Eccles RFC

Sun 23 Feb 2020, 14:00

Eccles Senior U18 Colts

43 - 7

Rossendale Senior U18 Colts

Eccles Senior U18 Colts

Rossendale Senior U18 Colts

COLTS LEAGUE (Lancashire & Cheshire) SENIOR PLATE:

HIGHLIGHTS

15'  7-0 TRY ECCLES (Will Timmo) conv (Joe Malloy)

28'  12-0 TRY ECCLES (Tallis Keeler)

34'  17-0 TRY ECCLES (James Hooker) 

HT 17-0

38' 24-0 TRY ECCLES (Cam Smollet) conv (Josh Stafford)

58' 24-7 TRY Rossendale

60' 31-7 TRY ECCLES (Will Timmo) Conv 

65' 38-7 TRY ECCLES ( Will Timmo) Conv 

69' 45-7 TRY ECCLES ( Will Timmo) Conv

FT 45-7

REPORT

Eccles, for only the second time this season were able to commence a game with a full front row and with a pair of replacements and made full use of this rare advantage right from the whistle with a great start. Despite the wet February weather the pitch was in good condition, with only a small patch of surface water on the right wing, and the blustery wind encouraged a passing game. Posession was evenly shared in the opening exchanges but with Eccles applying all the early attacking pressure, and the lad's commimtent to tackling when the ball was lost ensured the visitors were unable to cross the halfway line, with play kept entirely inside the oppostion half for the first quarter.

Persistence paid off at 15 mins when Eccles constructed a good opportunity with centre Timmo finding space through the defensive line, to score to side of the sticks; converted by the captain. Eccles maintained their sustained attacking pressure and 12 minutes later, following a break from the scrum by Ryley, Winger Tallis breaks and scored in the right corner. The Wind played havoc with line out, but the Scrum is competitve and with Eccles just edging the contest in the set piece. The forwards continue thier terrifc work with a third try scored in the left corner by Second Row James Hooker, just reward for the collective effort of the tight five, as the last play of the first half. 

Fly half Alex Speakman retires from the game suffering a knee injury. Eccles began the second half fired up and in no mood to ease up with replacements entering the fray. With just just a few minutes played, maurauding Hooker Cammy Smollett broke free to run the ball in under the posts for Eccles 4th try. The celebrations are tainted however by the shoulder injury to tenacious, Flanker Olly White who is unable to continue and leaves the field to head to A&E. The resulting reorganisation puts Eccles temporarly out of rythm and Rossendale are able to claim a converted try under the posts, but a few words behind the posts helps to regain focus and momentumn swings back to Eccles in the final 10 minutes with 3 more tries for Timmo to cap off his destructive MOTM performance - his 2nd, on 60 mins coming from a breakdown on the right, recieving the ball under pressure, side stepping one defender and handing off another with great individual effort the centre broke through the line to accelerate away to score between the sticks; 5 minutes later, his 3rd try followed probably the best attacking move of the game, with an Eccles 10m scurm on the right and effective dummy line insde from Tallis the ball is shifted quickly across the pitch by Joe to find Timmo, who bulldozes over his oposite number to drive over to the left of the posts for his hat trick; his 4th try coming in the last minute of play, following a break from fullback Stafford up the left wing and good support at the ruck 25m out, quick ball from Tom Bates found the centre in space, who with plenty still to do, weaved through defenders inside the 22, offloaded to Dan Delaney who continued the charge and offloaded with a lovely return pass out the back door to Timmo, who sits the last defender down and runs the ball under the sticks, closely flanked by Mulligan, Smollet and Thornton whose work rate was tireless during the second period. 

The colts defend their silverwear and put themselves in the Quarter Final of the (Lancs & Cheshire) Senior Plate with a dominant performance against a determined Dale team. Well played lads - the best display of attacking rugby this season. 

Words Chris Gaffey, Photos Rob MacDonald.