This Weekend’s Rugby

Good luck to the 2XV who are the only Senior team playing this weekend. The 1XV and 3XV have no game and Sunday’s Senior Colts Semi Final v Northwich has been conceded by the opposition who were unable to raise a team.

Saturday 23rd March

• 2XV v TRAFFORD MV 2XV
• KO 3pm 
• AWAY
• Venue: Finney Bank Road, Sale.
• Report: Beautiful sunshine. Perfect Spring weather. A disappointing defeat. A strong 2nd half and tries from Damola, Recce James and Will Parkinson were not enough to turn around a calamitous 1st half where Eccles conceded a yellow and 26 points in a 26 minute period.
• 01′ 0-5 Try Eccles. (Damola) With just 75 seconds played (fastest try of the season?) an intercepted pass on the halfway line kick gets Eccles off to a flying start with a score to the side of the posts, remarkably the conversion missed. 05’ 7-5 Converted Try for TMV. Eccles forwards are guilty of wasting several good opportunities in advanced positions. Confusion reigns in the line out. The home team respond with a simple break and points from their winger – 17’ 12-5. Eccles backs are embarrassed when they watch and allow an easy falling ball to bounce and suffer the consequences p 22’ 19-5. Yet more errors from Eccles at the restart, with missed tackles through the middle resulting in more easy home points – 24’ 26-5. Eccles bring on 3 replacements attempt to arrest the slide of a catastrophic 10 min lapse in focus and commitment. Eccles regain composure and shape and press for points, the forwards make good ground in attack but the ball is squandered and the consequence is an Eccles Yellow Card (R James, too many penalties). Everything appears to be going against Eccles, but they end the half camped out in TMV’s 22 and are halted by the whistle 10m from the line for another handling error. A frustrating 40 minutes. HT 26-5.
• Eccles begin the second half with a better attitude and make a good start with a quick try (Damola) – a result of pressure at at TMV 5m scrum leading to a defensive knock on, an Eccles scrum and a score under the sticks. Simple stuff 45’ 26-12. A long period of penalties (many around the scrum) now looses Eccles’ momentum. From a knock on a TMV scrum centre pitch their 9 slips through for a score by the posts – 60’ 33-12. With sustained pressure Eccles retain play in the home team half for the final 20 minutes. From an attacking line out, drive , switch, Eccles winger Will Parkinson looks to be over in the left corner, the Ref brings the play back, quick penalty, Reece James bravely goes in for the line and an Eccles Try 78’ 33-19. Straight from the restart Eccles keep possession and with good work from Cammy Higginbottom on the right the ball is switched left across the park, Pete Heseltine breaks the line and centre Matt Parkinson rides a tackle to finish for another try at full-time 80’ 33-26.
• Table: SaleSharksDiv3North
• 2XV Form: WDWWWWLLLWWWWWWLLWWLL
• RESULT:  33-26
• 4 Tries: Damola (2), Reece James, Matt Parkinson
• Conversions: Will Parkinson 2