Sat 22 Feb 2020, 14:15
LANCASHIRE PLATE SEMI FINAL (Postponed)
HIGHLIGHTS
08’ 0- 7 TRY ECCLES (James Wright) Conv
20’ 7-7 TRY ORRELL Conv
40’ 12-7 TRY ORRELL
HT 12-7
43’ 19-7 TRY ORRELL Conv
50’ 26-7 TRY ORRELL Conv
56’ 31-7 TRY ORRELL Conv
FT 31-7
REPORT
The game kicked off in miserable conditions. Despite the rain and wind Eccles began brightly and were first to score with 8 minutes played, when, a penalty and resulting forwards drive from the line-out, saw the captain plough through the defense on a great strike line to claim the try to the right of the posts; Converted 0-7.
For the next 10 minutes Orrell attempted to keep the game in Eccles territory. In the slippy, slutchy conditions kicking, knock ons and scrums were a feature of play for both teams. Following a searching kick from Orrell Will Parky made a crucial recovery of the loose ball in the in-goal area. Eccles agression at the scrum initally succeeded in driving Orrell back but a penalty handed possession back to the Orrell forwards who successfully trucked across the line to equal the score 7-7, with 20 mins played.
Eccles failed to respond to this set back and the game remained mostly in the middle of the sodden field for 10 mins with both teams persisting with the kicking tactic. One excellent nudge from Reece James is a highlight of this period, finding touch under pressue to move play out of the Eccles half. After 30 mins the rain subsided and following an exchange of possession in midfeild, a penalty gave Eccles an opportunity to break the deadlock with a 30m kick at the sticks, which was narrowly missed by RJ.
Orrell continued to pin Eccles inside thier own half. Parkinson and Hutton combined to deal with the threat of a deep punt towards the posts, with a well aimed exit kick to the halfway line knocked on by the Orrell winger to release the pressure. The scrum however is lost and as the game approached the break it was evident that although it was an even contest Eccles had not spent any meaningful time inside Orrell territory, or with the ball, since thier early opening try.
At 37 mins Scrum-Half Sam Long is injured in a tackle and leaves the feild with Tim Cullen replacing him. With the clock ticking 40+mins, Orrell kick a penalty to the right corner and from the 10m line out the forwards break though to score putting the hosts ahead with the last play of the half. HT 12-7.
Eccles began the second period with an attack but failed to secure posession. With just a few minutes played Orrell run it out from their own 22 and pass thier way right up the pitch to eventually score up the other end; Good try. Conv. 19-7. Orrell, were all fired up. The tie clearly mattered to them. Eccles in contrast appeared to offer little resisitance or attacking threat. Poor defensive tackling allowed the Orrell 2nd row to slip through to score between the posts on 50 mins (26-7) Damola entered the fray at Flanker but within 5 mins Eccles piled more misery on themselves with a scrumaging error inside the 22, leading to a penalty kick from Orrell to the corner, and another forward drive from a line out to the right corner for a try. 31-7.
For the remaining 25 minutes, Eccles succeed in playing the game in Orrell territory but despite the sustained pressure, toil and effort in the mud there was no further score. The result was effecitvely decided in the first 15 mins of the half. In the final minute, Gav broke free and chipped over the advancing Orrell defence but the fullback gathered the ball on the goal line, and held on as the ref blew for time. FT 31-7
The match official had a good performance and though the conditions caused choas at times and discipline was tested he had very little to say to either captain, unlilke the Orrell number 10 who rarely had his mouth closed. Eccles started and finished strong but the middle of the match belonged to Orrell who deservedly put themsleves in the final with 5 tries to Eccles' single score. A few names on the team sheet were not the only thing missing today.
TEAM
1. Ross Eaton, 2. Tom Edgy, 3. Jack Robbins, 4. Zak Brooker, 5. Cammy Higginbottom, 6. Matt Lambert, 7. Curtis Bates, 8. Kieron Reed, 9. Sam Long, 10. Harry Hutton, 11. Gavin Ackers-Johnson, 12 James Wright, 13. Reece James, 14. Dan Anderson, 15. Will Parkinson. Replacements 16. Mark Greenhalgh, 17. Damola Ayanlaja-Lowo, 18.Tim Cullen
