McCrave has higher hopes

Sep 4 2003 Christopher Beesley Ellesmere Port Pioneer

AFTER coming good in the second half of last season following several months flirting with relegation, Ellesmere Port are looking forward to a successful 2003-04 campaign.

Port kick-off the first of their Powegen Northern Division fixtures on Saturday with St Edward's Old Boys the visitors to Dunkirk Lane.

The club's players have attributed their revival in fortunes to the appointment of Peter McCrave as coach over the Christmas period, and the 44-year-old from Great Sutton is delighted with the progress that his hometown club has made so far during the first nine months of his tenure.

He said: 'All the lads have put a lot of hard work in since I arrived but they've got to keep things up and continue to learn.

'There is no reason why this team can't finish in the top four this season if the application is there.

'However, if they don't put the effort in then they'll be back near the bottom, it's entirely up to them.

'One of the major things we have worked on is the fitness of the team and we certainly won't be giving any opposition the advantage when it comes to that. When I came here, several of the players were not in the best condition but they've knuckled down and are looking much sharper now.'

McCrave added: 'From a tactical point of view, we've started by trying to put together a sound defence and if people find it hard to break us down, then we've always got a chance.

'I make sure the players know what they're doing from set plays and that they are aware of our game plan.

'You've got to get the little things right and be aware of which way you're going to pass when the ball breaks free. These are split-second decisions but, to be honest, they do accumulate over a game, especially at this level, if you get them right.'

With the bulk of the Ellesmere Port first team now well into their 30s, the club continues to work hard at developing its youth section and Mc-Crave is eager to blood more youngsters this season.

He said: 'The junior teams have been in place for a while and I think we have both an U16s and U17s side now.

'We'll have to phase in the younger players gradually and it will probably be another three years before we see our efforts really bear fruit, but we'll have to use what we have and play to our strengths.'

Although McCrave is positive about his own team's chances, he is wary that there are several other talented teams in Ellesmere Port's division.

He said: 'I think that Hoylake will be among the challengers while Crewe are always strong at this level. Older-shaw have a decent young side while newly-promoted Orrell Anvils have a lot of top-class senior players, including some former internationals.'

Despite showing dignified modesty when it comes to talking about his own career, McCrave is something of a legend in Cheshire rugby and represented the county for five seasons.

Racking up 593 first-team appearances at senior level, McCrave actually kicked-off his playing days while at school with St Saviour's, before earning a scholarship to go to St Anselm's College.

Progressing through the county and North of England teams and making it as far as England trials, McCrave remained with the Old Anselmians until he was 22 before going on to enjoy a highly-successful club career with Birkenhead Park, interrupted only by a single season with Waterloo.

He said: 'The highlights of my career are the milestone events like my debut, the jump to senior rugby and establishing myself in the county squad.

'The games I remember most fondly were the Easter Monday trips to Gloucester. I was fortunate enough to get quite a lot of tries for a second-row player and it was a real buzz to score down at their place in front of five-figure crowds when you were used to having about 1,000 spectators watching you.'

One of McCrave's former teammates in the Cheshire county team is the man his club have just appointed as their new skipper, Steve Foster.

The 35-year-old former New Brighton stand-off from Little Sutton is another of Ellesmere Port's leading lights to have gone back to his roots after an illustrious career elsewhere.

Foster joined the club two years ago and admits that the change in the squad's attitude has been dramatic since his old pal took over the coaching reins.

He said: 'Peter, or Kipper as we call him, has really organised the team. Our forwards are a really tight unit now and we're not leaking silly tries like we were early on last season.

'Players are coming down regularly to train and are genuinely making the effort to improve both as individuals and as a team.'

'We want to get back to the level of performance we were producing the season before last when the club achieved its highest-ever finish. And with a blend of experienced veteran players and a few more enthusiastic youngsters coming through, we are confident we can do well providing we get off to a good start.'