Keith Mahon Sets Up a Late, Late Winner for Wirral

In the penultimate home game of the season at the Memorial Ground the lead changed hands seven times and was not decided until the final play of the game, when it took a potential try of the season to split these two teams.
From the team selected on Tuesday and that which played last week there were numerous changes to the team. In the front row, JACK YARKER moved to hooker so that we played without a specialist hooker as all 3 senior players in that position were all not available (STUART GRATTON and MATT RINGER both injured whist JASON GREEN’s wife gave birth during the week). GARETH BURKES came in at prop, with the substitute prop being JOE LADDLE as STEVE PENDERGAST was not available. CRAIG HARVEY came back into the team as SAM BROADBENT was injured (hand). JOSH STEAD retained his position as scrum half with JOE MURRAY on the subs bench in place of CHRIS SPEED (working). The other sub was CHRIS TYSON with PAUL LEWIS resuming in the second row.
After a heavy downpour in the morning the weather gradually improved and by the time 3.00pm came round the ground was bathed in sunshine with Wirral playing with the wind towards the clubhouse.
In the early minutes of the game Wirral were in the Morley 20m area, turning down a penalty opportunity before taking the second chance through JAMES ANNETTS from in front of the posts, 3-0 (4 minutes). A break by MATT LOON came to nothing as the ball was lost in the tackle.
On 12 minutes, Morley took the lead when from a scrum 20m out the ball was spun wide and Henri Collier scored when a missed tackle enabled him to cross near the posts and Matt Chester converted. Within 2 minutes Morley had doubled their score when scrum half Ben Bowen broke from a maul where the guard was missing, drew the full back and Ollie Flegg scored under the posts and again converted. 3-14 (15 minutes).
Wirral came back into the game when a half break by DAN HARVEY sent MATT LOON away down the wing and although tackled by the full back passed inside and that try scoring machine! JACK YARKER was on hand to collect and run the 15m to score, the try was converted by JAMES ANNETTS 10-14 (16 minutes). Wirral again on the attack and the movement was stalled resulting in the Morley prop, Dan Richardson being sin-binned. On 22 minutes Wirral took the lead when a long miss out pass from CRAIG HARVEY allowed ALI BAKER to catch and cross unopposed, the conversion was missed, 15-14.
Morley re took the lead again when a break down the right and weak tackling allowed No 8 Judd Nowell to score from some 40m out and the conversion from Mark Chester gave the away side a 15-21 lead after 27 minutes. Wirral then put pressure on Morley but the line held until the 37th minute when a delayed pass from CRAIG HARVEY to MARK WILLIAMS allowed the latter to break through a tackle and dive over the whitewash to score his 16th try of the season, the conversion from JAMES ANNETTS gave Wirral the lead at 22-21, which they held until half time.
With the wind in Morley’s favour they had the territorial advantage in the second half. On 45 minutes Wirral made their first substitutions, with JOE LADDLE (his first appearance of the season) and CHRIS TYSON coming on for GARETH BURKES and PAUL LEWIS respectively. Wirral were at this stage having difficulty in getting the ball away from their 20m area. On 50 minutes, JOE MURRAY came on for JOSH STEAD. On 57 minutes, Wirral gradually worked their way down into the Morley 20m area and put much pressure on the Morley line and were repulsed on several occasions , the ball was passed out left and CRAIG HARVEY managed to squirm his way over the whitewash under the posts to score with JAMES ANNETTS adding the conversion. 29-21.
Back came Morley with Wirral not clearing the ball quickly enough, again Morley put pressure on the Wirral line only for a try scoring opportunity to be lost when the ball was knocked on. At this stage we were looking for Wirral to play out time knowing that Morley had to score twice to regain the lead. They did when continued control of the ball gave winger Ollie Hutson the chance to run down the wing and cut inside only to be tackled but an outstretched arm enabled him to touch down and a good conversion by Mark Chester brought Morley within 1 point. The away team had victory in their nostrils as further pressure in the Wirral 20m area led to DAN HARVEY being sin binned for holding onto the ball and from 5m from the touchline the Morley kicker had the range to convert the penalty. 29-31 with two minutes to go.
A good kick off was caught by Morley who made a number of forward thrusts as they ate up time, the ball was then kicked high downfield and caught by KEITH MAHON who was faced with the advancing Morley defence line, Keith moved forward and found a chink in their defence and broke through. 40metres later he drew the full back and the ever alert ROB PEARL was on hand to collect and dive over under the posts for potentially the try of the season, James Annetts converted, 36-31 (79 mins and 30 seconds). Morley kicked off and the first error led to referee blowing for time.
It was an inspired move which led to this “get out of jail card” being used. On reflection, Morley showed up some of Wirral’s weaknesses on this day but overall it was Wirral who created more chances. The win moves Wirral up to 4th and the 2 points help Morley in their fight against relegation with other results on Saturday going in their favour.
Next week Wirral are away at Cleckheaton who are also in the relegation battle so another hard match is on the cards for the squad.