John Seager's Review of the year 2014

Evening all,

Well 2014 has definitely continued on the momentum on the previous year of continuing the search of getting a paid reporting job and continuing the work I love to do. But also there was some excellent progress made in other departments which made me have some real highs and also some major lows in 2014.

But where to begin I hear you cry, well I think that there is only one place to start and unusual it begins with football but of a different kind.

Gillingham Ladies FC

At the beginning of the year, there were some tough negotiations about whether I can be available to be part of the small team of working on the media department with the club. At the time of the New Year, the club were playing at Chatham Town FC and they were looking to expand their media team. It was decided that I would help out Charlotte and Julian and join them for the rest of the season. Sadly it would wait until March until I could join them. The first game which I covered for the team was an excellent 6-0 win over Herne Bay Ladies in the Semi Final.

Despite the great result, my other paid job meant that I was very limited to work with the girls over the rest of the season. I did manage to bump into the beautiful Charlotte on Easter Sunday as I finally put a name to the face after all of negotiations at the beginning of the year. She built a great media team which I will know will help me get another step on the ladder and get me my first paid job as a reporter. The season for the girls was a great one, they went onto to win two trophies and narrowly miss out on the league title. I decided to stay on for the new season and continue the momentum.

The summer saw a lot of change at the club which saw the Ladies get taken over by the Men's team and we all moved to Priestfield for the first team games. It was an honour and privilege to join them for the new season although it was a different team from the end of last season as majority of the girls switched along with the manager to Brighton and Hove Albion Ladies. However some of the girls stayed on including Lauren and Emma who are class players and with some the new girls like the lovely Ellie and Ashlee coming into the team and a new manager as well it was going - and still is - a tough season but I'm hopeful the girls will turn it around in the new year.

An expansion in the Media team also helped me concentrate on doing more professional work on my own this time with the reserves which I have reported on some good games, seem some really professional performances from girls playing the game at just aged 16 years old and a couple of key cup wins in Charlton and Billericay. As always I have acted in a professional way and I use my ingenuity to help profile the reserves in a new light. The feedback I get from the team and girls is always very professional and they so like the work we do as well. All we go to do I maintain this high stand for the rest of the season which I know we will do very easily.

Elsewhere away from football - I won't mention the men's teams as there is nothing new to report here - I did get my teeth further into something following on from last year:

Kent Kings Speedway 2014 season

There was a lot of change of personnel going into the new season with a new captain and some new team mates for him. But they got off to a good start in the National League and the Knock-Out Cup - despite having a terrible record in the National Trophy - and they only lost one meeting at home during the season. This combined with a good victory on the road in Kings Lynn, meant that in only their second season in existence, the Kent Kings made the end of season playoffs. Sadly though for the team, they did not make though to the final despite having a slender lead going into the second leg. It was a privilege and an honour to report on the whole second season and seeing some amazing talents come though the system especially Danny Ayres who I have a feeling is going to be a great rider in the new season. It will be tough with all of the changes for the 2015 season but I hope the Kings can build on this in the new season.

Away from the track, it is also getting political as well with q planned extension of the 'curfew' at the ground going to the council but annoyingly it got rejected. With this new season in mind and despite the changes to the team, I do fear the future of speedway is up in the air but I am hopeful for the team sake - as well as the town as Sittingbourne needs to get some sort of tourism into the town and avoid Central Park becoming a "white elephant" - that something can be agreed on. If not then another sport will go away from the county for a long time.

Back to the topic in hand, apart from my reporting work - which also doing more work alongside Medway Council again with their coverage of the 'Medway Mile', the 'Big Splash' and also extensive coverage of the 'Wheelchair Rugby League 4 Nations' all work I now do alongside the folks at Medway Council, I also took the plunge and completed my driving tests. I managed to complete my theory tests despite some challenges of passing them and then on the fifth attempt I passed my practical driving test which meant I was able to be unleashed on the roads. And then there's...

Dates

Yes you did hear me right, the dreaded 'D' word that has definitely not been associated with me for a really long time.  Well I decided to take another plunge into the market of online dating this May. And oddly enough, it was a good idea. I did manage to go on a few dates one in London which I thought went very well. Then I went on a couple in and around Kent which sadly did not go well at all. It was a risk I was willing to take as you get them when you are on the dating scene. Luckily though in November I did manage to get in contact with a lovely young lady who I have met on a couple of occasions who I really do like a lot and I will be probably going to see her again in the New Year. Where will this take me? Where will I go from here...?

