Rossendale Tackling Stems Wirral progress

Saturday’s match against Rossendale (Ross) at the Memorial Ground was the last league match of
the season as Wirral sought to finish with another home win to emphasise the highly creditable
position of finishing 4 th in the league.
With only one team being promoted Ross needed to achieve a win and trust that Penrith would
upset Macclesfield- however this was not achieved by Penrith winning and in some ways it does not
seem right that a team which only loses 2 games should not be promoted, we have to play Ross
again next season.
For Wirral, the forwards were as previously played against Penrith 14 days ago, in the backs MARK
“Eddie” EDWARDS had to withdraw from the squad due to a leg muscle injury and was replaced by
WILL MORRIS. The Wirral subs were DAN CARROL, CHRIS DERMODY and JIMMY ANNETTS (returning
after an operation on his hand).
Ross did not have their “internationals” playing today but had introduced some of their New Zealand
players into the squad (believe 4 have been recruited). Only 10 players in the Ross team were in the
squad for the opening league match of the season, whilst 9 of Wirral’s players played in that game-
quite a change in one season.
With Storm Kathleen generating a very strong wind down the pitch and blowing from right to left, it
was Ross who played with the advantage in the first half with Wirral playing towards the main road.
It was evident that most of the play would be in the top half of the pitch. The pitch was quite firm
given the rain we have had since the Penrith game and one has to take into account the drainage
work we had undertaken a few years ago and also the work undertaken by the ground staff.
The first 15 minutes saw Wirral absorb pressure from Ross and it was not until the 15 th minute that
the away side crossed for their first try when the forwards worked their way over the line and duly
converted by Lewis Allen, 0-7 (15 mins). Ross doubled their lead when New Zealander John Tula
broke through the Wirral defence 25m out and crossed some 5 m from the posts, the conversion
was made by Lewis Allen (0-14- 20 minutes).
On 30mins DAN CARROL came on for ADAM DON. Wirral were working hide to keep the Ross score
down to 2 tries scored before half time but in the minute before half time combined passing by Ross
enabled them to score in the corner, the try was not converted- 0-19- half time score.
At the start of the second half, JAMES ANNETTS came on for WILL MORRIS. In the first minute of the
second half, a run by RHYS JAMES led to pass to TOM AKEHURST who raced through to score close
to the posts, duly converted by MARK WILLIAMS, 7-19 (41 mins).
Pressure came from Wirral and after pressure close to the Ross line led to play being held up and
resulted in the Ross winger being sin-binned. From this play it resulted in TOM AKEHURST going
blind and scoring in the corner his second try. From the touch line and kicking into the wind, JAMES
ANNETTS kicked high against the wind and the ball crept over the crossbar to convert, 14-19 (47
mins). This try gave Wirral the impetus that they may be able to win this game with this amount of
pressure, matters being enhanced when JAMES ANNETTS put in a long kick downfield which
bounced and beat the covering defender to give Wirral the line out 20m out. However the chance
was not taken.
On 55 mins, CHRIS DERMODY came on for CHRIS SPEED. There was then a break by TOM COLE who
beat a couple of players by chinking inside before being caught by the defenders, perhaps a nudge
forward may have been more rewarding! On 62 mins, Ross scored their bonus point try when a

break in mid-field a pass to the winger enabled him to walk in and score under the posts, duly
converted, 14-26.
ADAM DON back on for DAN CARROL and on 67 mins WILL MORRIS came on for CHRIS CROWLEY,
with other changes in the backs. The Ross no4 came off the field with an injured ankle.
Wirral tried hard to break down the tight Ross defence although JOSH STEAD made a good break
where a kick through allowed the Wirral right winger to race ahead but the Ross cover was there to
save the day just a metre from the Ross line. Still Ross had the ability to move the ball downfield
more than Wirral had done in the first half and gradually the match petered out and the final whistle
went.
The good news was that the second team defeated Ross seconds, 55-10 and the third team drew
with Prenton seconds 22 all.
Next week we play the first match of the Papa John’s competition at home against Syston, kick off at
3.00pm. Come down in what should be a competitive match against a team who we have not played
before.
Richard McNeil