nine points clear at the top.
Yates holds his hands up and says that they are worthy champions.
“They’ve been the most consistent team,” said Yates. “They’ve got a really good all-round game with a strong set-piece and a great back line that can hurt you out wide. They’re also quite strong when they attack directly. So, they are certainly the all-round package. Hopefully, they can do a good job in the league above.”
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