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Sat 17 Dec 2016 · National League 3 North
1st XVDoncaster Phoenix
Tries: M Williams (2), M Loon (2), A Baker (2), K MahonConversions: C Harvey (4), D HarveyPenalties: C HarveyYellow Carded: M Williams, R Higginson, J Stead
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Is Ali Baker Guilty of Jug Evasion?
Andrew Broadbent18 Dec 2016 - 20:05
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A festive feast of tries results in a win for Wirral
Despite a number of players not being available for a variety of reasons and others suffering from flu symptoms, Wirral put in a workmanlike performance, which showed up the strength of their squad.
After a number of games where they have had to make very few changes to the squad, this week was much different with JOE MURRAY, JAMES ANNETTS and RYAN STEAD all being unavailable for a variety of reasons. JOSH STEAD came in for JOE, CHRIS TYSON for RYAN and MARK WILLIAMS moved to full back allowing ALI BAKER to make his first start of the season. The subs were PAUL LEWIS, CHRIS SPEED and CHRIS HUGHES.
With no wind to talk of, Wirral played down field towards the road in the first half. From the kick off, Wirral immediately spun the ball down the backs and made considerable ground before being tackled into touch. From DP’s first attack into the Wirral half, the ball was dropped and picked up by MARK WILLIAMS who outpaced the DP defence to run some 65m before touching down. The try was converted by CRAIG HARVEY. Having scored so early on, MARK proceeded to kick over the DP defence and jumped at the same time as the DP player to catch the ball. As a result he was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes, which seemed harsh for a 50/50 ball. The DP player had fallen awkwardly and it transpired that he had dislocated his shoulder, which was put back in by their physio. Wirral extended their lead to 10-0 (16 mins) with a penalty from 30m by CRAIG HARVEY.
Three minutes later as Wirral again probed the DP defence, a delayed pass from CRAIG to MATT LOON saw the winger cut through the defence to score easily and again converted by CRAIG HARVEY- 17-0. Although Wirral were making ground whenever they had the ball, too many penalties were being given away (9 in the first half) which reduced their opportunities to add to their score.
DP had a line out some 15m from the Wirral line as a result of another penalty, kept possession but confronted by a mean defence, the ball was turned over, which resulted in RYAN HIGGINSON making a break down the wing before off- loading to ALI BAKER who showed DP a clean pair of heels as he raced in from 70m to score under the posts, converted by CRAIG, 24-0 (27 minutes). CHRIS HUGHES and PAUL LEWIS came on for JACK YARKER and JAMES REEVE respectively. Wirral continued to put pressure on any possession gained by DP, one such situation was when RYAN HIGGINSON came through the centre of maul to steal the ball only to be sin binned for coming in at the side!- 32 mins. Despite being down to 14 men again, Wirral continued to put pressure on DP, a series of 5m line outs led to a planned move with SAM BROADBENT crashing over the line only to be deemed as being “held up”. From the resultant scrum the ball went out to the backs where a long pass from CRAIG HARVEY put in MARK WILLIAMS as he cut inside his man to score wide out. A great conversion from wide out gave CRAIG a 100% kicking record, as he was retired from the game at half time. With the try bonus point achieved by half time and with a 31-0 lead, coach MATT CAIRNS was able to make changes at half time, some positional.
CRAIG HARVEY was retired from the game with MARK WILLIAMS going to fly half and ALI BAKER to full back. CHRIS SPEED joined the backs and with RYAN re-joining the team following the sin binning, JACK YARKER came off with KEITH MAHON, who had been sacrificed for the front row forward joining the fray. Within a few minutes of the second half, Wirral were back on the scoreboard when from a scrum 20m out, Wirral pushed the DP pack back and a blindside move gave MATT LOON the chance to score, the conversion by DAN HARVEY was missed. 36-0 (46 mins). Wirral had greater control in the second half and turned over ball in their favour on numerous occasions and this resulted in another score for Wirral as good inter-passing between PAUL LEWIS and KEITH MAHON enabled the latter to time his pass to ALI BAKER who had a clear run in from 50m, 41-0 (55 mins). Five minutes later, ALI had another good run, only for the cover to be there to bundle him into touch close to the corner flag.
On 68 minutes, JOSH STEAD received Wirral’s third sin bin of the afternoon and this allowed DP play deep into Wirral’s 20m area and from this position, controlled play by DP allowed prop Tom Bagnall to touch down out wide, the conversion was missed. 41-5 (71 mins). Wirral came back and pressure mounted on DP’s line as Wirral made repeated thrusts at the DP whitewash and it was left to KEITH MAHON to crash over with the try being converted by DAN HARVEY. Matters were evened up when a DP player received a yellow card for a deliberate knock on to break up another Wirral attack. Wirral then had a further opportunity to score when a kick through was missed by the DP full back and ALI BAKER attempted to kick the ball forward and give him his hat trick only to misjudge the kick forward- the bench immediately called it “jug evasion”
Wirral won 48-5 and to be fair with a fit squad could have added to this score but it had been fine display defensively and they had to work hard for the tries they did score. In the league this leaves Wirral in 3rd place and now look forward to the New Year, where the January programme is pivotal if they are to continue to push for second place at the end of the season. The next match is on 7th January away at Kendal where the team will be looking to reverse the result at home earlier in the season.
