Say a little prayer for you

I suppose it was inevitable that we would eventually win a game.

The odds may have been against us given our woeful luck and lack of a cutting edge, but nevertheless, we all knew it was a more than just a possibility.

That it should happen in the way it did, also came as no surprise - a fairytale end to a glittering career.

Maybe it was written in the stars or perhaps it was divine intervention. Who can tell? Certainly not me, that's for sure.

I'm not one for astrology, nor unfortunately have I a faith or belief, but it was undoubtedly divine and decidedly ironic that the final result should've been determined in the final moments by a man who was making his final appearance for the team he has graced for seven years.

Stand up Billy Whizz. We all salute you.

You brought pace, charisma, athleticism, strength and determination to the rugby field, all underpinned with a dignity, humility and grace. I doubt we will ever see your like again.

Although, if you know anyone who fits the bill and comes cheaply, send their CVs to Edgeley Park as soon as possible.

Now, before we all get too caught up in the world of self-congratulatory, rose-tinted reminiscence and touchy-feeliness, I feel I'm obliged to pour some cold water on the proceedings.

I think we should remember that this wasn't exactly a stellar performance by any means.

I know we won, and I know the victory was achieved because of a moment of brilliance but, it wouldn't have sent shudders of fear through any of the teams in the Premiership. It was certainly workmanlike but, it just wasn't inspiring to watch.

For the first 20 minutes we looked to have a real sense of purpose. Young Ben Foden, playing in his preferred position at scrum half, dictated the play and gave us quick, flat ball and a sense of urgency that has been desperately lacking for much of the season.

He combined well with Thomas at stand-off and stretched the Bath defence. We were able to put together numerous phases of play, pull the opposition across the park and actually keep hold of the ball which made a really pleasant change.

However, after the injury to Chris Mayor and the resultant personnel changes, we reverted to type.

Slow ball from both scrum and ruck, continual handling errors, a lack of numbers at the breakdown, forwards caught out of position and plenty of lateral movement with little cutting edge - the old, old story.

We only managed to get any momentum back when Foden returned to scrum half after the break and managed to get the backs moving.

Hopefully when our new backs coach arrives and we have a more settled side, we can look forward to more of this.

We won, but for once the luck was with us. Thank goodness Tony Spreadbury had a night off, or maybe we wouldn't have been so lucky.

Although the headlines will rightly be stolen by Jason Robinson and his match-winning try, four of our other players shone for me.

Chris Jones showed his England credentials with some blistering bursts in the loose.

Playing in his preferred second row position, he made numerous breaks over the gain-line. His speed and athleticism are second to none as is his ability to steal lineout ball, even against second row beasts like Borthwick and Grewcock.

Ben Foden also showed why he is so highly rated. He's not the finished article yet by any means, but with the correct coaching and an extended run at 9, hopefully alongside Sir Charles of Hodgson, he will only get better.

His pass has improved over the course of the year. It's much flatter now and quicker. He has an eye for the gap and a startling turn of pace.

He has all the credentials to potentially become a very fine player indeed. All that's needed is patience.

Selorm Kuadey made his league debut and demonstrated what anyone who's watched the Jets could've told you. This young lad has bags of potential and, but for injury, should probably have come into first team reckoning earlier.

He's got pace to burn, he reads a game well, is strong and courageous and is not afraid to put his head in where it hurts. His try was nothing more than just desserts for the work-rate and commitment he put in.

"Corcho" Lobbe was magnificent again, and for me, our best player on the night. He's shone all season and continued to impress in spite of weariness and over-use.

He's outstanding in both attack and defence and is always committed to the cause, covering every square foot of grass and sand.

His best quality for me though is his leadership, not just of the pack, but of the whole team. He continually advises and encourages those around him.

At one point he told Selorm precisely where to stand for a 22 drop out and the ball landed exactly at that spot, right in Kuadey's hands.

He's been our best player this season by a long way and has all the credentials to make a perfect captain.

And, though he's never one to grab or make the headlines, I think a special word is also due for Barry Stewart.

He's demonstrated over the years that he is a top professional who goes about his business in a quiet but effective manner. It was fitting that he should end his career with a win and with an ovation from the crowd.

Those who met him at the impromptu presentation in the car park by the Supporters Club will tell you what a kind, gentle and gracious man he is.

He will be missed by the Sharks, and hopefully our pointless loss will prove to be someone else's gain. If only I had the money, I'd pay his wages myself.

So, one more match to go, then it's time to build for the next campaign.

While Leicester, Wasps and Gloucester prepare for the future using their elasticated and seemingly endless salary cap allowance, we have decided to cut back.

We already have one of the smallest squads in the Premiership, but have so far lost the services of nine of our players.

We have only confirmed two new arrivals so far. As we appear to be running on a shoestring, it would appear we won't be able to sign the best Europe or the Super 14 can offer. We don't have the financial clout to compete.

I won't wring my hands with sorrow at this because I feel we have sufficient talent already within the squad. Certainly we need more bodies, but we have youngsters in the Jets who should, no, must be given an opportunity to shine.

We've already seen the impact that the likes of Foden, Kuadey, Cox, Jones and Tait have made. They will be stars given the opportunity.

The same applies to Matt Riley, David Blair, Mike Hills, Neil Briggs, Martin Halsall and many others, not to mention Andy Vilk.

You don't always have to sign a big name, even if this has an impact on immediate gate receipts, it's only a short term solution.

You have to build for the future. I seem to remember a similar furore surrounding the promotion to the first team of the likes of Charlie and Cuets.

The question was, were they up to it?

Well the answer, I think, was self-evident. Of course they were, and of course these lads are.

Wasps have been prepared to go with youth and play Rees, Palmer and Cipriani, and Gloucester have done the same with Allen, Bailey and Lamb. Why can't we?

Well, that's the $64,000 question. There has to be a willingness from the management of the team to go with this policy.

I've just got a gut feeling that there's a reluctance to go with this flow and give youth its head. I sincerely hope I'm wrong.