Sat 30 Nov 2024, 14:15
With infrequent fixtures between the clubs and only the most recent results to refer to (a 21-27 league defeat at Gorton Street in 2017 and a dramatic 32-31 cup defeat decided by a last play penalty at Valley Park in 2023) the Eccles faithful gathered with the expectations of another exciting close contest to brighten up a gloomy November afternoon and they were not disappointed.
Burnage arrived showing a recent dip in form having begun the season with 4 consecutive wins. Eccles, despite a catalogue of serious injuries have shown great resilience and determination to compete at level 6 and, though suffering a run of 6 consecutive defeats, have been unlucky in many of those games not to secure more than a loosing bonus point from their performance. Young men have stepped up to make first team debuts and experienced men have answered the call to pull on the hooped shirt once again, an esprit de corps suitably illustrated by an starting line up on Saturday featuring Sam Simpson at prop and Joe Mountcastle at lock.
Eccles began the game attacking with verve. Destructive line breaks from Eaton and Ayanlaja-Lowo up the middle, advanced by the elusive Fortune on the fringe, imeadiately put the visitors under pressure inside their 22. With just 2 minutes played fly-half Holland suffered a head injury 15 meters from the goal line and left the pitch, causing a reshuffle of the Eccles formation with replacement Mercer coming on at Fullback and Speakman moving to stand off. From the penalty, Eccles reinitiated their attack on the left flank and with fast hands across the field, Speakman offloaded to Ackers-Johnson who was ruthless in his finishing in the right corner; converted by Speakman from the touchline with a superbly struck sweeping kick.
03’ TRY ECCLES (Ackers-Johnson) CONV (Speakman) 7-0.
Playing with urgency from the restart, Eccles forced a knock on, and from the scrum looked to increase their score with Speakman threading an incisive grubber through the lines into the corner for Ackers-Johnson who was tackled a metre short of the goal line and the Burnage defence showed their sharpness for the ball at the breakdown, turning over possession, an aspect of play where the visitors continued to have the edge. The opening phases of the game were at a furious pace and having weathered the Eccles attack Burnage found composure through a midfield penalty. Through the industry of their forwards they patiently constructed an opening inside the Eccles 22, with the inside centre breaking through the line to score behind the posts.
08’ TRY BURNAGE, CONV. 7-7.
With the opponents trading early blows, the game tightened into compact, competitive contest for the next 10 minutes, neither team giving ground, each jabbing away in search of a weakness, with play straddling the halfway way line. The passing and tackling of both teams was accurate and sustained. Eccles were the first defence to falter when the Burnage fly-half bounced off a challenge and through a gap to score behind the posts.
19’ TRY BURNAGE, CONV. 7-14.
Eccles responded to this set back and an enthralling match developed, with Burnage thwarting promising attacks with rapid speed at the breakdown, regularly turning over possession and kicking the ball back into Eccles territory, from where the home team would run it back again. This pattern changed at 30 minutes when Eccles increased the speed of their support for the ball carrier and Speakman successfully found touch with a penalty to set up an attacking platform on the Burnage 22. Playing quickly, Eccles scrum-half Jones burst through the lines and earned a second penalty in front of the posts which was kicked to the corner. The opportunity to score from the line-out was squandered with an inaccurate throw resulting in a 5 metre Burnage scrum and the visitors cleared their lines. However, Eccles maintained the pressure, regained possession and moved the ball quickly through the hands of Fortune and Mercer to Ackers-Johnson who evaded the tackles to cross the goal line in the corner and then scooter in to dot down behind the sticks.
39’ TRY ECCLES (Ackers-Johnson) CONV (Speakman) 14-14.
HT 14-14
The first half was an enthralling game of rugby, physical but clean; a closely matched contest with very little between the teams. With the outcome in the balance, Eccles were the first to make their move from a scrum inside their own 22 with 5 minutes played. Eaton, who had been a driving force at Hooker was replaced with club captain Cox, returning to the field for the first time since his injury in August. Eccles moved the ball quickly from the base and broke upfield through Mercer who with a beautiful line, cut clean through the Burnage back line like a knife. With two options in close support he fixed the final defender and choose the inside pass to Jones, who sped in to score between the uprights.
