BackSat 21 Sep 2019 · North Premier
Lymm
1st XV
27
27
Tries: J Annetts, R Pearl, C Speed, M DaltonConversions: J Annetts (2)Penalties: J Annetts
Interceptions Cost Wirral First League Win
Andrew Broadbent22 Sep 2019 - 19:19
Wirral dominant in the first half but let Lymm win the second period to draw a game they should've won but could have lost.
For the “derby match” game against Cheshire rivals Lymm, Wirral were able to play their selected game although CHRIS SPEED had to pass a fitness test before the game. Wirral were able to welcome back, TOM PARRY, ROB PEARL and CHRIS CROWLEY. MATT RINGER replaced STUART GRATTAN at hooker, with MATT LOON making his first league appearance of the season. The subs were SAM BROADBENT, PAUL LEWIS and JACK YARKER. However given the traffic problems coming out of Liverpool, scrum half, JOE MURRAY did not get to the ground until just before the kickoff, so SAM BROADBENT came off the bench with CHRIS CROWLEY going to scrum- half.
Wirral were playing up the slope and against the breeze and were quickly into their stride and a nudge downfield took play into the Lymm 20m area, the ball was won and spun left with Wirral making progress, a pass was knocked down by the Lymm winger, which stopped a potential try for Wirral. Joe Senior was therefore sin binned after 8 minutes. Wirral keep the pressure on Lymm. Good play in mid field with passes between, TOM PARRY, CRAIG HARVEY and onto JAMES ANNETTS who beat the initial defence and then weaved his way over from 35m to score under the posts, he converted his own try- 0-7 (16 minutes). Wirral were dominant at this stage and 6 minutes later, doubled their score when again good play in mid field released ROB PEARL who ran 30m unopposed to score under the posts, again converted by JAMES ANNETTS, 0-14 (22 minutes). One minute later, Lymm were on the score card with a penalty from 27m out through Cormac Nolan.
Wirral came back into the Lymm 20m area and despite a number of thrusts at the Lymm line could not work their way over the whitewash and eventually the ball was lost downfield. With Lymm now some 20m from the Wirral line a deft grubber kick behind the backs gave Joe Senior the opportunity to run through and pick the ball up a couple of metres from the line and duly scored and this was converted by Cormac Nolan- 10-14 (30 minutes). On 35 minutes, Wirral scored their 3rd try when a break by CHRIS CROWLEY then went through the hands of CRAIG and MATT LOON led to CHRIS SPEED scoring in the corner, the try was not converted. 10-19 at half time.
Changes at the break, JOE MURRAY to scrum half, CHRIS CROWLEY back to full back and SAM BROADBENT back on the subs bench with JACK YARKER on for RYAN HIGGINSON. Wirral were now playing with the elements.
Wirral pressing on the Lymm 20m line when a pass from CRAIG was intercepted by the fly half, Scott Redfern who had a clear run in from 80m to score under the posts and converted by Nolan, 17-19 (43 minutes). The kick off was dropped by Lymm and a good run from MATT DALTON saw him stopped 1 m from the line 5m scrum to Wirral but could not push home their advantage. In the space of 5 minutes, Lymm lost two players to yellow cards as they fought to keep Wirral out. Even with this advantage for a few minutes Wirral were not able to score. To their credit Lymm hung in there and a pass from DAVE MORLEY was intercepted by Joe Senior, who also raced in from 75m to score under the posts to put Lymm in the lead 24-19 (53 minutes). PAUL LEWIS came on for HAYDEN LONG.
Lymm penalised at kick off, a kick to touch gives Wirral the throw in which was caught by MATT DALTON who then ran through the opposition line out and 20m to score in the corner, the conversion was missed but the sides were all square at 24 each-55 minutes.
Further changes saw RYAN HIGGINSON on for CHRIS HUGHES, SAM BROADBENT for DAVE MORLEY (Craig to fly half and Sam to centre). Lymm were growing in confidence and a good move saw them stopped 5 m from the Wirral line and they had a number of thrusts at getting over the whitewash but were repelled. On 70 minutes, Lymm retook the lead with a well taken penalty from Nolan 27-24.
Great play by CHRIS CROWLEY, a kick over the Lymm defence collected near the touchline and raced into the 20m area, a pass inside to PAUL LEWIS and on to MATT RINGER, who scores only to be brought back for a minor obstruction. Wirral equalise matters with a penalty in the 78th minute from JAMES ANNETTS. Wirral went looking for the winning points but it was all too late as time ran out. However Lymm had the chance to win the game when they were given the choice of two penalty opportunities and took which seemed to be the more difficult- the kick from Nolan just missed.
