Sat 21 Mar 2026
Eccles stormed into the fixture break with a 55-5 victory over New Brighton and continued their momentum with a convincing 26-50 win at Tarleton on Saturday, to keep themselves in contention in Counties 1.
Eccles kicked off on a beautiful, sunny, spring afternoon in West Lancashire and had a penalty against them in the opening seconds. A second penalty gave Tarleton the opportunity to keep play inside Eccles territory and a charge down of the ball 15 meters out resulted in a scrum, from where Tarleton mounted an attack, scoring and converting the first points out wide.
5’ 7-0 TRY TARLETON. CONV.
Eccles responded, with Spooner gaining good ground with a strong carry into Tarleton territory and quick work at the breakdown earned Eccles a penalty which was kicked to the corner for a line out. The resulting driving maul was halted but Fortune and Cox combined to break through the line and Ackers-Johnson was unlucky to be stopped from scoring in the corner. Play was switched across the pitch and more good work from the forwards, notably Manzanares, carried the attack to the opposite wing where Spooner was on hand to drive over and score; Parkinson equalling the score with an accurate strike from out wide.
10’ 7-7 TRY ECCLES (Spooner). CONV (Parkinson).
The balanced contest continued, with both sides searching for gaps in each other’s defensive lines and Eccles earning another penalty but the ground gained was lost when an inaccurate line out throw presented Tarleton with the opportunity to take play back into the Eccles half. However, the direction of play and the deadlock was soon addressed with possession ripped, Cox made a marauding break through the middle and the ball was transferred out wide to Ackers-Johnson who made great yards into the Tarleton 22 where a penalty was awarded for not releasing the winger in the tackle. Candland, returning to centre, kicked for a line out in the right corner. A fast ball off the top from Spooner saw play speed across the field with Fortune slipping through the line and whipping it out to the right winger, ghosting in on the left, to score from a slick move in the corner.
20’ 7-12 TRY ECCLES (Ackers-Johnson). CONV (Parkinson).
At the restart, Coop safely pouched the high ball but possession was briefly lost with a scrum awarded to Tarleton inside the Eccles half. The Eccles pack were enjoying their work and, driving the hosts backwards, regained the ball and Dodd was sent cannonballing through the broken field as an overture to a superb 50/22 kick to move play deep into Tarleton territory. A swift line out from Eccles produced a similar result with Fortune once again finding Ackers-Johnson, who cut through infield and swept in to score to the side of the uprights.
25’ 7-19 TRY ECCLES (Ackers-Johnson). CONV (Parkinson).
Eccles earned another penalty at the restart, kicking once again to the right for a line out where Spooner, again, despatched a fast ball off the top to set up slick passing between Long, Fortune and the backs which ultimately resulted in a scrum to Tarleton. The opportunity to create something from their possession was smothered by the Eccles pack who earned a penalty and kept the pressure on, with more accurate passing between Luke Cullen, Fortune and Parkinson in the middle, providing the platform to move the ball left where the Captain burst through to finish from close range.
32’ 7-26 TRY ECCLES (Cox). CONV (Parkinson).
Tarleton responded at the restart, taking advantage of some lethargic defending, with the ball kicked to the corner over Parkinson, requiring some ferocious tackling from White and Ackers-Johnson who attempted to rescue the situation before the hosts managed to wrestle through to score from close range, with the conversion being the last meaningful action of the first half.
39’ 14-26 TRY TARLETON. CONV.
HT 14-26
Despite the lapse just before the interval, Eccles' work rate, accuracy and good discipline with just three penalties against them, put them in control at the break. Cunningham and Manzanares, who had both made big contributions to a dominant performance up front, swapped with replacements Campbell at Prop and Cresswell at Blindside. However, the second half got off to a tetchy start, with Tarleton failing to kick 10m and play got underway with an Eccles scrum on the centre spot, which was then penalised for an infringement. The game had not moved far from the halfway line when the atmosphere became further fractious when Eccles suffered a heavy dump tackle with the referee stopping play for treatment. A few minutes later, with Eccles attacking into Tarleton territory, the opposition Tighthead tackled Cox off the ball, pinning him to the ground on his back and pushing his hand into his face. This sparked a reaction from the players who intervened and a scuffle broke out amongst the melee with blows traded. Order was resumed. Campbell was sent off for his part in the incident. Spectators exchanged opinions.
46’ RED CARD ECCLES (Campbell).
Reduced to 14 men and with their substitute strategy scuppered, Eccles did not change their approach as they continued to take the game to Tarleton at a higher tempo. Cunningham was delighted to re-enter the fray following his recuperation. Russell, White and Cox were enjoying driving holes through the defence and once inside the danger zone Fortune glided through the gap to score to the side of the sticks.
58’ 14-33 TRY ECCLES (Fortune). CONV (Parkinson).
Tarleton responded to this set back at the restart, earning a penalty in the midfield for not releasing, which was kicked for a line out and a missed tackle in the centre, resulted in a breakthrough for the hosts to reduce the deficit.
62’ 14-33 TRY TARLETON. CONV.
For the next 10 minutes the game remained in the middle until Burdon broke free to juggernaut the attack into the Tarleton 22, resulting in an Eccles penalty in front of the posts, with the points collected by Parkinson.
72’ 19-36 PENALTY ECCLES (Parkinson).
Eccles regained possession at the restart and determined work from White and Dodd released Candland who made a brilliant, blistering break right through the middle, taking play directly back into the Tarleton 22 where the ball was quickly recycled by Long out wide to the eager hands of Ackers-Johnson. The winger had plenty to do but powered through the tackles to score a fine try, his third of the afternoon, in the corner; converted.
73’ 19-43 TRY ECCLES (Ackers-Johnson). CONV (Parkinson).
The 1943 scoreline prompted Mr Raymond Cook to inform the Eccles supporters it was his birthday which was met with warm felicitations and an equally swift response from Tarleton who scored from the restart in the corner.
75’ 26-43 TRY TARLETON. CONV.
With five minutes on the clock the best was yet to come, with Russell the catalyst, using his strength and speed to attack up the left wing. The ball was moved inside and Fortune attempted to chip over the top of the advancing line, which Tarleton were alert to and earned a penalty for not releasing. Undeterred, Eccles regained possession, using pistons up the middle before stretching play out to the left with Cox, Spooner and Cullen making strong carries to take play within reach of the goal line. This patient build up quickly changed gear with Long’s bullet pass finding Dodd, exploding through the middle towards the posts. The ball fired out from the ruck and the world went into slow motion as prop Jack Burdon, who began his thundering charge so far back it was 2014, powered through like a freight train to score his first try for Eccles. The definitive big finish.
78’ 26-50 TRY ECCLES (Burdon). CONV (Parkinson).
FT 26-50
Despite the disadvantage of loosing a player early in the second half this was a ferocious, tenacious performance from the forwards, epitomised by the Captain who lead from the front, capped off with surgical finishing out wide. With the top three teams all claiming maximum points, results in the next three weeks will be decisive. Eccles, building good momentum into the business end of the season, will head into Saturday’s 3rd v 1st contest against Wilmslow with their sights set on adding another W to their run of consecutive wins.
Eccles team: Eccles team: Cunningham, Cox (C), Burdon, Spooner, Coop, Manzanares, White, L. Cullen. Long, Fortune (VC). Ackers-Johnson, Candland, Dodd, Russell, Parkinson. Replacements: Campbell, Cresswell, Reeveley.
