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Huddersfield v Wirral - Papa John Community Cup
Bev McCann29 Apr - 12:58
Late tries see off Wirral
This was the first leg of a two leg game against the runners up of the North East league, Huddersfield (Hudd) who we have played against some years ago when we were in the same Northern League. The second leg is next Saturday at the Memorial Ground with a 3.00pm kick off.
There were changes to the side that played Stockport last week with JOHN RALPH starting in the front row and in the back row we had ROB PEARL and LEON TAHANA. The backs were the same as last week. The substitutes were CHRIS SPEED, DAN HARVEY, JOE FURY, MARK GIDMAN, HARRY CROPPER-JOYCE and making a return after 2 years of injury, JAMES REEVE.
The HUDD team in the forwards were heavier and obviously more experienced and certainly nearer the end of their careers, whilst their wingers were the highest scorers of tries in their North East league. So there was much for the Wirral team to be aware of during the game.
There was no wind of any notice and in the words of “Dave Harvey”, Wirral were playing up the “slope” in the first half, the slope was minimal.
The first minutes showed both sides looking to attack where possible with Wirral putting long kicks in downfield making use of the hard pitch. On 7 minutes, Hudd spun the ball down the left giving their winger the chance to break through and score 7m from the corner flag, which was duly converted 7-0 (7mins).
Back came Wirral with pressure on the HUDD line and had many phases of play as they tried to break the home defence, eventually ball came out to the left and led to ALFIE KIMPTON crossing over 5m from the corner flag, the conversion just failed. 7-5 (11 mins). Three minutes later, a HUDD attack was halted when a kick forward was charged down, the ball was loose and GEORGE BURROWS was on hand to collect and race down unopposed 40m to score, 15m from the corner flag, the try was converted 7-12 (14 minutes).
Continuous passing from HUDD enabled them to gain ground on the left, before scoring 10m from the corner flag, again converted to give HUDD the lead again at 14-12 (18 mins). It was apparent at this stage that there was more weight in the home pack, which created its own difficulties for the Wirral forwards in the scrum.
A good run by BEN BROOKS down the wing should have exposed HUDD to greater extent but unfortunately the off load did not go to hand. Progress followed by Wirral and a further score was not given by the referee. On 30mins. CHRIS SPEED came on for ALFIE KIMPTON, with ADAM DON moving to prop in place of JOHN RALPH allowing HARRY CROPPER-JOYCE to hook. Towards the end of the half, Hudd had a penalty which gave them a line out close to the Wirral line followed by a scrum with a HUDD put in. To bolster the pack in this important scrum, JOHN RALPH returned to the pack to give additional weight in place of ROB PEARL. Wirral did well to keep HUDD back and after 44 mins, the first half ended with a small margin of two points to the home side.
The second half started with LEON TAHANA on for JOE ADNAMS. On the first attack by HUDD which was stopped in mid field with Wirral defending, a penalty was awarded to HUDD with TOM AKEHURST being sin binned! ROB PEARL back on the pitch went to scrum half. On 46 mins Wirral were awarded a penalty but this was missed.
HUDD had a clear break and should have scored but the final pass was dropped, giving Wirral a reprieve.
Some fierce tackling was going on as HUDD brought on more established forwards and a Wirral attack was reduced with JIMMY ANNETTS going down with a twisted back, he came off to be replaced by DAN HARVEY (going to full–back). A further incident on the field was at last seen by the referee, which resulted in the Hudd scrum-half being sin binned. Pressure was now on the Hudd line again and a number of phases by Wirral were made, the ball came out to the right to WILL MORRIS who made progress before passing to the blindside onto TOM AKEHURST, who dived over in the corner to score, the conversion was missed but Wirral back in the lead, 14-17 (58 mins).
JOHN RALPH was substituted by JOE ADNAMS, with CHRIS SPEED on for ALFIE KIMPTON. Good defence by Wirral was keeping Hudd out and I noticed at this stage according to the clock there was only 15 minutes remaining.
HUDD had the ball and spun it to the right and play allowed the winger to collect and score wide out, the try was not converted but gave the home team the lead at 19-17. Plenty of changes followed, GEORGE BURROWS substituted with JIMMY ANNETTS returning allowing ALFIE KIMPTON to go on the wing. At this stage there were incidents occurring on the field of which the referee was not aware and lacking control, incidents of player coming in with the elbow to the face of the tackler, all spectators saw but no action on the field.
After 30 minutes a further sin bin to another Hudd player. From this pressure a kick through by Wirral just beat WILL MORRIS to the dead ball line before he could have possibly touched down. In minute 39th of the half, JOHN RALPH came on for LEON TAHANA. In the 42nd minute of the half, a scrum 8m from the line resulted in a pushover try from Hudd, this was not converted to extend the home lead to 24-17. In the 45th minute of the half further good passing by HUDD enabled them through one of their speedy wingers to run in and score another try which was converted to give Huddersfield a 14 point lead at 31 -17. The second half finished after 53 minutes when the referee called time after a coming together of players on the far side of the pitch- again none of this was seen.
