Annetts Touchline Conversion Seals Win

This game was important for both sides as they chased the play-off place with Hull recognising in their programme that they had to win this match to keep their interest in possible promotion alive.
For the long away fixture with a 9.00am start, Wirral had to make two changes to the squad with JOSH STEAD coming in for JOE MURRAY (work commitments) and CHRIS HUGHES on the subs bench in place of JACK YARKER (involved in a car accident).
The pitch was in excellent condition (they have only lost one match to the weather in 7 seasons) however there was a cold wind, with Wirral playing against it during the first half. Once play started it was apparent that the wind was stronger than first thought and early play saw Wirral contained in their own 20m area. After 7 minutes, CHRIS SPEED left the field winded and was replaced by CHRIS BURROWS.
A penalty to Hull gave them a 5m line out and great pressure was exerted on the Wirral line which eventually resulted in the influential Hull No 8 Thomas Price diving over from a metre out, the conversion was missed. 5-0 (9 mins). Gradually Wirral came into the game as they looked to make progress downfield through the backs but on a number of occasions control was lost by dropped passes/turnover ball and Hull were quick to turn defence into attack.
Wirral were in the Hull 20m area, the ball loose, Ali Baker went to pick up with a score on the cards only to be tackled without the ball- no action taken! However from this position and a catch and drive, Wirral trundled the ball forward and a slip pass from CHRIS BURROWS to KEITH MAHON saw the latter touch down. Keith has asked me to record that he now has more tries than yellow cards this season. From the touchline the try was brilliantly converted by JAMES ANNETTS kicking into the strong crosswind. 5-7 (28 minutes). JAMES REEVE came on for PAUL LEWIS.
With Wirral looking to go into half time with a lead they continued to defend stoutly. Hull had a scrum some 10m out and it collapsed on the first occasion only for the referee to award Hull a penalty try which was converted by Josh Bragman. 12-7 (36 mins). In the lead up to that try there had been a knock on from the Hull scrum half and punching from the Hull second row, none of which was seem by the referee. On the stroke of half time he awarded Hull a penalty 18m out in front of the posts and sin binned CRAIG HARVEY (for what!)- the kick was astonishly missed by Bragman and how costly was this miss to be to Hull’s season. 12-7 at half time.
Playing with the wind in the second half, Wirral were camped in the Hull 30m for long periods but were having difficulty in breaking down a strong resolute Hull defence and Wirral’s ball control was letting them down at vital stages of any attacks. An occasional foray was made by Hull into the Wirral half but was being driven back by astute kicking by CRAIG HARVEY and JAMES ANNETTS. On 50mins the Hull blindside flanker now playing on the wing was sin binned for deliberate off side. At this stage, CHRIS HUGHES and CHRIS SPEED came on for STEVE PENDERGAST and Chris Burrows respectively.
CRAIG set up his brother with a short pass but still there was no way through the Hull defence, as a result of this attack, DAN HARVEY was injured and had to leave the field. CHRIS SPEED moved into the centre and CHRIS BURROWS returned to the back row. Wirral were being awarded a number of penalties (the second half count was something like 11-2 in their favour) with many in kickable positions but these were declined as Wirral sought that elusive try. On 67 minutes with pressure mounting on the Hull line and repeated thrusts at the line, CHRIS BURROWS crashed over for a clear try only for the try to be disallowed as by the time the referee looked at the position a Hull player had put his hand under the ball. On 71 minutes whilst still exerting pressure on Hull their reward came when from a scrum some 13m out, ROB PEARL went blind and drew the defence before releasing ADAM SHELDON to score in the corner- scores level. Another excellent conversion from JAMES ANNETTS put Wirral in the lead.
With Hull’s season about to come to come to nothing they tried to play attacking rugby only to be thwarted by the Wirral defence. They did have one last chance when awarded a penalty some 45 m out but allowed to take from 35m! up stepped the Hull kicker, Josh Bragman who had scored a last minute penalty against Lymm last week from the half way line. On this occasion the ball drifted wide and a CRAIG HARVEY clearance saw the line out some 65m from the Wirral line. The dying minutes were played out with Hull looking for that elusive break, a penalty to Wirral and the game was over.
This was hard fought game, akin to the match against Sheffield Tigers and could have gone either way but overall Wirral created more opportunities to score and perhaps should have capitalised more on the penalties received. This was Wirral’s 9th consecutive win and they remain 2nd in the league with their lead over the chasing pack extended by virtue of the results this weekend. Next week Wirral are at home to Billingham and will be looking to exact revenge for the defeat earlier in the season.++++++++
Richard McNeil