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Sat 16 Nov 2013 · North 1 West
Birkenhead Park
1st XV
25
32
Tries: C Harvey, S Edgar, A Baker (2), J AnnettsConversions: J Annetts (2)Penalties: J AnnettsYellow Carded: M Loon, M Brown
Sensational Victory Sends Wirral Top
Andrew Broadbent25 Nov 2013 - 21:20
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First league win against Birkenhead Park (BP) ever puts Wirral top of the League.
Many followers of Wirral this season have been some fantastic victories, away to LSH, away to BP in the Cup and at home to Kendal but none could surpass the comeback achieved by Wirral on Saturday in this derby match at Birkenhead. The match had every ingredient, dominant forward play, exciting back moves, tension, 4 sin binnings and some debatable refereeing decisions all of which led to such an exciting game.
Wirral had RYAN HIGGINSON in at prop for JACK YARKER (not available), PAUL LEWIS retained his place in the second row and SAM EDGAR replaced CHRIS BURROWS in the back row. With DANNY HARVEY out for several weeks with a scaffoid injury, brother CRAIG HARVEY took over at fly half and a new centre partnership, with SAM BROADBENT coming into the side for his first game of the season. JAMES ANNETTS recovered from his twisted knee incurred last week. The substitutes were TIM HODSON, CHRIS BURROWS and DANNY FURLONG, the latter making his first appearance in the first team squad.
BP used the slight wind advantage in the first half, which was actually greater than thought.
In the 3rd minute Wirral had the opportunity to open the scoring with a penalty from 20m out but this hit the post and bounced back into play. It was apparent from the start that BP were to use their forwards to move the ball downfield and were rewarded with a penalty from which the first points were scored by Danny Rich. 3-0 (6 mins). BP were in the ascendancy and in the 11th minute, MATT LOON was sin binned for being deliberately off side and the ball was booted into touch for a 10m line out. From this play the BP forwards took control and hooker, Stuart Brown charged over from short range, the try was converted. 10-0 (13 mins).
In the following minute, Wirral managed to get onto the score board with a penalty from JAMES ANNETTS. Back came the BP forwards who were dominating the line outs and scrums along with kicking downfield from fly half, Danny Rich. The BP second try came from the same method and player as the first but this was not converted. MATT LOON returned during which time, Park had scored 10 points. No sooner had MATT returned when MATT BROWN was sin binned for a technical offence. From the resultant scrum, BP wheeled the scrum and No 8 Dave Ibbotson picked up and scored, the conversion was made. 22-3 (27 mins). At this stage with Wirral down to 14 men, BP in dominant mood and an adverse penalty count, Wirral were staring down the barrel of a big defeat as all the 50/50 decisions seemed to go Park’s way.
Wirral gathered themselves together and it was immediate to see that there was an extra zip in their game and play was down in the BP 20m area for a sustained period. Overall Wirral were awarded 6 penalties in this period, chances to kick for goal were turned down as Wirral went for the try. On the sixth penalty, referee Brown gave Jack Ashcroft a yellow card. Wirral could not press home the advantage and the ball was turned over and cleared by BP to half way. The ball was collected by MATT LOON to RYAN HIGGINSON and onto ALI BAKER who took play up to 10m from the BP line and good inter passing left CRAIG HARVEY scoring in the corner and was expertly converted by JAMES ANNETTS to reduce the deficit to 22-10, the first half ended at this stage.
Following inspirational instructions from Andy McKinney and Sean Kay at half time, the team was told to go out and play their type of game by controlling the ball and using the backs. Immediate play was in the BP 20m area and on 45mins, BP were penalised a few metres from the line, a quickly taken penalty led to SAM EDGAR plunging over with the try being converted by JAMES ANNETTS. 22-17 (45 mins). CHRIS BURROWS and TIM HODSON came on for JOE ADNAMS and RYAN HIGGINSON (the latter suffering from a rib injury). With a greater share of the ball, Wirral put in some long clearance kicks, some travelling over 60m and bouncing into touch.
On 63 mins, Birkenhead increased the lead to two scores with a penalty from Danny Rich in front of the posts. 25-17 (63 mins). Wirral were back in the BP 20m area, attacking the line only for a potential try to be wiped off when a Wirral player ran into his teammate inches from the line. However Wirral were here to stay and pounded the BP line, the BP pack holding out until the ball came back out to the backs and within 4 minutes, Wirral scored two tries from the same method, a long miss out pass, taking out both centres from CRAIG HARVEY out to left winger, ALI BAKER who scored two tries in the corner, neither of which was converted. However Wirral had taken the lead 25-27 and more importantly, a try bonus point.
Wirral were now absorbing the BP attacks and astute kicking downfield by James ANNETTS, CRAIG HARVEY and SAM BROADBENT kept BP under pressure. Following a succession of penalties in Wirral’s favour, the referee had no option but to ask sub forward, Lewis Williams to have a 10 minute rest. Tension was amounting and this was settled when a backs move by Wirral saw JAMES ANNETTS dive over in the corner with a BP player unable to halt the try. The conversion just shaved the post. (25-32 77 minutes).
The referee confirmed 5 minutes to go and it was a long 5 as BP looked to attack knowing that they could not kick downfield and lose ground when the kick is returned. Wirral’s discipline was good as no penalties were given away and eventually a BP infringement ended the game.
A truly remarkable game enjoyed by the large contingent of Wirral supporters, it was the first league game won by Wirral against BP, this fact coming from the oracle, Ken Freeman. The whole squad played their part today to earn this historic win. The injury list has hopefully peaked with two players back today and expect others available for selection next week.