It is unfortunate that these late scores have given a benefit to Huddersfield but with home advantage next week, Wirral will be aware of what they can expect from these older forwards as they move them round the Memorial Ground.
There were changes to the side that played Stockport last week with JOHN RALPH starting in the front row and in the back row we had ROB PEARL and LEON TAHANA. The backs were the same as last week. The substitutes were CHRIS SPEED, DAN HARVEY, JOE FURY, MARK GIDMAN, HARRY CROPPER-JOYCE and making a return after 2 years of injury, JAMES REEVE.
The HUDD team in the forwards were heavier and obviously more experienced and certainly nearer the end of their careers, whilst their wingers were the highest scorers of tries in their North East league. So there was much for the Wirral team to be aware of during the game.
There was no wind of any notice and in the words of “Dave Harvey”, Wirral were playing up the “slope” in the first half, the slope was minimal.
The first minutes showed both sides looking to attack where possible with Wirral putting long kicks in downfield making use of the hard pitch. On 7 minutes, Hudd spun the ball down the left giving their winger the chance to break through and score 7m from the corner flag, which was duly converted 7-0 (7mins).
Back came Wirral with pressure on the HUDD line and had many phases of play as they tried to break the home defence, eventually ball came out to the left and led to ALFIE KIMPTON crossing over 5m from the corner flag, the conversion just failed. 7-5 (11 mins). Three minutes later, a HUDD attack was halted when a kick forward was charged down, the ball was loose and GEORGE BURROWS was on hand to collect and race down unopposed 40m to score, 15m from the corner flag, the try was converted 7-12 (14 minutes).
Continuous passing from HUDD enabled them to gain ground on the left, before scoring 10m from the corner flag, again converted to give HUDD the lead again at 14-12 (18 mins). It was apparent at this stage that there was more weight in the home pack, which created its own difficulties for the Wirral forwards in the scrum.
A good run by BEN BROOKS down the wing should have exposed HUDD to greater extent but unfortunately the off load did not go to hand. Progress followed by Wirral and a further score was not given by the referee. On 30mins. CHRIS SPEED came on for ALFIE KIMPTON, with ADAM DON moving to prop in place of JOHN RALPH allowing HARRY CROPPER-JOYCE to hook. Towards the end of the half, Hudd had a penalty which gave them a line out close to the Wirral line followed by a scrum with a HUDD put in. To bolster the pack in this important scrum, JOHN RALPH returned to the pack to give additional weight in place of ROB PEARL. Wirral did well to keep HUDD back and after 44 mins, the first half ended with a small margin of two points to the home side.
The second half started with LEON TAHANA on for JOE ADNAMS. On the first attack by HUDD which was stopped in mid field with Wirral defending, a penalty was awarded to HUDD with TOM AKEHURST being sin binned! ROB PEARL back on the pitch went to scrum half. On 46 mins Wirral were awarded a penalty but this was missed.
HUDD had a clear break and should have scored but the final pass was dropped, giving Wirral a reprieve.
Some fierce tackling was going on as HUDD brought on more established forwards and a Wirral attack was reduced with JIMMY ANNETTS going down with a twisted back, he came off to be replaced by DAN HARVEY (going to full–back). A further incident on the field was at last seen by the referee, which resulted in the Hudd scrum-half being sin binned. Pressure was now on the Hudd line again and a number of phases by Wirral were made, the ball came out to the right to WILL MORRIS who made progress before passing to the blindside onto TOM AKEHURST, who dived over in the corner to score, the conversion was missed but Wirral back in the lead, 14-17 (58 mins).
JOHN RALPH was substituted by JOE ADNAMS, with CHRIS SPEED on for ALFIE KIMPTON. Good defence by Wirral was keeping Hudd out and I noticed at this stage according to the clock there was only 15 minutes remaining.
HUDD had the ball and spun it to the right and play allowed the winger to collect and score wide out, the try was not converted but gave the home team the lead at 19-17. Plenty of changes followed, GEORGE BURROWS substituted with JIMMY ANNETTS returning allowing ALFIE KIMPTON to go on the wing. At this stage there were incidents occurring on the field of which the referee was not aware and lacking control, incidents of player coming in with the elbow to the face of the tackler, all spectators saw but no action on the field.
After 30 minutes a further sin bin to another Hudd player. From this pressure a kick through by Wirral just beat WILL MORRIS to the dead ball line before he could have possibly touched down. In minute 39th of the half, JOHN RALPH came on for LEON TAHANA. In the 42nd minute of the half, a scrum 8m from the line resulted in a pushover try from Hudd, this was not converted to extend the home lead to 24-17. In the 45th minute of the half further good passing by HUDD enabled them through one of their speedy wingers to run in and score another try which was converted to give Huddersfield a 14 point lead at 31 -17. The second half finished after 53 minutes when the referee called time after a coming together of players on the far side of the pitch- again none of this was seen.
It is unfortunate that these late scores have given a benefit to Huddersfield but with home advantage next week, Wirral will be aware of what they can expect from these older forwards as they move them round the Memorial Ground.
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