Who knows??

All is this in the past six months has let me finish this year on a high but we finish on something which I didn't expect to have when I was young but everything that has happened to me in the past has let me down this path which I'm trying to get better every day.

Anxiety

Back in the summer for no reason at all I did suffer from a few panic attacks which normally happen when I am trying to relax and unwind after a long day either working as journalist, bed salesman or even a warehouse operative. And they were getting worse and worse and even on one occasion they stop me from doing my reporting work. So I went to get some help and my counsellor has told me to focus on different things that make me happy and banish my negative thoughts from my mind. Even to this day I am trying my hardest to use this help to overcome my Anxiety and it is getting easier every day. I just got to keep this up during the New Year.

And on that note, we must end this review of 2014. I have gone a long way since started unemployed at the beginning of the year and with the stuff I have on the horizon in 2015 - a football holiday to Germany, the Rugby World Cup, new news events to report on, new interviews to be made, new stories to be told, new car, new friends to be made and hopefully a new girlfriend who likes me for being a good dam good journalist - I hope that this year will be the year of all years.

Well to you all - that will do for now, so have a merry and enjoyable 2015 and I hope it will bring everything that you want from it.

Till next time,

I'll Sithee and 'appy New Year to y'all 

Writing with Anxiety: Happiness

Evening All,

Since being diagnosed with Anxiety, The meetings I have had with my counsellor have been constructive and helpful as I start to overcome Anxiety and get myself feeling happier again.

And that work itself keeps coming up over and over again. "Happy". It is a word that would change my life for the better and the end goal of overcoming Anxiety.

I admit that it has been a very long time since I would use the word Happy, not since I graduated From University in 2009 - yes that long ago - and I have been fighting  a long to be happier again.

But as I explained to my counsellor no matter what I try and I put a lot of effort into the work I do as a reporter and also doing family stuff and following my hobbies.

Also I explained to the counsellor about one thing which I personally think will make me happy and that is being with someone who I really - and I mean really like - and all the other jobs that come with it. Basically it's about being in a relationship. But for me they are very, very difficult to come across and are rare as well.

I do admit that there is someone who I have had a secret crush on for the past six months. I am not one of those guys who would name names as I would be too embarrassed to show my feelings to this girl. But to put it simply; she is brainy, smart, dedicated to her profession and job, helpful, trustworthy and has the best smile in the world ever, all the things which I go for in a girl and I really want to get to know her better and it would make me happy being with her and being there for her.

But I did say to my counsellor that this take would be the most difficult as I have little or no experience in this field. The counsellor explained to me that since I have had little experience of this whilst growing up it feels that I am making an attempt of growing up again in order to be happy. I did have to agree on this statement as the only time I have had this experience was when I was independent and on my own whilst at University.

So my counsellor game me some more homework to concentrate on - basically I have to write down stuff in the past which didn't make me happy and what I would do different now. Initially it sounds complicated but for me, this would be easy to write down - it might me a few pages long given my past.

My Counsellor has also given me a task of writing stuff down on a list of what stuff makes me happy at present - both easy and uneasy goals, along with making notes about my thoughts and feelings over the past week as we will discuss them in our next meeting together. There are a few things that can be easily added to the list; Gillingham FC, doing Reporting work, Football Manager to name but a few and these will be added to the list with a few others as well.

Sadly though the counsellor called an end to the meeting but promised me that we will discuss more about getting better and happier next week.

To be continued...

Writing with Anxiety: Assessment

Evening All,

Since being diagnosed with Anxiety, I have been constantly trying to create the first step to getting back to full health. But today was the first day where I can really start to rebuild my life and get over this anxiety I have.

This week in particular has been quite challenging particularly from work and at home. There was a time when I was covering Gillingham Ladies Reserves this past Sunday, there was a time when it felt like my mind was going to explode and it felt that there was nothing I can do about it.

Luckily today was the day when I had my first Anxiety screening with my counsellor and we can both together work on getting me happier, healthier and stronger. In all honesty, I wasn't expected to have this assessment meeting with so quickly but thanks to a few cancellations, I managed to get the interview today.

