Eccles RFC

A dry, cold afternoon was the setting for this 12th v 4th contest at Gorton Street. Eccles, on the back of three consecutive defeats, fielded a changed team in search of an elusive win, with Coop, Wilkinson, Read and Ackers-Johnson returning to the starting line up. Visitors Vale, with a continuity of line up and four consecutive wins arrived as the in-form favourites having defeated Eccles at Powder House Lane 28-24 in October. 

Vale, in red and white hoops, kicked off and wasted no time in taking control of the game winning a penalty in midfield with less than a minute played, which was kicked to the corner for a line out. Eccles, in green shirts, had no answer to the Vale driving maul and the hooker scored the opening points, his first of three such tries.  

2’ TRY VALE. (Powers) CONV (Hall) 7-0. 

Eccles responded immediately to this set back putting pressure on Vale at the restart who kicked deep in an attempt to move play back into the Eccles half. The high ball was caught cleanly by Fortune and passed swiftly inside to fullback Mercer who cut through the field on a terrific, evasive diagonal line using his speed and footwork to out pace the defence and emerge into space on the left flank, where the assembled Eccles supporting numbers were not required as Mercer powered through to the corner to score.  

5’ TRY ECCLES (Mercer) 5-7. 

Following the restart Vale retained possession, putting pressure on Eccles who continued to give away penalties in midfield, ultimately leading to another line out in the corner, another driving maul and a second score for the visitors.  

14’ TRY VALE (Powers) CONV (Hall) 5-14. 

The opponents pounded away at each other around the halfway line for the next 5 minutes with little progress for either team. Other than a promising backline break fashioned by Mercer and Fortune which concluded with Read tackled into touch, Eccles gained little ground inside Vale territory and another midfield penalty against Eccles inevitably resulted in another kick to the corner for a line out and a third driving maul score to increase the visitor's lead. 

21’ TRY VALE (Powers) 5-19. 

Eccles made a determined attempt to get into the game with committed tackling forcing knock-ons and a strong scrum releasing Ackers-Johnson who made good ground up the wing. However, a cross field kick into space on the opposite coast could not be gathered by the advancing Fortune and Read. The Vale #14 picked up the ball and counter attacked, speeding down the wing into the Eccles half where, despite the efforts of chasing defenders, he reached the corner untouched to score. 

30’ TRY VALE (Hall) 5-24. 

Events and decisions were not going Eccles way, but heads did not drop and for the next 10 minutes Eccles toiled, winning turnovers, forcing knocks ons and dominating the scrum, earning them the greater share of territory and possession. At 37 minutes, a cross field kick from stand off Speakman towards the Vale 22, looked to be perfectly judged but the high bounce of the ball evaded the leaping grasp of Ackers-Johnson on the wing. As the game approached the interval Vale kicked from midfield deep into Eccles territory but Mercer, who had been a positive voice at the back throughout, was untroubled by the high ball and stayed on his feet long enough for support to arrive. The half came to a close without further score. 

HT 5-24.

Eccles began the second half as they had ended the first half playing with energy and determination. Under the cosh for the first 30 minutes, the Eccles forwards were now growing in confidence and strength, driving the ball through phases up the middle of the pitch and driving the Vale pack backwards in the scrum. At 47 minutes Manzanares was replaced by Chiriseri, who went on to have a sparky, dynamic performance alongside Ayanlaja-Lowo and Spooner in the back row. With momentum behind Eccles, Speakman deftly slotted Read through a gap in the centre of the field to move the game quickly into the Vale 22. From a scrum 10 metres out, Eccles were awarded a penalty and Spooner didn't hesitate to tap and go, driving low to score to the side of the posts. 

 53’ TRY ECCLES (Spooner) CONV (Speakman) 12-24.

Eccles went up a gear in attack and Vale were now forced defend, at times desperately.  A promising charge at the goal line faltered when Ackers-Johnson lost his footing 10 metres from the goal line following a tap tackle and Vale regained the ball and booted it upfield, only for the next Eccles wave to return play back into their territory. The penalties began to swing in favour of Eccles and under sustained pressure Vale were rattled and screaming at each other in panic. The ferocity of Mercer, Ayanlaja-Lowo and Chiriseri ball carrying was getting Eccles across the gain line in midfeild and, with 60 minutes played, the home team were looking the more likely to score next. However, a well intended box kick from Jones gave possession back to Vale in space, who counter attacked and, with inter-passing between their centres and missed tackles from Eccles, the visitors scored to the delight of the travelling supporters. 

 63’ TRY VALE (Bolton) CONV (Hall) 12-31.

With 15 minutes remaining Eccles introduced replacements, Cunningham for Burdon, Holland for Read. Eccles continued to dominate the scrum and win a fair share of possession but failed to regenerate the earlier forward momentum and, as the energy dropped, the error count and penalty count against them began to rise again. Decisions were now in favour of Vale who finished the stronger team. As the clock ticked down Read and Burdon replaced Coop and Simpson. A final attacking opportunity for Eccles inside the Vale half was squandered with an inaccurate kick heading straight out of play giving possession back to the visitors. Vale moved the ball across the pitch and another penalty in midfield allowed the visitors to kick to the corner for a trademark line-out driving maul to give them a sixth try, which was converted for the final score of the afternoon. 

78’ TRY VALE (Dokter) CONV (Hall) 12-38.

FT 12-38.

With a run of defeats (14-23, 27-15, 27-13, 12-38) and eight games remaining, Eccles' opportunities to turn things around and improve their situation at the bottom of the table are diminishing. Next Saturday, Eccles travel to Douglas, IOM with the mission of bringing back a big W in Sam Long’s oversized case. 

Eccles team: 1 Sam Simpson # (C), 2 Jack Burdon #, 3 James Aitken, 4 Martin Coop #, 5 Joe Wilkinson, 6 Damola Ayanlaja-Lowo #, 7 Javi Manzanares, 8 Nick Spooner #, 9 Llew Jones, 10 Alex Speakman #, 11 Gavin Akers-Johnson, 12 Harry Candland # (VC), 13 Byron Read, 14 Chris Fortune, 15 Marcus Mercer. Replacements 16 James Cunningham #, 17 Wesley Chiriseri #, 18 Danny Holland #.