Sat 31 Aug 2024, 15:00
Eccles suffer injuries and defeat in the Lancashire County Cup.
With Gorton Street bathed in sunshine, Eccles made a tentative start to the 2024/25 season in the opening round of the Lancashire County 'John Burgess’ Cup. Eccles were frequent competitors in the Lancashire Cup in the 1970s and early 1980s but have never won the magnificent old trophy and last made an appearance in the prestigious competition in 1984 when they faced a Waterloo team featuring 2 internationals and 9 county players.
Visitors Widnes, twice-winners of the Lancashire cup and celebrating their centenary this year, began the contest enjoying the greater share of possession and keeping Eccles inside their own half for the opening minutes. Play was frantic as both teams wrestled for control. Eccles were careless with the ball and contributed to their problems with penalties which proved costly when Widnes kicked to the corner for a 15m Line Out. The ball was thrown to the back and dropped off the top into the hands of the number 8, who strolled through the yawning gap between the Eccles forwards to score from a well executed move. 12' | 0-5 | WIDNES TRY (O’Neill)
For the next 10 minutes Eccles strained to find the attacking cohesion necessary to break through a tight Widnes defence. Loosing outside centre Wilkinson to a Yellow card on 20' and then loosing Hooker Cox (C) to a dislocated shoulder on 23' further compounded their struggle. 14-man Eccles were galvanised into action and some effective work from Fly-Half Simpson put the hosts in the ascendency. Winger Ackers-Johnson threatened to break free on the right but was shackled by some good tackling. Accuracy in the line out and industry from the pack kept possession with Eccles inside the Widnes 22 and several several good attacking opportunities were fashioned by the half-backs, taking them close to an equalising score, but ultimately wasted with handling errors and decision making preventing progress. Eccles were still searching for a break through in opposition territory when Wilkinson returned to the field. The Widnes defence soaked up the sustained pressure and enjoyed some good fortune when an attempted clearing kick from inside the in goal area hit their post and the ricocheting ball was not pounced upon by Eccles. With 30 minutes played Widnes broke up field to move the game into the Eccles half.
With the game held in the balance at the halfway line, events suddenly took a turn for the worst on 35’ when Fly-Half Simpson (VC) sustained an impact to his knee as he swerved to change direction. Simpson collapsed to the floor and was carried from the field with a suspected MCL tear. Harrison Murphy entered the game as replacement and inside centre Fortune took on the stand-off role with full hearted commitment to put Eccles on the front foot, but Widnes remained resolute and there was no change in the score at the interval.
HT 0-5.
Eccles began the second half attacking but independent decisions continued to be costly. Widnes successfully held up an isolated ball carrier in their territory, earned a penalty and launched a counter attack up the right flank, catching Eccles unprepared and shifting the ball across the pitch they used their overload on the left to score. 42' | 0-10 | WIDNES TRY (Gilhooley)
For the next 30 minutes Eccles worked hard to create attacking opportunities and spent long periods inside the Widnes 22, with driving mauls often moving them to within a few meters of the goal line but individual sloppiness prevented a score and the determined Widnes defence remained unbreached. During an Eccles attack on the right flank, Jacob Thomas, making a promising debut at scrum-half injured his collarbone a meter just a meter from the line and left the pitch with a torn AC joint (shoulder separation) on 55’. Eccles were forced to reorganise again with forward Mulligan coming on and the ever-adaptable Fortune interchanging with Murphy to play at both 9 and 10. Despite all the disruption the new half-back partnership were effective in keeping the pace and pressure on the Widnes unit and a break through of the visitor's lines looked to be imminent when homegrown prop Chris Thomas burst through 20 meters from the line but the ball was stripped from him in the tackle and the pacy Widnes winger Kraus pounced to counter attack and break up field. Eccles attempted to recover with some desperate back line tackling but ran out of defensive cover and Widnes scored their third try to the side of the posts; converted. 67' | 0-17 | WIDNES TRY (Feeley)
Eccles, playing with belief and determination, continued to press Widnes with smart offloading between Fortune and Ackers-Johnson. A penetrating drive by Campbell carried the ball to 12 meters out and Murphy, with quick thinking, sold the dummy slipped through the line and took play up to the goal line to offload with one hand to his supporting centre Wilkinson who crashed over for the try; converted by Fortune kicking into the wind. 70' | 7-17 | ECCLES TRY (Wilkinson)
With 10 minutes remaining overcoming a ten-point deficit felt achievable for the Eccles faithful, but errors in handling squandered good attacking opportunities, allowing Widnes to steal the ball inside their 22 and break once again upfield into Eccles territory. Eccles regained possession but a catastrophe of passing between the Eccles‘ backs inside their 22 presented Widnes with a loose bouncing gift in front of the posts, which they happily accepted, scored and converted. 73' | 7-24 | WIDNES TRY (Feeley)
Widnes took their opportunities, were solid in defence and claimed a well deserved win to put themselves through to the semi final. Eccles, with four players stepping up to make first team debuts, created promising opportunities but were careless in possession and failed to capitalise on their chances. Loosing Club Captain Fin Cox, Vice Captain Leon Simpson and scrum half Jacob Thomas to injuries that will keep them on the sidelines for the forseeable future is a heavy blow that Eccles must overcome as they prepare to start the Level 6 league campaign against Bowdon next Saturday. Everyone at the club wishes the players a full and speedy recovery.
FT 7-24
Eccles Team: C. Thomas, Cox (C), Burden, Spooner, Coop, White, Thornton, Booth; J Thomas, Simpson (VC); Talbot-Dutton, Fortune, Wilkinson, Ackers-Johnson, Parkinson.
Replacements: Campbell, Mulligan, Safi, Lord, Murphy.
Photos by Phil Saunders Hall.