We sat down in a room and simply explained my past of what got to where I am presently today and what normally happens when I am having a panic attack. The counsellor recommended me to try some new breathing techniques to use when I have my next panic attack - should one come up.

I did explain to the counsellor about a few issues which has caused this anxiety both in the past in the present.  These included; past and present relationship troubles, numerous job applications that failed, family issues and my past as a child especially my troubles when I was at SCC.

Overall, the counsellor decided that I have not been happy for a very long time and I said that I need to get rid of all of the negative thoughts and make myself more self confident especially at work and with the Ladies.

I also explained to the counsellor that I have been left behind in my reporting work where all of my friends and former colleagues have gone and done bigger and better things, I said that I have fallen behind and I badly need to catch up. And also with my friends as well, they have all started to settle down and have families and I feel that I need to get to the same place by meeting the girl of my dreams and start to settle down.

For both occasions, the counsellor said that it will take time but more importantly I need to get rid of the Anxiety first before we can look at these topics.

Sadly though the counsellor called an end to the meeting but promised me that at my next meeting in two weeks, we will start to tackle this Anxiety together.


To be continued...

Writing with Anxiety: Prologue

Evening All,

There have been times where I have been really worried about my future after getting a major setback. The last time something like this happened was when I left Nottingham Trent University for the first time in 2007.

But this time feels rather different, basically I am now in a battle with myself and I have to win if I am ever going to be successful and happy.

As you may already know I have been diagnosed with Anxiety - A disease which I thought I would never have despite all the bad things that have happened in my life so far, I thought that I would eventually get the dream job and lifestyle after a lot of hard work, but emotionally this has been a completely different story.

This Anxiety been building up since I graduated from University in 2009, which should have been a great time for me as I have just got my Journalism qualification and was set free onto the reporting world. But sadly the rejection job applications and failed interviews that I got during the past 5 years has taken a toll on my brain as I have suffering panic attacks at different times of the day and without reason as well.

The final straw for this decision was on Sunday where I had no current work to do for either KSN or Gillingham Ladies; I was chilling out at home where for no reason I suffered two massive panic attacks at different times during the day. Both of these attacks got me really worried about myself and I decided there and then to see someone about it.

After a meeting with my GP, he diagnosed me with Anxiety which I was surprised about. But after a long conversation with my GP and a small confession on my part as I said my previous panic attacks began in 2009 after I graduated from Nottingham Trent University, I accepted that I had the condition and I was willing to make the first step to get help.

So I phoned up a counsellor from Faversham to make an enquiry to talk to someone about my Anxiety and start the long road to make me feel better. Luckily for me there was someone who was willing to talk and help me overcome this condition by attending sessions once a week to discuss this Anxiety and chance my life but I want to try something else alongside this help.

So along to help with my therapy meetings, I thought I would try to write out my feelings whilst living with Anxiety. There is a lot going through my head during the day and it does make think both - positively and negatively - and I feel that writing them down will help me conquer this Anxiety and help me get better.

My first interview with my counsellor is set for two weeks time (hopefully earlier) so I will probably go through a lot of emotional stuff before our first meeting. This is a good thing as we can get to work straight away to make me happier, healthier and stronger both mentally and emotionally.

I know that is will not be a pleasant journey for me and my counsellor, but in order to make myself better I have to get all of the negativity out of my mind and change my life for the better.

To be continued... but in the meantime,

I'll Sithee

Wheelchair RL 4 Nations: England v Wales

England claim Four Nations title

England 80 Wales 6

The 2014 Wheelchair Rugby League Four Nations event concluded at Medway Park, Gillingham with England thrashing Wales by eighty points to six to claim the Four Nations Championship.

England stared the game with the ball and it took them just three minutes to get on the scoreboard as Mike Knight and Declan Roberts and they linked well before passing ball out to Jodie Boyd-Ward on the wing and she did just about enough to hold off Harry Jones to score the first try of the match.

Robert McLeod then scored his first try of the match as Wales were caught napping in defence and McLeod got the ball from James Simpson and he did just about enough to get the ball over the try line before getting tackled to score for England.

England got their third try of the match after the Welsh defence were again caught napping and Mike Knight and Robert McLeod gave to good passes before McLeod passed the ball out wide to Jodie Boyd-Ward who simply held off her defender and got the ball over the try line to score her second try of the match.  