46’ TRY ECCLES (Jones) CONV (Speakman) 21-14.
Burnage responded and succeeded in forcing an Eccles error at a breakdown outside the 22 and took the opportunity to kick for points to reduce the deficit.
54’ PENALTY BURNAGE 21-17.
Eccles responded immediately, again at speed through a marvellous Mercer break from deep weaving through the field, carried further into Burnage territory by Candland and offloaded to the supporting wing forward on his shoulder who burst into the 22 and powered through to score, to the delight of the home support.
56’ TRY ECCLES (Ayanlaja-Lowo) CONV (Speakman) 28-17.
With the pace increasing and the pressure rising the game became heated. Burnage were rattled. An altercation at a breakdown inside the Eccles half boiled over and the referee spoke to the captains, then sent the Eccles #3 and the Burnage #9 to the bench for a cool off.
59’ YELLOW ECCLES (Burdon) YELLOW BURNAGE (Chappell).
Eccles remained composed and the 14 v 14 contest appeared to suit them as they scored twice in quick succession. From a line-out inside the Burnage 22, the catch and drive was well executed and when the mauled stalled, scrum half Jones darted up the blindside to score in the corner; Speakman was unlucky to hit the post with his conversion kick from out wide.
64’ TRY ECCLES (Jones) 33-17.
From the restart Eccles fashioned another slick break from deep, with Ackers-Johnson carrying the ball infield from his wing and offloading to Fortune on the opposite wing who evaded a tackle and opening up the throttle he could not be caught and raced in to score behind behind the posts.
67’ TRY ECCLES (Fortune) CONV (Speakman) 40-17.
With the scoring in one direction and Eccles in control, the game entered the last 10 minutes. Play was stopped inside Eccles territory for an injury and the teams returned to a full complement, briefly. Play was resumed with a scrum. Eccles kept possession but were unable to break out of their half. Burnage regained the ball and mounted an attack inside the Eccles 22. Read reached out to intercept the pass, palming the ball upwards in an attempt to break upfield but failed to catch it and the match official awarded a penalty try and a yellow card, a somewhat controversial outcome sparking a noisy response from the crowd.
74’ PENALTY TRY BURNAGE. YELLOW ECCLES (Read) 40-24.
Whilst the spectators were still debating these events, the game continued and the action was repeated in the same corner with the same outcome! Eccles were suddenly and unexpectedly finishing the match with 13 men and a much reduced advantage in the scoreline.
76’ PENALTY TRY BURNAGE. YELLOW ECCLES (Ackers-Johnson ) 40-31.
Eccles responded, keeping play inside the Burnage half from the restart and earning a penalty in front of the uprights, which was calmly dispatched to restore the nerves.
78’ PENALTY ECCLES (Speakman ) 43-31.
With no further scoring, the entertaining game ended with a bonus point win for Eccles, lifting the team up the table from 11th to 9th. It was committed performance from every Eccles player, with Mercer’s handling and running particularly instrumental in the second half scoring and the back row making big contributions around the pitch with openside Salacha earning man of the match recognition. Next week Eccles will travel to Northwich with the probablity of another tight contest against a team that has also lost games narrowly and succeeded in beating Winnington Park and Crewe & Nantwich so far.
FT 43-31.
Eccles team : Sam Simpson, Ross Eaton, Jack Burdon, Ross Hulbert, Joe Mountcastle, Damola Ayanlaja-Lowo, Remi Salacha, Henry Booth; Llew Jones, Danny Holland; Gavin Akers-Johnson, Harry Candland, Byron Reed, Chris Fortune, Alex Speakman. Replacements Fin Cox, Matty Houghton, Marcus Mercer.
