BackSat 08 Feb 2020 · Conference C
2nd XV2nd XV
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TESTING ENCOUNTER FOR NEW BLOODS.
Reg Robinson10 Feb 2020 - 08:19
The opening game in Conference C gave an indication of what lies ahead.
The Seconds faced Wirral 2 for the third time this season and this time around they were by far the strongest unit they had come up against from the previous encounters. In contrast the Seconds were struggling to put out an experienced squad with only four who would be regarded as regular second teamers on the team sheet.
To add to their problems during the morning they had seventeen players available but first Ollie Cowey dropped out with a back injury and then Taylor Mills was injured in the pre match warm up leaving the Vale with only fifteen players at kick off time. After thirty five minutes prop Alex Cowey was forced to leave the field, the only consolation for the fourteen players that were left was that the scrums went uncontested; this situation suited the Vale because Wirral’s forwards had inflicted much pain and misery at the set pieces.
However, despite all the difficulties, tactics and discipline had improved tremendously from the previous week at Rossendale, it was really tough going against Wirral but all concerned did their upmost to prevent Wirral having it all their own way; heads remained high till the final blast on referee Gary Wilkinson’s whistle.
The opening twenty minutes were evenly contested, although Wirral’s power base was beginning to make an impact and at the end of the first quarter the Vale were heaved over their line for the first of four converted tries. Six minutes later a rare piece of untidy play from the Seconds resulted in a sluggish kick being punished in the form of another try.
The power of Wirral’s pack proved the perfect platform for the number nine to jig his way over in the thirty fourth minute just ahead of Alex Cowey’s departure. Life became slightly easier for the Seconds as an extended first half drew to a close and they adjusted to the loss of a player.
Wirral’s last score, in the sixty second minute, followed a powerful run from a winger who cut back inside to wrong foot the defenders. Ike Eastwood kicked a penalty goal for the Seconds in the seventy sixth minute, small reward for a battling team performance in which Andy Waite, Lee Starkey, Noah Tully and Michael Cameron all made valuable contributions.
Thanks to Reg Robinson for his notes and Tony North for his all action photographs.
Report from Stuart Vernon.
To add to their problems during the morning they had seventeen players available but first Ollie Cowey dropped out with a back injury and then Taylor Mills was injured in the pre match warm up leaving the Vale with only fifteen players at kick off time. After thirty five minutes prop Alex Cowey was forced to leave the field, the only consolation for the fourteen players that were left was that the scrums went uncontested; this situation suited the Vale because Wirral’s forwards had inflicted much pain and misery at the set pieces.
However, despite all the difficulties, tactics and discipline had improved tremendously from the previous week at Rossendale, it was really tough going against Wirral but all concerned did their upmost to prevent Wirral having it all their own way; heads remained high till the final blast on referee Gary Wilkinson’s whistle.
The opening twenty minutes were evenly contested, although Wirral’s power base was beginning to make an impact and at the end of the first quarter the Vale were heaved over their line for the first of four converted tries. Six minutes later a rare piece of untidy play from the Seconds resulted in a sluggish kick being punished in the form of another try.
The power of Wirral’s pack proved the perfect platform for the number nine to jig his way over in the thirty fourth minute just ahead of Alex Cowey’s departure. Life became slightly easier for the Seconds as an extended first half drew to a close and they adjusted to the loss of a player.
Wirral’s last score, in the sixty second minute, followed a powerful run from a winger who cut back inside to wrong foot the defenders. Ike Eastwood kicked a penalty goal for the Seconds in the seventy sixth minute, small reward for a battling team performance in which Andy Waite, Lee Starkey, Noah Tully and Michael Cameron all made valuable contributions.
Thanks to Reg Robinson for his notes and Tony North for his all action photographs.
Report from Stuart Vernon.
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