Sat 5 Oct 2019
Highlights
02’ 3-0 PENALTY Anselmians (Not Rolling Away)
16’ 8-0 TRY Anselmians
38’ 15-0 TRY Anselmians
HT 15-0
42' YELLOW Anselmians (late tackle)
48' INJURY (Head) Tom Egerton
48’ 22-0 TRY Anselmians
57’ 22-7 TRY Eccles (Spooner) Conv (Wright)
66' RED Anselmians (dangerous head strike, following scrum)
70’ 22-12 TRY Eccles (Ackers-Johnson)
78’ 29-0 TRY Anselmians
FT 29-0
Report
It’s a few years since Anselmians and Eccles last faced each other and the hosts were generous and welcoming with their pre-match hospitality in their temporary home whilst their new clubhouse is under construction.
Less generous out on the pitch were the Anselmians first XV who pounced on Eccles early hesitancy to establish their authority on the game in the first half and ultimately secure the victory, despite a late strong finish from Eccles who left themselves too much to do.
Eccles began the game briefly in possession. An careless knock after a few seconds gifted possession to the Home team who swiftly progressed straight into the Eccles 22 and gained a penalty in front of the sticks (for not rolling away) to put them ahead with only a few minutes played. Anselmians' speed at the breakdown and their fast and accurate half-back passing soon saw the ball spraying across their backline, pulling Eccles left and right as they probed for gaps. Eccles defence struggled to cope with these early assaults and lost the vital points they were never to recover from.
It took 20 minutes to launch the first Eccles attack of the game by which time Anselmians were already 8-0 up. Centre Gavin Ackers-Johnson, whose tackle count tally must have been one of the highest on the pitch, broke free in midfield through an interchange with Zak Brooker and speeds up the right flank setting 2nd row Cammy Higginbottom up for an audacious drop goal attempt from the right wing!
Minutes later Gav and Spooner combine to relase Damola who breaksup the left wing, but with a lack of support Eccles are turned over by the alert opoosition 12. Eccles continued to be careless in possession. With 5 minutes to halftime Gav caught a kick in midfield and rapidly escaped the cutches of two defenders, Eccles break through Wright, Brooker and Damola up the left wing but again a lack of support or urngeny at the tackle sees Eccles loose possession. This 10 minute period with two good opportunities is the best that Eccles achieved in a first half spent mostly defending. Quick passing with aggressive support running sees the home team score a second try - good rugby to watch - and 15-0 down at the break was a fair reflection of Eccles performance, who were now chasing the game. HT 15-0.
At the restart Eccles attmept to regain their shape and form to get themselves back into the game. Tony Haunschmidt replaced Lee Brennan in the back row. Eccles began lively with a couple of bursting runs from Will Parkinson. Anselmians had a man sent to the bin ( late tackle on Sam Long). Gav playing as centre (MOTM) continues to put in some great tackles and the momentum begins to shift to Eccles who look to play the game in Anselmians half but waste the opportunity of their man advantage. The line out is messy, kicks don't find touch, knock ons in contact. To add to the pain Hooker Tom Egerton’s head is split open by a boot in a tackle and as play continues at a resulting ruck, the Anslemians prop picks and goes, stepping through the bodies on the ground to slip through for an easy Try under the posts to put them 22-0 up.
Undeterred Eccles press for points and apply the pressure. At 57 minutes, a 5m scrum leads to a Try for Nick Spooner who breaks from the base to dive over the line. Things begin to click. Back Row Adam Christey is unlucky not to get his hand onto a rolling ball in the in goal area. Sustained Eccles attacking and a series of scrums keep Anselmians pinned into their own 22 for 10 minutes. At an Anselmians put in the Eccles pack get a good drive on, the ball is loose and in the resulting scrabble an Anselmian 2nd Row goes in dangerously with his head on Flanker Tony H; the referee dissmisses him with a red.
The game is fixed in the Anselmians half but Eccles find the compact defence difficult to break down. At 70 minutes we at last see some running rugby from Eccles. James Wright breaks in the 12 channel on the halfway line and releases Gav who breaks through two tackles and weaves around the fullback to finish in the left corner for the try. At 22-12 Eccles are back in it and are dominant in possession and territory for the final 10 minutes. An error at a line out looses Eccles possession in a good position and a clearing kick from Anselmians gets a fortunate touch from a Matt Parky finger on its way into touch. Anselmians race up take a (disputed) fast line out and run in another unopposed try at the other end under the sticks with 2 minutes to play. FT 29-12.
The final scoreline feels harsh on Eccles but Anselmians deserved the win and were well-organised and experienced. Their half-backs ran the game well in the first period and their 12 (MOTM) ran hard destructive lines. Eccles did succeed in getting themselves into the right areas in the second half but made too many errors, rushing as they pursued points, and leaving themselves too much to do after a bad start. Experienced players were missing from the team and this was a good experience in game management for the developing younger players.
Team
1 James Cunningham, 2 Tom Egerton, 3 Jack Robbins, 4 Nick Spooner, 5 Cammy Higginbottom, 6 Adam Christey, 7 Lee Brennand, 8 Jordan Bromley, 9 Sam Long 10 James Wright, 11 Will Parkinson, 12 Zak Brooker, 13 Gav Ackers Johnson, 14 Damola Ayanlaja-Lowo, 15 Harry Hutton. Replacements 16 Rich Owen, 17 Tony Haunschmidt, 18 Mat Parkinson
