However, despite the return of Poochie’s motivational speech (available for after dinner speaking and life coaching sessions), it was not to be. A lack of game plan adherence - and an even greater lack of possession - hamstrung their attempts at revenge.

In what was a relatively uneventful match (boring), Gosford came out of the blocks and scored an early try out wide to give Wheatley an uphill battle. Another penalty followed by a second gave Gosford an 11-0 lead before Wheatley had even got their heads in to the game. Eventually, Wheatley managed to shake the cobwebs and realised they had a game to be playing.

Some fine work lead to a penalty which was slotted by Duncan Dingle - in the unfamiliar position of starting rather than subbing on after 5 minutes – but that was to be all of Wheatley’s haul on this grey day.

Injuries to Sonny Bill Morrisons and James Pollard in the first half did not help but they were not the root cause of the homeside’s capitulation. A second try just after the break from Gosford after a poor penalty in the Gosford half effectively ended the match as both sides stepped up their defences and neither could breach the line to any great effect.

James Butler brought his kid up, which I think everyone is still amazed he was able to have. That was a highlight.

A strong scrum and a functioning line out – despite the occasional not straight call – were also match highlights. As was the defence which, against a strongly organised backline, would have leaked more than two tries in previous matches, indeed as it did in the Shield final back in April.

Wheatley need to go back to the gameplan and the skill level that epitomised their strong play in the last few weeks if they are to reverse their early season defeat to Abingdon in the Oxfordshire Shield semi-final on Sunday.

Coach Nathan Brooks had the following to say about the match “No”, which I think is a view echoed by many in the Wheatley set up.

After the game, a good crowd stayed to watch the rugby, and had a round of golf in the village, even if a fair few did not make it very far. Poochie declined to comment about his preparation for the game campaigning in the Rochester by-election for Tory defector, Mark Reckless.