Sat 11 Apr 2026
Absences in recent weeks have severely compromised performances and Eccles’ ability to compete against a young, fast, cohesive Warrington outfit were certainly impeded when they lined up with an average age significantly older than their counterparts. Full credit must go to all those who answered the call, returning from retirement and stepping in from the 2XV to do their best for the club. The final score does not tell the whole story as this was the archetypal game of two halves.
Eccles kicked off and saw very little of the ball for the next 15 minutes as the hosts ran in four tries in quick succession. Warrington burst out of the traps, taking possession and shifting the ball quickly along the backs before chipping it ahead deep into Eccles territory where they were awarded a scrum inside the 22. From here a slick loop move across the field resulted in the opening score by the winger, in the corner; converted.
2’ 7-0 WARRINGTON TRY (Turner) CONV (Hudson).
Eccles briefly regained possession at the restart with Fortune cutting through to launch an attack resulting in a line out inside the Warrington 22. The Warrington #10 kicked the ball deep, back into the Eccles 22 where the ball bounced favourably for the speeding #12 who ran on to it and slipped past Holland to score, effortlessly, under the posts; Converted.
5’ 14-0 WARRINGTON TRY (A Kellet) CONV (Hudson).
Once again the restart was cleanly caught by Warrington who proceeded to run the ball directly through the middle of the field before moving play out to the wing, where some weak tackling allowed the Warrington #15 to break and carry deep into the Eccles half before offloading inside to his supporting #7 and the back row scored behind the posts; Converted.
8’ 21-0 WARRINGTON TRY (Craven) CONV (J Hudson).
Eccles desperately needed to get their hands on the ball and a variation in the restart offered some promise, with Fortune once again attempting to spark a response, breaking through the lines and kicking up field. However the Warrington Fullback collected the ball inside his own half and weaved through the Eccles defence, chipping over the top and running through to recollect the ball and score a fine solo try between the uprights; Converted.
11’ 28-0 WARRINGTON TRY (Uttley) CONV ( J Hudson).
Eccles needed to get off the ropes but their restart did them no favours and securing the ball Warrington were back on the attack. With a scrum awarded inside the Eccles 22 Simpson replaced Greenhalgh in the front row, but with good handling across the pitch, Warrington finished off the backs' move with their #15 scoring in the corner.
15’ 33-0 WARRINGTON TRY (Uttley).
Eccles were struggling to cope with Warrington’s speed through middle but made a better restart and for the next 10 minutes retained better possession of ball with a solid scrum steadying the ship. Penalties began to come in Eccles direction but these opportunities were squandered when kicks did not find touch and Warrington were ruthless in their punishment of this inaccuracy, running the ball hard back into Eccles territory. One such drive resulted in a penalty for Warringotn inside the 22 and fast ball out to the wing delivered a score in the corner.
26’ 38-0 WARRINGTON TRY (Caldwell).
Dodd limped from the field and was replaced by Hession at centre. Eccles were dominating the scrum but were rarely inside Warrington territory to put this distinct advantage to use. With half an hour played a scrum inside the Warrington 22 was driven backwards by Eccles but the Warrington #8 was able pick up from the base and bustle his way up field, from where the #13 took up the charge, running 60m through the open field. Ackers-Johnson and Russell were able to bring him down short of the goal line, but the supporting #9 was on the spot to pick up and complete the score; Converted.
33’ 45-0 WARRINGTON TRY (O Hudson).
Following the restart, Eccles won a penalty but this too failed to find touch and the glimmer of an attacking response before the interval faded. Back inside their own 22 Eccles won their line out and elected to run the ball, but fast line speed from Warrington and a poor pass to Holland presented a loose ball 5m out and the #17 picked up and dotted down for easy points in the last play of the half; converted.
40’ 52-0 WARRINGTON TRY (Cherret).
HT 52-0
Reinvigorated by the break, and with sunshine replaced by rain, Eccles took the game to Warrington in the second half. Receiving the ball at the restart and retaining possession, Eccles kept play inside Warrington territory for 10 minutes, building sustained attacking pressure on their defence for the first time in the match.
A driving maul from a line out in the 22 secured by Lewis Evans, was pushed into touch. Undeterred, Eccles shunted Warrington backwards in the next scrum inside the 22 and the resulting penalty was kicked to the corner, where second driving maul for Eccles looked to have provided Cox with the opportunity to score but the captain was denied. A third penalty and line out eventually lead to the breakthrough with the ball moved swiftly from the catch and drive by Cullen to the centre where Ackers-Johnson was wrapped up, before firing it back out to the waiting forwards where Sam Simpson used footwork and power to spin his way through the tackles to score; the conversion sailed wide.
50’ 52-5 ECCLES TRY (Simpson).
With Eccles now attacking, Follin, Burdon and Vidal contributing strong carries, and the rain getting heavier, the penalty count against Warrington increased as the game became scrappy and attritional. However, Eccles’ ability to take full advantage of their pack was nullified when the game went to uncontested scrums at 57 minutes with Warrington loosing a prop but playing on with 15 men. Dodd returned to the field to replace Simpson at this point but was only able to last 10 minutes before the injury he had sustained earlier forced him to retire and in turn he was replaced by Greenhalgh for the last 10 minutes, during which Warrington were able to regain a foothold in the game with a midfield penalty kick taking play into the Eccles 22. The sun miracously returned and the scoreboard began to tick over in favour of host once again with a try scored by the second row #5, followed straight after the restart with a move that cut straight through the middle, where there was an absence of pace for Eccles, leading to a converted try from the back row #6.
70’ 57-5 WARRINGTON TRY (Evans).
72’ 64-5 WARRINGTON TRY (A Kellet) CONV (J Hudson).
Eccles responded at the restart, earning a scrum on the Warrington 5m line. Successive drives resulted in a line out in the corner, the ball was caught cleanly and from the driving maul, scrum half Tim Cullen was able to slip up the blindside to score in the corner.
75’ 64-10 ECCLES TRY (Cullen).
Warrington ended the game attacking inside the 22 but Eccles put up a determined defence, and with possession won and Longford lofted the ball out into the stratosphere to end the game.
FT 64-10
The win keeps Warrington in contention for the title, whislt a diminished Eccles slip to fifth but with the prospect of an improved position form the two remaining fixtures; Trafford MV at Home on 17th April, Aldwinians Away 25th April.
Eccles team: Follin, Burdon, Greenhalgh, Spooner, Vidal, Evans, Cox (C), Longford. Cullen, Fortune (VC). Ackers-Johnson, White, Dodd, Russell, Holland. Replacements: Simpson, Jones, Hession,
