Sat 15 Mar 2025
The last visit of Eccles to Widnes in February 2024 was 13-24 away win for Eccles. The clubs went on to finish 2 points apart at the top of Counties 1 and were both promoted to Level 6. A year on and only 5 players from that Eccles team last spring were named in Saturday’s squad at Widnes.
Following a fatal first round Cup encounter against Widnes in August, Eccles have struggled since the start of the season to find a winning formula with injuries and availabilities contributing to inconsistent line up and a 10-game loosing run stretching back to November. Early in the campaign plenty of narrow defeats gave hope but fixtures since Christmas (against top-five teams Waterloo, Sandbach, Vale, Burnage) has seen the loosing margins increase, leaving Eccles adrift at the bottom of the table. In comparision, Widnes came into the game on a 6-game loosing streak but with 6 wins recorded before Christmas securing them a mid-table position and Regional 2 rugby for next season.
In the last 10 fixtures Eccles have failed to keep a clean sheet in the opening minutes, regularly suffering a two or three try set back before responding. To give themselves any chance of a result at Heath Road Eccles needed to begin on the front foot. Widnes kicked off on a bright, dry afternoon and were soon back in possession. A chip ahead rebounded into the hands of the kicker and his pass out to the wing saw the #14 race clear to score after just three minutes of play.
03’ 7-0 TRY WIDNES (Finch) CONV (Leadbetter).
Eccles continued their shaky start, inviting trouble by playing out from deep with a slow ruck speed and were penalised for holding on in front of posts, giving Widnes the opportunity to extend their lead with a penalty from the sure footed #10.
07’ 10-0 PENALTY WIDNES (Leadbetter).
At the restart Eccles managed to get hold of the ball to play some expansive, free-flowing rugby. Widnes were forced to defend inside their 22 for sustained periods and were disciplined and organised. Eccles threatened and were awarded a scrum in front of the posts but after several attempts failed to penetrate the final 10 meters and Widnes turned over possession in front of their goal line, turning defence into attack, the #11 and #10 breaking up field, resulting in a try for the #15, somewhat against the run of play.
14’ 17-0 TRY WIDNES (A Jones) CONV (Leadbetter).
Eccles again responded, moving the ball at speed and playing good rugby in between the 22 lines, enjoying long periods of possession, but were unable to break through the Widnes defence in the red zone with Ayanlaja-Lowo and Walker both denied. From a scrum inside their 22 Widnes once again were able to break, this time through their forwards with a strong carry from the #7 and the move finished by the #8, scoring close to the posts.
29’ 24-0 TRY WIDNES (M Jones) CONV (Leadbetter).
Eccles fought back with a short restart kick knocked on by Widnes just outside the 22. From the scrum, the ball was whipped across the field by Murphy to centre Candland, who rode the tackles and with great determination charged through to score a fine try; converted by Wright.
31’ 24-7 TRY ECCLES (Candland) CONV (Wright).
Eccles continued to apply attacking pressure, with Mercer regularly the initiator speeding through the field in search of space. Quick passing put Read clean though the line in the 13 channel and as he entered the 22 offloaded to Ayanlaja-lowo who knocked on when tackled. Widnes were scrambling to defend but survived and managed to break out with the #14 making it to the halfway line to release the pressure. The Widnes #9 took the opportunity to kick ahead up the blind side which he chased to collect the ball and score.
37’ 31-7 TRY WIDNES (Hatton) CONV (Leadbetter).
Eccles regained the ball at the restart but despite all thier effort could not break through the imovable Widnes defence. A penalty for Eccles inside the 22 failed to find touch in the left corner but a second opportunity for a line out in the right corner was siezed, with Spooner catching and offloading off the top to set up some strong strike running from Eccles with Read stopped just short of the line and fast ball setting up Ayanlaja-Lowo to smash though at close range to score. Wright’s conversation hit the post and was the last play of the half.
39’ 31-12 TRY ECCLES (Ayanlaja-Lowo).
HT 31-12
Eccles kicked off the second half and, playing to Widnes strengths, adopted phases of forward carries in midfield, which achieved no territorial gain and ultimately lost possession. Widnes took control and with Eccles defencive frailty it was not long before the replacement prop crashed over to score in the corner.
44’ 36-12 TRY WIDNES (Riley).
Eccles persisted with a dozen phases of forwards pistons which got them nowhere and concluded with a knock on just over the halfway line. However, the resulting Widnes scrum was turned over by Eccles with Ayanlaja-Lowo playing at #8 taking play into the 22 with a strong carry. At the next scrum Eccles introduced replacement Balogun for Parkinson who made an immediate impact, cutting inside from the left wing and with aggressive strikes from Mercer and Russell, Candland sliced through the defence in the 13 channel to score his second try of the afternoon.
51’ 36-19 TRY ECCLES (Candland).
Balogun had to leave the field with a head cut from a high tackle and Eccles were unable to sustain their positive play. Read missed a tackle on the wing with the Widnes #18 going on to score in the corner and the #10 once again on target for the extras.
60’ 43-19 TRY WIDNES (Fitzsimon) CONV (Leadbetter).
Eccles responded at the restart breaking fast, with Read cutting through the line and offloading to supporting fullback Mercer, who capped off a dazzling performance to score Eccles fourth bonus point try.
63’ 43-22 TRY ECCLES (Mercer).
As at Burnage last week, Eccles persisted in their attempts to play fast running rugby from deep but lacked the accuracy to pull it off and lacked commitment in defence giving Widnes the opportunity to add a further 10 points to the score in the last 20 minutes with two more tries - the first coming from a chipped kick from the #10 caught by the blindside and the last from the replacement prop forward smashing through in the corner.
69’ 48-22 TRY WIDNES (Feeley).
75’ 53-22 TRY WIDNES (Hamlet).
The final minutes were a distillation of the match with Eccles causing problems for the hosts right until the very end but ultimately failing to break through the final 10 meters, knocking the ball on in critical positions and Widnes benefitting form effective kicking and good discipline in defence. Eccles ended the game attacking with Chiriseri stopped a metre short and Ayanlaja-Lowo then held up over the goal line. Following the drop out Widnes were awarded a scrum inside their 22 and from here kicked the ball out to end the game.
FT 53-22
Eccles have two remaining fixtures, Northwich (H), Bowdon (A).
Eccles team : 1 Rhys Connor, 2 Harvey Russell #, 3 Jack Burdon, 4 Martin Coop #, 5 Nick Spooner #, 6 Wesley Chiriseri #, 7 Reece Walker #, 8 Damola Ayanlaja-Lowo #, 9 James Wright #, 10 Harry Murphy, 11 Will Parkinson #, 12 Harry Candland #, 13 Byron Read, 14 Tom Bates #, 15 Marcus Mercer. Replacements 16 James Cuningham #, 17 Javi Manzanares, 18 Tim Balogun #.