This was a match that Wirral should have won and like last week some of the points scored by the opposition were due to errors which can/could be eradicated in future matches. Wirral scored 3 points this week by virtue of scoring 4 tries as opposed to 2 points by Lymm. Wirral are currently 3 off the bottom of the league and next week play Blaydon, who are currently 3rd in the table at the Memorial Ground, 3.00 pm kick off.
Richard McNeil
Wirral were playing up the slope and against the breeze and were quickly into their stride and a nudge downfield took play into the Lymm 20m area, the ball was won and spun left with Wirral making progress, a pass was knocked down by the Lymm winger, which stopped a potential try for Wirral. Joe Senior was therefore sin binned after 8 minutes. Wirral keep the pressure on Lymm. Good play in mid field with passes between, TOM PARRY, CRAIG HARVEY and onto JAMES ANNETTS who beat the initial defence and then weaved his way over from 35m to score under the posts, he converted his own try- 0-7 (16 minutes). Wirral were dominant at this stage and 6 minutes later, doubled their score when again good play in mid field released ROB PEARL who ran 30m unopposed to score under the posts, again converted by JAMES ANNETTS, 0-14 (22 minutes). One minute later, Lymm were on the score card with a penalty from 27m out through Cormac Nolan.
Wirral came back into the Lymm 20m area and despite a number of thrusts at the Lymm line could not work their way over the whitewash and eventually the ball was lost downfield. With Lymm now some 20m from the Wirral line a deft grubber kick behind the backs gave Joe Senior the opportunity to run through and pick the ball up a couple of metres from the line and duly scored and this was converted by Cormac Nolan- 10-14 (30 minutes). On 35 minutes, Wirral scored their 3rd try when a break by CHRIS CROWLEY then went through the hands of CRAIG and MATT LOON led to CHRIS SPEED scoring in the corner, the try was not converted. 10-19 at half time.
Changes at the break, JOE MURRAY to scrum half, CHRIS CROWLEY back to full back and SAM BROADBENT back on the subs bench with JACK YARKER on for RYAN HIGGINSON. Wirral were now playing with the elements.
Wirral pressing on the Lymm 20m line when a pass from CRAIG was intercepted by the fly half, Scott Redfern who had a clear run in from 80m to score under the posts and converted by Nolan, 17-19 (43 minutes). The kick off was dropped by Lymm and a good run from MATT DALTON saw him stopped 1 m from the line 5m scrum to Wirral but could not push home their advantage. In the space of 5 minutes, Lymm lost two players to yellow cards as they fought to keep Wirral out. Even with this advantage for a few minutes Wirral were not able to score. To their credit Lymm hung in there and a pass from DAVE MORLEY was intercepted by Joe Senior, who also raced in from 75m to score under the posts to put Lymm in the lead 24-19 (53 minutes). PAUL LEWIS came on for HAYDEN LONG.
Lymm penalised at kick off, a kick to touch gives Wirral the throw in which was caught by MATT DALTON who then ran through the opposition line out and 20m to score in the corner, the conversion was missed but the sides were all square at 24 each-55 minutes.
Further changes saw RYAN HIGGINSON on for CHRIS HUGHES, SAM BROADBENT for DAVE MORLEY (Craig to fly half and Sam to centre). Lymm were growing in confidence and a good move saw them stopped 5 m from the Wirral line and they had a number of thrusts at getting over the whitewash but were repelled. On 70 minutes, Lymm retook the lead with a well taken penalty from Nolan 27-24.
Great play by CHRIS CROWLEY, a kick over the Lymm defence collected near the touchline and raced into the 20m area, a pass inside to PAUL LEWIS and on to MATT RINGER, who scores only to be brought back for a minor obstruction. Wirral equalise matters with a penalty in the 78th minute from JAMES ANNETTS. Wirral went looking for the winning points but it was all too late as time ran out. However Lymm had the chance to win the game when they were given the choice of two penalty opportunities and took which seemed to be the more difficult- the kick from Nolan just missed.
This was a match that Wirral should have won and like last week some of the points scored by the opposition were due to errors which can/could be eradicated in future matches. Wirral scored 3 points this week by virtue of scoring 4 tries as opposed to 2 points by Lymm. Wirral are currently 3 off the bottom of the league and next week play Blaydon, who are currently 3rd in the table at the Memorial Ground, 3.00 pm kick off.
Richard McNeil
Further reading