Sat 1 Apr 2023, 15:00
HIGHLIGHTS
04' 0-5 | TRY ECCLES (Matt Parkinson)
06' 0-10 | TRY ECCLES (Matt Parkinson)
30' 0-17 | TRY ECCLES (Max Mulligan) Conv (JW)
39’ 0-22 | TRY ECCLES (Will Parkinson)
HT 0-22
41’ 0-29 | TRY ECCLES (Gavin Ackers Johnson) Conv (JW)
45’ 7-29 | Try Liverpool Collegiate
48’ 7-34 | TRY ECCLES (Matt Parkinson)
51’ 14-34 | Try Liverpool Collegiate
70’ 19-34 | Try Liverpool Collegiate
79’ 19-39 | TRY ECCLES (Matt Parkinson) Conv (JW)
FT 19-41
REPORT
Eccles made a bright start to thier final league fixture of the season at Liverpool Collegiate, winning the ball from the kick off and immeadiately set about probing the host's defence for gaps with crisp, quick passing across the pitch. In the opening minutes a fluid move towards the right flank was halted by determined tackling but great work by the Eccles forwards at each breakdown kept the play alive and when prop Dan Aspinall popped the ball up from the ground centre field, Fly Half James Wright took the opportunity to break left and the attack was finished by Matt Parkinson who steamed in to score with just 4 minutes played. 0-7 .
The 2nd XV Captain, drafted in alongside Luke Cullen and Chris Fortune to bolster the 1s squad, went on to enjoy an outstanding game on the wing, scoring 4 tries and illustrating the strength in depth of the Mens section this season.
Straight from the restart Eccles were back on the attack. A superb midfield break from Chris Fortune, playing the Chris Fortune game at blindside, weaved through the field with his bionic rebuilt knees before releasing Parkinson, this time on the right wing, who showed his own pace and evasion skills to score his second with just 6 minutes on the clock. 0-14.
Having got off to a flyer through fast accurate passing, Eccles found the next 20 minutes of play disrupted with possession regularly changing between the opponants through penalties for holding on at the breakdown. A promising attacking break came through Max Mulligan, playing at 4, driving up the right wing and offloading inside to return play back into the host's half. When Collegiate returned the ball to the Eccles 22 with a deep kick, fullback Will Parkinson gathered it and set off on an exciting run through the broken field, swerving through several attempted tackles. The momentum of this counter attack continued up the left wing which was ultimately stopped just 5m short of the goal line. Eccles were awarded the penalty Scrum but the hosts were able to survive through determined tackling on the goal line in the bottom corner on 24 minutes.
On 30 minutes, another successful Eccles scrum on the halfway line provided the opportunity for another fast break up the left wing. A rapid surge through the defensive line from Centre Harry Candland and an accurate offload to the supporting Max Mulligan resulted in the forward powering through to score behind the sticks; converted by James Wright to put the score at 0-17. There was sufficent time remaining for Eccles to claim a 4th try before the interval. An attack to the left corner was once again halted by a penalty but the ball was moved quickly across the pitch through swift passing from Long and Wright into the eager hands of Will Parkinson and the fullback burst through the gap on the rght wing to score in the final minute before the break. HT 0-22.
Eccles received the ball at the restart and picked up where they had left off with a score in the opening minute of play. Once the ball was in Gav's hands there was no doubt of the left winger's intensions as he cut straight through the midfield, riding tackles before accelerating away through to the posts to score; converted by JW. 0-29.
Liverpool responded to this set back, turning over possession at the breakdown with a penalty against Eccles for holding on. The ball was kicked to the bottom corner, and the resulting line out, catch and maul drive proved to be a successful tactic, with a try on 45’ 7-29.
Eccles responded straight from the restart, winning a line out on the edge of the 22 on the left, the ball was moved across the field to openside Ryley Thornton who broke the line in the centre and the move continued out to the right wing where Will and Matt Parkinson combined for a #homegrown try in the corner. 48' 7-34.
Similarly to the first half, following the opening scores, the game became disjointed with a sequence of penalites and time stoppages. The bitterly cold wind began to bite. Although Eccles maintained their dominace of the scrum, Liverpool Collegiate were to score twice more, by taking play to that bottom corner through a penalty kick and using their line out catch and maul to cross the line and reduce the deficit to 19-34. However, Eccles were to have the last say, with a distructive break from the back through BR up the left 12 chanel, setting up MP, who still had a lot to do, but skillfuly evaded the tackles to race infeild and record his 4th try of the afternoon, between the sticks, as the last play of the match to the cheers of the Eccles faithful on the touchline. FT 19-41
Next up is the Semi Final of the Lancashire Plate, at Tyldesley.
