Following the injury to CHRIS BURROWS last week, CHRIS SPEED came into the back row with RYAN HIGGINSON and JACK YARKER back in the front row. JAMES REEVE came into the second row with PAUL LEWIS reverting to the substitute’s bench alongside KEITH MAHON and CHRIS HUGHES.
From the kick off playing towards the club house Wirral were immediately on the attack and after a number of thrusts at the Cleck line, the pressure told when JAMES REEVE crossed from some 10m out and this was converted by JAMES ANNETTS. 7-0 (2 mins). Although Cleck. had possession they were not able to make progress and sooner or later Wirral re took possession and pressed the Cleck. line again and after a number of thrusts, JAMES REEVE was on hand to cross for his second try, 10m from the corner flag, again JAMES ANNETTS converted. 14-0 (7 minutes). RYAN HIGGINSON was injured tackling a CLECK. player and was substituted by CHRIS HUGHES.
Gradually Cleck. worked their way into the game and had a 5m line out but Wirral defended well to keep the away side out but Cleck. were playing with plenty of determination. With ball in hand Wirral were always a threat and the third try came from the home side probing each flank until a long pass from CRAIG HARVEY missing out both centres was collected by MARK WILLIAMS who strolled over the line to score and the conversion followed. 21-0 (26 mins). This was followed by Cleckheaton’s best spell of the game in terms of pressure as the home side had to defend their own line for three consecutive scrums and did create a scoring chance out on the right but the Cleck. winger knocked on over the line. In possession, Wirral looked to run from their own line and had an overlap but a tap tackle caused the ball to be knocked forward and again Wirral were back under pressure. In the minutes before half time Wirral were back on the attack and with periods of good passing could not break through the away defence. A possible overlap was halted by a deliberate knock on resulting in the Cleck. No.8 Jack Seddon being sin-binned. Half time 21-0.
In the second minute of the half, a backs move saw the ball spun down the back line and the final pass from DAN HARVEY was to MARK WILLIAMS as he drew the full back, leaving Mark with an easy run in and again converted by JAMES ANNETTS, 28-0 (43 minutes). Two substitutions followed with PAUL LEWIS and KEITH MAHON came on for JAMES REEVE and CHRIS SPEED respectively. On 49 minutes, TOM PARRY went through a number of tackles before breaking free and making 20m before an astute pass to ROB PEARL gave him a clear run in to score close to the posts, again converted. 35-0. Wirral were containing Cleck. even though the away side were having a good share of possession but on one such occasion, Wirral kept the ball from reaching the ground and thus the scrum went in their favour and were able to clear downfield. Cleck. were able to regain possession and were back in the Wirral half, however the ball was dropped, the home side kicked downfield beating the away defence, the ball was picked up and MATT LOON had a run in to score close to the posts- JAMES ANNETTS converted. 42-0 (62 minutes).
On Cleck’s next attack in the Wirral 20m area, CRAIG HARVEY was yellow carded. TOM PARRY and MATT RINGER were substituted by PAUL LEWIS and RYAN HIGGINSON with JACK YARKER moving to hooker. With only 14 men, Wirral were now under pressure and after a number of thrusts at the Wirral line, second row Ryan Piercey crossed to get Cleck. on the scoreboard and the try was converted by Ronan Evans. Cleckheaton again on the attack, the ball was knocked on and again Wirral kicked forward and JOE MURRAY won the race to touchdown. The conversion was missed; the only conversion JAMES missed all game. 47-7. Cleck responded taking advantage of Wirral still being one short and they created an overlap allowing wing forward Brad Marsden crossing for a try which was not converted. 47-12 (73 minutes).
In the final minutes of the game, Wirral ran in two more converted tries, the first coming from a kick downfield by JAMES ANNETTS, which Cleck. did not catch on the full, but it took a wicked bounce and DAN HARVEY following up caught and ran over a try. The final try of the afternoon came from another Cleck. breakdown some 70m from their own line, the ball was picked up by JOE MURRAY who made the initial break and then set off for the line, vainly looking for support but beating the covering defence to score close to the corner. Great conversion from JAMES ANNETTS to make it 8 out of 9 during the afternoon.
Wirral maintain 3rd position but are now only 1 point behind Rossendale as they lost away at Huddersfield. Next week Wirral are away at 6th placed Sandal which is sure to be a hard game. For those wishing to travel to the game see the clubhouse notice board for details of the travel arrangements.

Richard McNeil