Sat 7 Sep 2019
Match Report
Eccles 1XV made an assertive start to their 2019/20 season with an assured away win at sunny Southport today.
Eccles flew out of the traps, with a Try from Chris Fortune between the sticks in the first minute of play, following a break from right winger Gav Ackers-Johsnon and fullback Cammy Oates. The next 10 minutes Eccles were totally dominant with the game fixed inside the home team half, but did not take advantage of several opportunities to extend their lead, and with quarter of an hour played Southport scored with their first attack to reduce the deficit to 5-7. This was a useful wake up call for Eccles who react straight from the restart, with a purple passage of play. With a marauding drive from Spooner towards the posts, a fast flat ball out to centre Tommo powering through on great X line, crashing through for a Try 5-17 on 19 minutes. Within 2 minutes of the restart, following a drive from Damola on the left, the ball moves quickly across the pitch, nice hands from the skipper, and Gav weaves through the tackles and finishes on the right flank for his first try of the afternoon 5-21, 21 minutes."Don't get excited!" shouts excited scrum-half Sam Long. Eccles are now motoring. Gav AJ once again, tears it up down the right wing, slipping through the desperate tackles, runs it under the posts to gift Fortune yet another easy kick. 5-28 Eccles switch off, and sloppiness at the Line out gifts Port a scrum, from which they score a try; their kick hits the post. Following the pattern of play for the first half, Eccles return the ball to the other end and with forward's graft leads to a crafty Tom Egerton try in the left corner to take us into the break. 10-33 HT.
The second half began with a sustained period of Southport pressure, encouraged by a sequence of penalties and assisted by a denied interception from Damola. Having camped out on the Eccles 10m for 10 minutes, despite resolute determined defending, the home team eventually came away with points. 15-33 The game was now able to return to is normal pattern and Eccles promptly wnet up the other end from the restart and scored - Gav Ackers Johnson with his HatTrick try 15-40. 61 minutes, Spooner (or perhaps it was Dec O'Regan, difficult to spot the difference from distance) with 40 hard yards of effort secured the next Eccles try. Southport, to their credit continued to battle for points and pride. Attacking the Eccles line at 68 minutes, Gav Ackers-Johnson intercepted a pass and pulled away from his pursuers to speed 75 yds to score his fourth try of the afternoon under the posts. With 8 or so minutes to play Back Row replacement Curtis Bates is given a yellow card for offside as Eccles attempt to defend the goal line in front of the clubhouse and subsequently Southport score. The numerical advantage is no advantage to the home team at this stage and there is still time for Eccles score a final try, with added drama and entertainment from the deft juggling hands of Tommo. FT 27-61 or 29-64 depending on who you speak to).
A very enjoyable day in the sunshine. Our thanks go to Southport who played the game in a good spirit and were the most gracious hosts. We look forward to entertaining them at Gorton Street in the last day of the season, by which time we'll have a more faithful picture of where Eccles stand in N2W.
Played one, Won one, Eccles 1s number one at the top of the division.
Highlights
01’ 0-7 TRY Eccles (Fortune) Conv (Fortune)
14’ 5-7 TRY Southport
19’ 5-14 TRY Eccles (Thompson); Conv (Fortune)
21’ 5-21 TRY Eccles (Ackers-Johnson); Conv (Fortune)
25’ 5-28 TRY Eccles (Ackers-Johnson); Conv (Fortune)
31’ 10-28 TRY Southport
38’ 10-33 TRY Eccles (Egerton)
HT 10-33
50’ 15-33 TRY Southport
54’ 15-40 TRY Eccles (Ackers-Johnson); Conv (Fortune)
61’ 22-47 TRY Southport
62’ 22-47 TRY (Spooner); Conv (Fortune)
68’ 22-54 TRY Eccles (Ackers-Johnson); Conv (Fortune)
72’ YELLOW Eccles (C Bates)
72’ 27-54 TRY Southport
77’ 27-61 TRY Eccles (Thompson); Conv (Fortune)
FT 27-61
(the Referee records result as 29-64, but this reporter is not sure how)
1XV Team
1 James Cunningham, 2 Tom Egerton, 3 Mark Greenhalgh, 4 Micheal Holland, 5 Simon Donovan, 6 Nick Spooner, 7 Lee Brennand, 8 Adam Christey, 9 Sam Long, 10 James Wright, 11 Gavin Akers-Johnson, 12 Martin Thompson, 13 Chris Fortune, 14 Damola Ayanlaja-Lowo, 15 Cameron Oates. Replacements 16 Cameron Higginbottom, 17 Curtis Bates, 18 Will Parkinson
DOUBLE BUBBLE
A very postiive start to the mens season was consolidated at Gorton Street today, where Eccles 2XV beat Leyland Warriors 1XVs in their first game of the DIV 2 NORTH campaign. FT 50-36 (HT 33-10)
Last season, the 2XV made a great start with 5 wins and a draw before suffering their first loss, a heavy defeat in October away at Leyland 59-7; turning that result around with a big 43-12 Home win against Leyland in February. Today's 2XV try scorers included Oakey 3 , Greaves 2, Pickford, Cullen, Dutta. The Eccles NewsRoom reporter states that Eccles 2XV were 50-10 up "but it all went shit when Glen came on"!
2XV Team
1 Andrew Laidlaw, 2 Simon Rogers, 3 Josh Dowling , 4 Declan O'Regon, 5 Anthony Dutta, 6 Stuart Greaves , 7 Glen Cahill , 8 Keiron Reed, 9 Mathew Walker, 10 Darragh Madeley, 11 Freddie oakey, 12 Reece James ( C ) ,13 Reece Walker , 14 Josh Houghton, 15 Tim Cullen. Replacements 16 David Smith, 17 Peter Lillie , 18 Steve Robinson
