Sat 9 Nov 2019, 14:15
REPORT
A cold afternoon at Grove Park and an entertaining game with both sides playing their part in a competitve contest not truly reflected by the scoreline.
It was very close first half as the teams went toe to toe to trade strikes. Eccles put the first points on the board with a penalty in the first minute from the boot of Fortune (wrongly identified as Wright by the match announcer) but an error of judgment at the restart in midfield gifted possession to the hosts and easy points in the corner. (5-3) 10 mins of good pressure follow from Eccles who keep play inside the host's 22 and battle to overcome Manchester's attempts to slow the breakdown. A drive from Spooner to the posts is stopped short of the line, but acting 9 hooker Tom Egerton reacts quickly to flight a pass out to Fly-Half Wright who at 5 meters puts winger Gav A-J in for a try with 15 minutes played. (5-8) Manchester respond with a try 5 minutes later to retake the lead. Another 10 mins of great rugby from Eccles, terrific running and handling from Cammy Oates, the Skipper and Will Hammer in the centre, sets the flashing blade free again on the right wing to run in his second try on 30 minutes (12-15). Manchester respond once again just before the break to ratake the lead. A good first half of rugby to watch with plenty of attacking action at both ends. A bit of carelessness in posession but certainly a much improved sharper performance from Eccles and an evenly matched second half seems a likely prospect. (HT 19-15).
Machester start lively and pin Eccles inside thier 22 with series of penalties / scrums. Eccles defence is defiant, but a resulting line out stretches play across the field and a missed tackle leads to a score. (26-15). As before, a good response from Eccles leads to a penalty inside the Manchester 22, which is kicked to the corner, and the forwards catch and drive from the line out, with Hooker Egerton breaking and reaching out to claim the try. Converted by Fortune (26-22). With just 4 points in it Eccles continued to compete until 60 minutes, when Manchester, who posses power in their pack and speed in thier back line, step up thier attack. A quick pick and go from a breakdown leads to a score. (31-22) From here the hosts grow in determination to sieze their opportunity. Eccles, not for the first time this season, run out of steam and struggle to get hold of the ball. For the last 20 minutes it's one way traffic. The game slides away, with 3 tries in close succession. Donovan is sent to the bin for coming in at the side of the ruck. Manchester finish strongly and deserve the victory but the Match official's inconsistency and influence on the scoreline too signifciant to ignore. Eccles must find a way to overcome this if they are to progress at this level. (FT 52-22)
HIGHLIGHTS
1 | 0-3 PENALTY ECCLES (Chris Fortune)
2 | 5-3 TRY MCR
15 | 5-8 TRY ECCLES (Gavin Ackers-Johnson)
20 | 12-8 TRY MCR
30 | 12-15 TRY ECCLES (Gavin Ackers-Johnson) conv (Fortune)
35 | 19-15 TRY MCR
HT 19-15
45 | 26-15 TRY MCR
54 | 26-22 TRY ECCLES (Tom Egerton) Conv (Fortune)
60 | 31-22 TRY MCR
67 | 38-22 TRY MCR
73 | YELLOW (Simon Donovan)
74 | 45-22 TRY MCR
79 | 52-22 TRY MCR
FT 52-22