Boyd-Ward completed her hat trick as she got the ball on right side of the pitch and he held off two welsh defenders before cross the try line as England opened up an early twenty point gap to Wales.

Wales again were cost them more points as Adam Button mishandled the ball and he immediately gave to Declan Roberts who simply just ran the ball into the comer to score his first try of the match.

Adam Barnett then scored his first try of the match as Wales were caught napping at the back and Declan Roberts worked hard to get the ball out to Barnett who was just in front of the posts and he simply ran the ball past the try line to score his first of the match.

Barnett's Medway Dragons team mate Joe Coyd was introduced into the action for the first time and it didn't take him long to get on the score sheet as he got the ball on the left side of the pitch and he hit an excellent diagonal run before cross the try line to score his first try of the match.

Coyd then quickly added a second try as he got the ball in the middle of the pitch and completed an excellent run whilst avoiding three welsh defenders and he was unchallenged as he rushed away to score his second try of the match.

Paul Mather was the fifth player from England to get on the Score sheet as Ian Kenny and Joe Coyd worked well on the right side and it was Coyd who hit a delightful ball to an unmarked Mather who ran the ball in to score another try for England.

McLeod finished off the scoring for the first half as a Wales missed another tackle and it was McLeod who took full advantage and he got the ball on the left and easily rushed the ball over the try line to score his second try of the match.

Half Time: England 52 Wales 0 

Wales started the second half with the ball as they looked to get on the board, but despite working the ball well, they lost the ball on a turnover in their first possession of the half.

Declan Roberts then got the first score of the second half for England as Mark Williams missed his tackle and this let in Roberts  to get the ball and he simply ran the ball from the middle of the pitch to score an easy try for England.

Roberts was then involved in the action again as he hold a great pass from Mike Knight and he zipped past Jones and Williams to score under the posts  and grab his second try in quick succession for England.

Robert McLeod was next England player to score a try as he worked well on the right side of the pitch and easily held off his defender before scoring a try deep in the corner on the left side.

Wales didn't give up and after some good work pushing they got a richly deserved try as Jones passed the ball out to Mark Williams and he did enough to ahead of Mather and score Wales's fist try of the match.

Jodie Boyd-Ward then added more points to England's total as she got the ball on the right side from a great pass from Roberts, and she took a dive past the try line in at the corner to put England past the seventy point barrier.

Robert McLeod then continued the English dominance as he worked hard down the right and he got away from his defender before going over the try line on the left side to score England fifteenth try of the match.

Ian Kenny scored his first try of the match with over four minutes left to go as he did well to get away from Williams and he squeezed between James Roberts and Harry Jones a try to help England break the eighty point barrier.

Final Score: England 80 Wales 6

Line-ups:

England:

Ian Kenny, Joe Coyd, James Simpson, Mike Knight, Martin Lane, Jodie Boyd-Ward, Declan Roberts, Robert McLeod, Paul Mather, Adam Barnett.

Wales:

Phil Bousfield, Adam Button, Huw Chance, Andrew Rhys Higgins, Harry Jones, James Roberts, Mark Williams.

Referee: Rhett Johnson and Matt Ball

In-goal Referee: Kieron Johnson and Richard Johnson

Wheelchair RL 4 Nations: Scotland v Ireland

Scots thrashed by Ireland

Scotland 10 Ireland 60

The 2014 Wheelchair Rugby League Four Nations event continued at Medway Park, Gillingham with Ireland claiming their second win of the tournament as they fought off Scotland in a dominant performance.

The game started with Ireland getting the ball and immediately George Hills was involved in the thick of the action and a forward pass put paid to his first possession as Scotland got the ball back.

And it was Scotland who got the ball and scored the first try of the match as a fifth tackle kick from Graeme Stewart hit a delightful kick forward and it was spectacularly grabbed by Jack Waring and he easily held off George hill to score his first try of the match.

But Ireland immediately got back into the match as George Hill drove the ball from the middle of the pitch and he held off two Scottish defenders before going into the corner and scoring his first try of the match.

George Hill nearly broke though again as a fifth tackle kick from Rachel Irwin was chased hard by Hill and two Scottish defenders but all three players couldn't ground the ball and it went out dead for a goal line drop out.

And it was Hill who then turned from scorer to being provider as Ireland turned the ball over and he move the ball forward before hitting a wonderful pass to Rachel Irwin who out chased three Scottish defenders before scoring a try in a corner. The kick also Hill was also converted and it gave Ireland a slim four point lead.