Richard McNeil
After a number of games where they have had to make very few changes to the squad, this week was much different with JOE MURRAY, JAMES ANNETTS and RYAN STEAD all being unavailable for a variety of reasons. JOSH STEAD came in for JOE, CHRIS TYSON for RYAN and MARK WILLIAMS moved to full back allowing ALI BAKER to make his first start of the season. The subs were PAUL LEWIS, CHRIS SPEED and CHRIS HUGHES.
With no wind to talk of, Wirral played down field towards the road in the first half. From the kick off, Wirral immediately spun the ball down the backs and made considerable ground before being tackled into touch. From DP’s first attack into the Wirral half, the ball was dropped and picked up by MARK WILLIAMS who outpaced the DP defence to run some 65m before touching down. The try was converted by CRAIG HARVEY. Having scored so early on, MARK proceeded to kick over the DP defence and jumped at the same time as the DP player to catch the ball. As a result he was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes, which seemed harsh for a 50/50 ball. The DP player had fallen awkwardly and it transpired that he had dislocated his shoulder, which was put back in by their physio. Wirral extended their lead to 10-0 (16 mins) with a penalty from 30m by CRAIG HARVEY.
Three minutes later as Wirral again probed the DP defence, a delayed pass from CRAIG to MATT LOON saw the winger cut through the defence to score easily and again converted by CRAIG HARVEY- 17-0. Although Wirral were making ground whenever they had the ball, too many penalties were being given away (9 in the first half) which reduced their opportunities to add to their score.
DP had a line out some 15m from the Wirral line as a result of another penalty, kept possession but confronted by a mean defence, the ball was turned over, which resulted in RYAN HIGGINSON making a break down the wing before off- loading to ALI BAKER who showed DP a clean pair of heels as he raced in from 70m to score under the posts, converted by CRAIG, 24-0 (27 minutes). CHRIS HUGHES and PAUL LEWIS came on for JACK YARKER and JAMES REEVE respectively. Wirral continued to put pressure on any possession gained by DP, one such situation was when RYAN HIGGINSON came through the centre of maul to steal the ball only to be sin binned for coming in at the side!- 32 mins. Despite being down to 14 men again, Wirral continued to put pressure on DP, a series of 5m line outs led to a planned move with SAM BROADBENT crashing over the line only to be deemed as being “held up”. From the resultant scrum the ball went out to the backs where a long pass from CRAIG HARVEY put in MARK WILLIAMS as he cut inside his man to score wide out. A great conversion from wide out gave CRAIG a 100% kicking record, as he was retired from the game at half time. With the try bonus point achieved by half time and with a 31-0 lead, coach MATT CAIRNS was able to make changes at half time, some positional.
CRAIG HARVEY was retired from the game with MARK WILLIAMS going to fly half and ALI BAKER to full back. CHRIS SPEED joined the backs and with RYAN re-joining the team following the sin binning, JACK YARKER came off with KEITH MAHON, who had been sacrificed for the front row forward joining the fray. Within a few minutes of the second half, Wirral were back on the scoreboard when from a scrum 20m out, Wirral pushed the DP pack back and a blindside move gave MATT LOON the chance to score, the conversion by DAN HARVEY was missed. 36-0 (46 mins). Wirral had greater control in the second half and turned over ball in their favour on numerous occasions and this resulted in another score for Wirral as good inter-passing between PAUL LEWIS and KEITH MAHON enabled the latter to time his pass to ALI BAKER who had a clear run in from 50m, 41-0 (55 mins). Five minutes later, ALI had another good run, only for the cover to be there to bundle him into touch close to the corner flag.
On 68 minutes, JOSH STEAD received Wirral’s third sin bin of the afternoon and this allowed DP play deep into Wirral’s 20m area and from this position, controlled play by DP allowed prop Tom Bagnall to touch down out wide, the conversion was missed. 41-5 (71 mins). Wirral came back and pressure mounted on DP’s line as Wirral made repeated thrusts at the DP whitewash and it was left to KEITH MAHON to crash over with the try being converted by DAN HARVEY. Matters were evened up when a DP player received a yellow card for a deliberate knock on to break up another Wirral attack. Wirral then had a further opportunity to score when a kick through was missed by the DP full back and ALI BAKER attempted to kick the ball forward and give him his hat trick only to misjudge the kick forward- the bench immediately called it “jug evasion”
Wirral won 48-5 and to be fair with a fit squad could have added to this score but it had been fine display defensively and they had to work hard for the tries they did score. In the league this leaves Wirral in 3rd place and now look forward to the New Year, where the January programme is pivotal if they are to continue to push for second place at the end of the season. The next match is on 7th January away at Kendal where the team will be looking to reverse the result at home earlier in the season.
Richard McNeil
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