Wirral Score 70 Overwhelming the Cumbrian Newcomers

Aspatria are a team from my “neck of the woods” and I looked forward to meeting adversaries from the past including one of their committee who took over my job at Whitehaven.
For the first home league game of the season, Wirral made a number of minor changes to the team , with Phil Donaldson coming into centre at the expense of Danny Harvey who moved to full back with Sam Broadbent coming into the left wing berth with Mark Gidman not being available.
The team was Hughes, Green, Brown, Hodson, Doneo, Ludbrook, Pearl, Edgar, Murray, Annetts, Broadbent, Harvey C, Donaldson, Slater and Harvey D. The substitutes were Atkinson, Dyer, and Pendergast.
Aspatria made two changes from the team that gave Liverpool St Helens a close game last week. The start of the match was delayed some 32 minutes due to the Aspatria coach being delayed on the M6 south.
Initially play was contained in mid field, until the 8th minute when having awarded Wirral a penalty the referee played advantage as Wirral moved down the left from 40m out, with DANNY HARVEY making a break before releasing SAM BROADBENT to score in the corner, the conversion was missed from the touchline. 5-0 The lead was extended 5 minutes later when a delayed pass from JAMES ANNETTS sent DANNY HARVEY through the gap to outpace the full back to score 15m from the posts, brother CRAIG converted 12-0.
Wirral were looking confident on the ball, when compared to last week’s match and Craig tried an audacious drop kick attempt from 55 m which shaved the right hand post. With Aspatria looking to make ground up field, ROBBIE PEARL stole the ball off the opposition to allow Wirral field position in the Aspatria 20. Again Wirral went close to scoring in the left corner only to be brought back for an infringement. On 19 minutes Wirral were awarded a penalty 25m out which CRAIG converted. This was cancelled out 3 minutes later with a JACK CLEGG penalty, 15-3
Aspatria made ground using their forwards and declined a kick at goal, opting for a position near the Wirral try line and from the line out, the forwards mauled their way over the line to score through their captain, GRAHAM ANDREWS, the conversion was missed. The Aspatria forwards at one scrum pushed Wirral pack back some 12m, the reverse of this situation was to be seen later in the game as they tired against the more mobile Wirral forwards.
With the confidence gained from earlier in the match, Wirral were looking to break through at every opportunity, on one such occasion JOE MURRAY made a break and his pass to PHIL DONALDSON was adjudged forward. From this position, CRAIG was high tackled and DANNY HARVEY kicked the penalty from 20m out. 18-8 Two minutes after this tackle, CRAIG got his revenge in a classic back move which saw JAMES ANNETTS pass to Craig missing out the centre PHIL DONALDSON for CRAIG to draw the winger before putting MATT SLATER clear, who beat the defence to score 15 metres in from touch which went unconverted.
From the kick off Aspatria kicked less than the required 10m, so Wirral opted for the scrum, Aspatria put on the push and Sam Edgar had to pick up a difficult ball with the scrum going backwards, passed to JOE MURRAY who on passed to JAMES ANNETTS who scythed through the Aspatria defence from 60m to score near the posts, which CRAIG converted. The score was now 30-8 at half time with Wirral having already secured a try bonus point.
In the second half with Aspatria having the benefit of the wind and the slight slope, spectators were concerned as to whether the lead would be sufficient. This question was answered within 6 mins of the half recommencing, with the first try coming from DANNY HARVEY after prominent work by SAM EDGAR, who was injured in the process and was substituted by COLIN DYER. CRAIG converted from the touchline against the wind. Almost immediately a break from 60m out by JAMES ANNETTS who drew the full back before sending DANNY HARVEY in from 30m to score under the posts, this was again converted by Craig. 44-8
Aspatria gained ground and Wirral were penalised for a high tackle and turning down the 3 points, Aspatria kicked for the corner and from the resultant line out they mauled their way over the Wirral line for a try by WALTER CLOETE, which was duly converted by JACK CLEGG 44-15.
5 minutes after coming on COLIN DYER was yellow carded but this did not stop the rampant Wirral team, with good play up the left from 25m out by JOE MURRAY and MATT BROWN saw the young prop force his way over in the corner, the try was not converted. At this stage Wirral made their remaining substitutions with STEVE PENDERGAST coming on for the injured TIM HODSON and OLLIE ATKINSON for MATT SLATER. On the hour after good passing amongst the centres, Craig and PHIL DONALDSON, DANNY HARVEY was on hand to score his 4th try and was again converted. COLIN returned to the field during which time Wirral had scored 12 points in his absence. 56-15
CHRIS PARK scored Aspatria’s third try by being on hand to collect and dive over, this was converted from wide out by Jack CLEGG 56-22. This was followed by the try of the match in my opinion, when from a quickly taken penalty: JAMES ANNETTS from 70m first broke through the Aspatria defence and then threw an outrageous dummy to run in under the posts for CRAIG to again convert. Aspatria were not finished and at a time when Wirral were throwing out long passes, one was intercepted by DAN RAYSON who ran some 50m to score under the posts to give Aspatria a try bonus point, the try was converted by JACK CLEGG.
However there was time for one more score from Wirral through JOE MURRAY who shrug off possible tacklers to run over from 20m and with the final conversion by CRAIG the referee blew for time 70-29.
The score line was remarkable given the underperformance from the backs last week and this game will have given them the confidence for the match at Sandbach next week.
On speaking to the Aspatria supporters after the game, whilst acknowledging the play of the Wirral backs, singled out ROBBIE PEARL for his tackling and stealing the ball off the opposition as their man of the match.

Richard McNeil