Hill then used blistering pace to power though the Scottish defence to as he got the ball from the middle of the pitch to score another try for Ireland. The try also meant that it extended the gap to Scotland to ten points.  

Hill then completed his Hat trick as Scotland went into the touch, Stu Walker placed the ball down on the left, and Hill dived though two Scottish defenders to place the ball down past the try line to put Ireland though the twenty point barrier.

Half Time: Scotland 6 Ireland 20

The second half with Scotland getting the ball and looking to get back into this game, but it was 

Ireland who extended their lead as Ireland got the ball deep in the Scotland half, Hill passed the ball to McCabe who then passed the ball into the corner to Rachael Irwin who dived deep into the corner to score her second try of the match.

Hill then added his fourth try of the match as he drove the ball though a paced Scottish defence but he did well to make his way through them and score another try for Ireland.

Hill then added two more tries as Ireland got through the forty point barrier, the sixth try was a worked well move made by Stu Walker and Hill got the of Walker's kick and he grounded the ball whilst being surrounded by two Scottish defenders.

Hill then added a seventh try before Scotland got into double figures as Gemme Lumsdaine hit a beautiful pass deep from the right, it came the way Stewart before hitting a low pass Ian McKeen who then held off Hill and going over the line to scores his first try of the match.

Stu Walker then added more punishment for Scotland as he got hold a good pass from Hill and he held off his defender to score his first try of the match.,

Hill worked though the Scottish defence and zipped though the middle of the pitch before hitting a beautiful pass to Josh McEvoy to score his first competitive try for Ireland.

Hill completing the scoring by scoring his eighth try of the match by getting the ball in the middle of the pitch and he ran through some static Scottish defending before scoring a try and conversion which got Scotland though the sixty point barrier.

Final Score: Scotland 10 Ireland 60

Line ups:

Scotland:

Graeme Stewart, Stephen Carling, Michael Mellon, Sean Frame, John Cairns, Gavin Dobson, Ian McKeen, Gemme Lumsdaine, Chris Calderwood, Jack Waring,

Ireland:

Josh McEvoy, Chris Sealek, George Hill, Tony Martin, Andy Atkinson, Rachel Irwin, Damian McCabe, Stu Walker.

Referee: Rhett Johnson and Richard Johnson

In-goal Referee: Kieron Johnson and Matt Ball

Wheelchair RL 4 Nations: England v Ireland

England beat off the Irish

England 54 Ireland 2

The 2014 Wheelchair Rugby League Four Nations event continued at Medway Park, Gillingham with England comfortably beating a hard working Ireland side.

Both sides won on their opening fixtures and they were both looking for a further win to get closer to winning this tournament.  

The game started with England in charge and it took just over four minutes for England to score as Martin Lane got a pass from Declan Roberts and he surged forward past Rachel Irwin and Tony Martin to score under the posts for his first try of the match.

And he was in the thick of the action as he got the ball from Joe Coyd and he surged again past the Irish defence for his second try of the match as England take an early twelve point lead.

England then added a third try in just under ten minutes as they pushed forward and it was it was a good move from Martin Lane and James Simpson who then got the ball out to Paul Maher and held off Damian McCabe as he dived for the line to score his first try of the match.

England then added a fourth try as new comer to the team Adam Barnett passed the ball to Declan Roberts zipped past Rachel Irwin and he raced way in to the corner to score his first try of the match.

Ireland did have a great to score their first try of the match as George Hill broke though on goal but he was excellently chased down by Declan Roberts who saved a certain try for Ireland.

Half time: England 22 Ireland 0

England started the second half with the ball as they looked to close out the game as they started in the right way as Mike Knight got the ball from Ian Kenny and he held off Damian McCabe and Rachel Irwin as he though the Irish defence to score England's first try of the second half.

Ireland was then awarded a penalty as England was caught offside, George Hill took the kick just to the right side of the posts and Hill easily converted the two points to put Ireland on the scoreboard.

Ian Kenny then restored England dominance of this game as he capped off a good move as he got the ball from first from James Simpson and then Mike Knight and he did just about enough to hold off the Irish defence to score under the posts for his first try of the match.

Jodie Boyd-Ward also got her first try of the match for England as James Simpson drove forward and passed the ball to Mike Knight who then passed to Boyd-Ward wide on the right and she did enough to dive into the corner and scored another try for England.