With Widnes losing by one point at Kendal, this win puts Wirral at the top of the league on the same points as BP but by the small point’s difference of 6. Thus there is little to choose currently between the top 3 sides. Next week the first team is at home against Warrington and the team will be looking for the same support as today at the Memorial Ground.
Richard McNeil
Wirral had RYAN HIGGINSON in at prop for JACK YARKER (not available), PAUL LEWIS retained his place in the second row and SAM EDGAR replaced CHRIS BURROWS in the back row. With DANNY HARVEY out for several weeks with a scaffoid injury, brother CRAIG HARVEY took over at fly half and a new centre partnership, with SAM BROADBENT coming into the side for his first game of the season. JAMES ANNETTS recovered from his twisted knee incurred last week. The substitutes were TIM HODSON, CHRIS BURROWS and DANNY FURLONG, the latter making his first appearance in the first team squad.
BP used the slight wind advantage in the first half, which was actually greater than thought.
In the 3rd minute Wirral had the opportunity to open the scoring with a penalty from 20m out but this hit the post and bounced back into play. It was apparent from the start that BP were to use their forwards to move the ball downfield and were rewarded with a penalty from which the first points were scored by Danny Rich. 3-0 (6 mins). BP were in the ascendancy and in the 11th minute, MATT LOON was sin binned for being deliberately off side and the ball was booted into touch for a 10m line out. From this play the BP forwards took control and hooker, Stuart Brown charged over from short range, the try was converted. 10-0 (13 mins).
In the following minute, Wirral managed to get onto the score board with a penalty from JAMES ANNETTS. Back came the BP forwards who were dominating the line outs and scrums along with kicking downfield from fly half, Danny Rich. The BP second try came from the same method and player as the first but this was not converted. MATT LOON returned during which time, Park had scored 10 points. No sooner had MATT returned when MATT BROWN was sin binned for a technical offence. From the resultant scrum, BP wheeled the scrum and No 8 Dave Ibbotson picked up and scored, the conversion was made. 22-3 (27 mins). At this stage with Wirral down to 14 men, BP in dominant mood and an adverse penalty count, Wirral were staring down the barrel of a big defeat as all the 50/50 decisions seemed to go Park’s way.
Wirral gathered themselves together and it was immediate to see that there was an extra zip in their game and play was down in the BP 20m area for a sustained period. Overall Wirral were awarded 6 penalties in this period, chances to kick for goal were turned down as Wirral went for the try. On the sixth penalty, referee Brown gave Jack Ashcroft a yellow card. Wirral could not press home the advantage and the ball was turned over and cleared by BP to half way. The ball was collected by MATT LOON to RYAN HIGGINSON and onto ALI BAKER who took play up to 10m from the BP line and good inter passing left CRAIG HARVEY scoring in the corner and was expertly converted by JAMES ANNETTS to reduce the deficit to 22-10, the first half ended at this stage.
Following inspirational instructions from Andy McKinney and Sean Kay at half time, the team was told to go out and play their type of game by controlling the ball and using the backs. Immediate play was in the BP 20m area and on 45mins, BP were penalised a few metres from the line, a quickly taken penalty led to SAM EDGAR plunging over with the try being converted by JAMES ANNETTS. 22-17 (45 mins). CHRIS BURROWS and TIM HODSON came on for JOE ADNAMS and RYAN HIGGINSON (the latter suffering from a rib injury). With a greater share of the ball, Wirral put in some long clearance kicks, some travelling over 60m and bouncing into touch.
On 63 mins, Birkenhead increased the lead to two scores with a penalty from Danny Rich in front of the posts. 25-17 (63 mins). Wirral were back in the BP 20m area, attacking the line only for a potential try to be wiped off when a Wirral player ran into his teammate inches from the line. However Wirral were here to stay and pounded the BP line, the BP pack holding out until the ball came back out to the backs and within 4 minutes, Wirral scored two tries from the same method, a long miss out pass, taking out both centres from CRAIG HARVEY out to left winger, ALI BAKER who scored two tries in the corner, neither of which was converted. However Wirral had taken the lead 25-27 and more importantly, a try bonus point.
Wirral were now absorbing the BP attacks and astute kicking downfield by James ANNETTS, CRAIG HARVEY and SAM BROADBENT kept BP under pressure. Following a succession of penalties in Wirral’s favour, the referee had no option but to ask sub forward, Lewis Williams to have a 10 minute rest. Tension was amounting and this was settled when a backs move by Wirral saw JAMES ANNETTS dive over in the corner with a BP player unable to halt the try. The conversion just shaved the post. (25-32 77 minutes).
The referee confirmed 5 minutes to go and it was a long 5 as BP looked to attack knowing that they could not kick downfield and lose ground when the kick is returned. Wirral’s discipline was good as no penalties were given away and eventually a BP infringement ended the game.
A truly remarkable game enjoyed by the large contingent of Wirral supporters, it was the first league game won by Wirral against BP, this fact coming from the oracle, Ken Freeman. The whole squad played their part today to earn this historic win. The injury list has hopefully peaked with two players back today and expect others available for selection next week.
With Widnes losing by one point at Kendal, this win puts Wirral at the top of the league on the same points as BP but by the small point’s difference of 6. Thus there is little to choose currently between the top 3 sides. Next week the first team is at home against Warrington and the team will be looking for the same support as today at the Memorial Ground.
Richard McNeil
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