England then got though the forty point barrier as Mike Knight then added his second try of the night as England moved the ball forward and the ball ended with some nice passing play between Boyd-Ward and Lane and Knight was there at the end of the play to surge past his defender and score another England try.

Robert McLeod then grabbed his first try of the match again England worked the line really well and made some great passing between Roberts, Boyd-Wad and Simpson, McLeod was at there at the end to get the ball from Simpson to score another England try.

Adam Barnett then bagged his first ever try for England as he got the ball in the middle of the pitch and he used his upper body strength to run the ball though the Irish defence to score under the posts and score another try for England.

Final score: England 54 Ireland 2                        

England are back in action tomorrow afternoon as they entertain Wales knowing that a win could secure them the trophy if not, then a win for Ireland against Scotland could secure them the trophy.

Line-ups:            

England:

Ian Kenny, Joe Coyd, James Simpson, Mike Knight, Martin Lane, Jodie Boyd-Ward, Declan Roberts, Robert McLeod, Paul Mather, Adam Barnett.

Ireland:

Josh McEvoy, Chris Sealek, George Hill, Tony Martin, Andy Atkinson, Rachel Irwin, Damian McCabe, Stu Walker. 

Wheelchair RL 4 Nations: Wales v Scotland

Wales edged out but the Scots

Wales 14 Scotland 34

The 2014 Wheelchair Rugby League Four Nations event continued at Medway Park, Gillingham with Scotland coming out on top against Wales.

Both sides lost on their opening fixtures and they were both looking for a win to get them off and running in this tournament. Wales were relieved that Harry Jones had recovered from his dislocated his thumb whilst playing against Ireland and was placed in their starting line-up.

The game started with Wales getting the ball but they couldn't create anything from their first possession and they gave the ball back to Scotland.

And Scotland took the early initiative as Sean Frame broke away from a good kick forward and he chased the ball down and he got ahead of the chasing Welsh defence to give Scotland the first try of the game. Graeme Stewart converted the kick gave and this gave Scotland an early six point lead.

Scotland then extended the gap totem points as Jack Waring got the ball from the middle of his own pitch and he raced away from three Welsh defenders to score his first try of match.

Wales pressured and did almost as Mark Williams almost crossed the try line but he was just tackled on the line, but from the restart, the ball ended up with James Roberts and he easily held off a Scottish defender before crossing over for Wales's first try of the match.

Scotland then extended their lead back to ten points as Frame then bagged his second try of the match as he got at the end of a good pass from Jack Waring and he rushed away from the Welsh defence.

Scotland then added a fourth try as Jack Waring scored his second try of the match as Wales were caught offside  and Frame played the ball to Waring who slipped past two Welsh defenders to score right by the posts . The try meant that Scotland reached the twenty point barrier.

Ian McKeen then get involved in the action as Scotland surged forward again, and McKeen got hold a great pass from Waring and he dived over the try line on the far right side of the pitch for Scotland.

And McKeen begged a second try of the game as Frame was again in the heart of the action, he narrowly missed out on scoring a try as he was tackled on the line but from the restart, Frame passed the ball to McKeen who just edged out Williams to score another try.

Wales were awarded a penalty right on the half time buzzer as Scotland were adjusted to be offside, 

Harry Jones took the kick from the middle of the pitch and he easily kicked the ball over the bar to add two more points for Wales.

Half Time: Wales 6 Scotland 30

Both sides had chances to score during the first tem minutes of the second half, but they couldn't crate any good scoring chances. James Roberts did make a good run forwards after getting the end of a good pass from James Roberts but the Scottish defence held out and turned the ball back.

But Harry Jones did manage to break away from the Scottish defence and he held off Michael Mellon to dive in at the corner to score Wales's second try of the match.

Scotland then extended their lead as they drove for the try line; it was Gavin Dobson who got the ball and he passed it to Ian McKeen then he hit a great pass to Michael Mellon who got away from his defender and scored his first try of the match.

Wales scored the final try of the game as they pushed forward and it was Harry Jones who worked hard on the left with Andrew Rhys Higgins and he hit a great pass to Jones who dived into the corner to score his second try of the game. 

Final Score: Wales 14 Scotland 34

Both sides are back in action on Sunday afternoon as Wales are up against England whilst Scotland are up against Ireland as they look to finish off their tournament on a high.

Line-ups:

Wales:

Phil Bousfield, Adam Button, Huw Chance, Andrew Rhys Higgins, Harry Jones, James Roberts, Mark Williams.

Scotland:

Graeme Stewart, Stephen Carling, Michael Mellon, Sean Frame, John Cairns, Gavin Dobson, Ian McKeen, Gemme Lumsdaine, Chris Calderwood, Jack Waring. 

Wheelchair RL 4 Nations: England v Scotland

England dominate the Scots

England 104 Scotland 14

The 2014 Wheelchair Rugby League Four Nations event continued at Medway Park, Gillingham with England breezing past Scotland in their first match of the tournament.

The game started with England having to defending early on but a poor pass let England back in as Scotland nearly scored the first try of the match.

England manage to break the deadlock  on five minutes as the captain Martin Lane as he got a great pass from Mike Knight and he got in-between two Scottish defenders and made a great dive for the line to score the first try of the match.

Joe Coyd then added a second try after nine minutes as get got the ball from Martin Lane and he broke away from two Scottish defenders to score his first try of the match.

Martin Lane then turned from provider to scorer as he his second try of the match, as he got the ball and broke away from middle of the pitch and ran with the ball past two Scottish defenders to score a try.

Joe Coyd then capped of a great passing play from England as both Mike Knight and Martin Lane were involved as England continued their dominance this first half. Coyd got the ball from a great pass from Lane and held off two Scottish defenders before scoring his second try of the match. #

Mike Knight then got involved in the action as he capped off a good move from England as he got the ball from Joe Coyd and dived for the line as he scored his first try of the match and England's fifth try of the match so far.

Joe Coyd then completed his Hat trick as he capped off a great run and pass move for England as they broke past the thirty point barrier in this match.

James Simpson then got England got past the forty point barrier as he capped off a good move from as Joe Coyd gave the ball to Simpson who held off his defender and dived past the try line under the posts to score his first try of the match.

England captain Martin Lane then finished off the scoring of the first half as he got the ball on the half way line as easily past three Scottish defenders before scoring his hat trick try of the match.

Half Time: England 46 Scotland 0

Scotland started the second half with the ball as they tried to get on to the scoreboard but it was Robert McLeod who scored the first try of the second half after he got the ball and scored a try after getting the ball from a great passing interchange from Joe Coyd and Chris Simpson.

McLeod then quickly added a second try of the match as he got the ball from a great pass from Joe Coyd and he ran away with the ball and he out sprinted the Scottish defence to score under posts for another try for England.

Martin Lane then scored the try of the match as he got the ball in his own half and out muscled three Scottish defenders before running the ball towards goal and scoring his fourth try of the match.  

Scotland then managed to get on the scoreboard as they drove hard for the line and it was Ian 

McKeen who held two English defenders before crossing the try line to score Scotland's first try of the match.

Joe Coyd then got his fourth try of the match as England drove forward and Jodie Boyd-ward past the ball to Coyd who easily held off his defender to score another try for England.

Scotland then doubled their score as Sean Frame dove for the line and scored a try after beating off two English defenders to score his first try of the match.

Despite England scoring another try though Joe Coyd, Scotland was awarded a penalty try as Stephen Carling was pushed as he was diving for the line by Paul Maher.

But England continued their dominance as Mike Knight got the mall from the middle of the pitch and was unchallenged as he scored another try for England. The kick from Coyd put England past the eighty point barrier.

Two further tries from Mike Knight and another try Martin Lane from Ian Kenny as England got past the one hundred point barrier for this match.

Final score: England 104 Scotland 14

England are back in action this evening as they entertain Ireland whilst Scotland are back in action this afternoon as they play against Wales in their second game of the tournament.

Catch the post match interviews with both coaches here:

https://soundcloud.com/mrjohnseager/wheelchair-rl-4-nations-england-mark-and-martin

https://soundcloud.com/mrjohnseager/wheelchair-rl-4-nations-sco-jamie-seery

Line-ups:

England:

Ian Kenny, Joe Coyd, James Simpson, Mike Knight, Martin Lane, Jodie Boyd-Ward, Declan Roberts, Robert McLeod, Paul Mather, Adam Barnett.

Scotland:

Graeme Stewart, Stephen Carling, Michael Mellon, Sean Frame, John Cairns, Gavin Dobson, Ian McKeen, Gemme Lumsdaine, Chris Calderwood, Jack Waring, 

Wheelchair RL 4 Nations: Wales v Ireland

Four Nations off to a flyer

Wales 10 Ireland 58

The 2014 Wheelchair Rugby League Four Nations event kicked off at Medway Park, Gillingham with a resounding win for Ireland over Wales.

The game started with Wales with the ball and they almost got the first as Adam Button nearly broke through but he knocked the ball on just before crossing the try line.

Ireland then put their first possession to good use as George Hill broke though the Welsh defence and ran away to score the first try of the match on three minutes. The kick also from George Hill kick was good and Ireland had an early six point lead.

Ireland then added a second try as George Hill got  the ball form a good kick from Stu Walker and he our ran two of the Welsh defenders to score his second try of the match. He also added the extra two points to double Ireland's lead from six points to twelve.

George Hills then completed a 10 minute first half hat trick as Ireland drove again for the line and he got the ball form a good pass from Stu Walker and he held off James Roberts before touching the ball past the try line.

Wales did manage to get into the Irish half and they nearly scored as a combination of James Roberts and Mark Williams drove hard for the line but Williams knocked the ball on and Ireland got the ball back.

Wales finally got into the game as Adam Button capped off an excellent drive involving Mark Williams and got though two Irish defenders and zipped past Rachel Irwin to score a try.  Harry Jones got the extra two points with the Kick mean that they closed the gap to ten points.

Ireland added two more points as Wales conceded a penalty as they had the ball and failed to deliver it correctly; George Hill took an easy kick from in front the goal to increase the gap to twelve points.

Wales tried to get another try as the first half came to a close but they lost the ball on a turnover as they drove hard for the line.  

Half Time: Wales 6 Ireland 18

The Second half began with Wales having the ball as they looked to close the gap to Ireland.

But it was Ireland who scored the first try of the second half as a good pass from Stu Walker past the ball to George Hill who zipped past three static Welsh defenders and scored his fourth try of the match.

And George Hill then added a quick fifth try of the match as he got the ball in his own half and drove hard for the line; he easily zipped past yet more static Welsh defending to increase the gap to over twenty points.

Wales then started to make a small comeback as Ireland conceded a penalty and it was Harry Jones who took the kick form in front of the posts to score Wales's first points of the second half.

Wales then yet added two more points as Mark Williams was badly taken out by two Irish defenders, and it was Harry Jones who stepped up again to score an easy kick to bring Wales into double figures for this match.

Ireland added more misery on the Welsh as they added another try, as Rachel Irwin capped a good move by passing the ball to tony Martin and dove for the line to score another try for Ireland.  

Damian McCabe capped another move for Ireland as they drove forward; he zipped past Williams and dove for the line to score his first try of the match. George hill kicked the extra points to increase the gap to Wales to thirty points.

Ireland completed their dominance as they scored another try as Rachel Irwin dove the ball forward who then past the ball to George Hill and then to Tone Martin who held off his defender and got in the corner to score a well worked try.

George Hill then moved Ireland past the fifty point barrier as he got the ball from a good kick from McCabe and he zipped past the whole Welsh defence to score an easy try for Ireland.

And it was Hill who completed the scoring for Ireland as he was again too quick for the Welsh defence as he zipped past yet more static welsh defending to score his seventh try of the match.

Final Score: Wales 10 Ireland 58

Wales play this second game this Saturday afternoon as they are up against Scotland whilst Ireland are back action this Saturday evening as they play England in their second game of the tournament.

to catch the post match interviews on the came, click here:

https://soundcloud.com/mrjohnseager/wheelchair-4-nations-ire-malcolm-kielty

https://soundcloud.com/mrjohnseager/wheelchair-rl-4-nations-wales-alana-sargent

Line-ups:

Wales:

Phil Bousfield, Adam Button, Huw Chance, Andrew Rhys Higgins, Harry Jones, James Roberts, Mark Williams.

Ireland:

Josh McEvoy, Chris Sealek, George Hill, Tony Martin, Andy Atkinson, Rachel Irwin, Damian McCabe, Stu Walker.

Referee: Rhett Johnson and Matt Ball

In-goal Referee: Kieron Johnson and Richard Johnson