BackSat 16 Nov 2024 · Regional 1 North West
1st XVBlackburn
Tries: W Morris (4), T Akehurst, B Brooks, M Williams (2)Conversions: R James (6)
45
7
Morris Four-timer Leads Wirral Blitz
Andrew Broadbent17 Nov - 15:46
Wirral have their best ever performance against Blackburn
WIRRAL 45 BLACKBURN (Bburn) 7
Morris 4 timer leads Wirral blitz
This was a game to welcome the Club’s Vice Presidents to the Memorial Ground for what was their biggest ever win over Bburn, who were ahead of Wirral on points difference in the league with 5th playing 4th.
Following the defeat by Rossendale, Wirral were able to make changes to the team with MARK WILLIAMS and ROB PEARL back into the team: we are also without SAM VICKERS who was recovering from a minor operation. With SAM being unavailable, try scoring prop JOE ADNAMS played in the second row with DAN CARROL coming into a starting role in the front row. With DAN HARVEY not being available the substitutes were JOE FURY, JOSH STEAD and CHRIS SPEED.
It was brought to all the spectators’ attention that BEN BROOKS played in the centre today, a day after his mother’s funeral and he played with great vigour today and was awarded with him being awarded the Man of the Match for Wirral.
Wirral played towards the main road in the first half, playing against the slight wind. The match commenced with the early territory being held by Bburn until penalty kicks gave Wirral play down in the 20m area, the home team were pushed back to the 20m line until the ball went wide right and WILL MORRIS touched down in the corner, the conversion from the touchline just failed, 5-0 (10 mins). A few minutes later a further penalty was taken by Wirral, the ball went left where MARK WILLIAMS put in a grubber kick to the corner where WILL MORRIS was on hand to win the race to touch down for his second try, again the conversion from the touch line just failed, 10-0 (17 mins).
On 20 mins after many penalties against Bburn resulted in the full back being sin binned. From this penalty another kick through almost resulted in WILL MORRIS scoring his third try but a race for the line from a kick was won by the Bburn defender. A further Wirral attack was then stopped by a diving tackle from Bburn but it was Wirral who were doing all the attacking.
On 30 minutes, a further penalty to Wirral 20m out was quickly taken by TOM AKEHURST who burst through the Bburn defence to score under the posts, duly converted by RHYS JAMES to increase the Wirral lead to 17-0. On 38 mins further pressure saw Wirral on the Bburn line and a number of efforts by the Wirral forwards saw them held up. The scrum half, TOM AKEHURST with being 8m short of the line, passed blind to RHYS JAMES and quickly onward to the left gave WILL MORRIS a walk in for this hat-trick in the left corner, from the touchline RHYS HAMES duly converted to extend the lead to 24-0 and more importantly the benefit of a try scoring bonus point. In the minutes before half time, Bburn had pressure on the Wirral line and made a number of attempts at the line but the home team responded well to defy Bburn and leave the score at half time 24-0.
Playing towards the clubhouse, BEN BROOKS with his kicking exploited the wide spaces deep in the Bburn half to enable further pressure to be applied to Bburn. After 50mins, pressure from Wirral failed to exert the score they sought but on 54 minutes, play came out to the left with the backs all lined up and BEN BROOKS collected the ball 15 m out and broke through several tacklers to cross close to the posts and achieve the applause of all those watching from the clubhouse and on the ground. Duly converted by RHYS James to extend the lead to 31-0 (63 minutes). CHRIS SPEED came on for BEN BROOKS and JOSH STEAD on for ALFIE KIMPTON, with JOSH going to scrum half and TOM AKEHURST to the wing
For the next score, it was Bburn putting an attack together with good passing saw their sub Povall scoring close to the posts and duly converted, 31-7. On the next Wirral attack, MARK WILLIAMS broke through the Bburn defence and a further pass to WILL MORRIS enabled Will to score his fourth try of the afternoon and duly converted by RHYS to push the Wirral lead out to 38-7. JOE FURY came on for MATT RINGER with DAN CARROL going to hooker. Bburn were now looking to play the ball downfield rather than kicking deep and allowing Wirral to attack, however a dropped ball some 30m from their line was collected by MARK WILLIAMS on the left and with players outside him, straightened up and crossed over to score, duly converted by RHYS JAMES (to extend his goal scoring to 5 out of 7) and leave Wirral with a 45-7 lead.
This was Wirral’s best performance against Bburn since they came into this league and leaves Wirral ready for their next fixture away to second placed neighbours Anselmians at their Eastham ground in a fortnights time with a 2.15pm kick off, in what will be an interesting game.
Richard McNeil
Morris 4 timer leads Wirral blitz
This was a game to welcome the Club’s Vice Presidents to the Memorial Ground for what was their biggest ever win over Bburn, who were ahead of Wirral on points difference in the league with 5th playing 4th.
Following the defeat by Rossendale, Wirral were able to make changes to the team with MARK WILLIAMS and ROB PEARL back into the team: we are also without SAM VICKERS who was recovering from a minor operation. With SAM being unavailable, try scoring prop JOE ADNAMS played in the second row with DAN CARROL coming into a starting role in the front row. With DAN HARVEY not being available the substitutes were JOE FURY, JOSH STEAD and CHRIS SPEED.
It was brought to all the spectators’ attention that BEN BROOKS played in the centre today, a day after his mother’s funeral and he played with great vigour today and was awarded with him being awarded the Man of the Match for Wirral.
Wirral played towards the main road in the first half, playing against the slight wind. The match commenced with the early territory being held by Bburn until penalty kicks gave Wirral play down in the 20m area, the home team were pushed back to the 20m line until the ball went wide right and WILL MORRIS touched down in the corner, the conversion from the touchline just failed, 5-0 (10 mins). A few minutes later a further penalty was taken by Wirral, the ball went left where MARK WILLIAMS put in a grubber kick to the corner where WILL MORRIS was on hand to win the race to touch down for his second try, again the conversion from the touch line just failed, 10-0 (17 mins).
On 20 mins after many penalties against Bburn resulted in the full back being sin binned. From this penalty another kick through almost resulted in WILL MORRIS scoring his third try but a race for the line from a kick was won by the Bburn defender. A further Wirral attack was then stopped by a diving tackle from Bburn but it was Wirral who were doing all the attacking.
On 30 minutes, a further penalty to Wirral 20m out was quickly taken by TOM AKEHURST who burst through the Bburn defence to score under the posts, duly converted by RHYS JAMES to increase the Wirral lead to 17-0. On 38 mins further pressure saw Wirral on the Bburn line and a number of efforts by the Wirral forwards saw them held up. The scrum half, TOM AKEHURST with being 8m short of the line, passed blind to RHYS JAMES and quickly onward to the left gave WILL MORRIS a walk in for this hat-trick in the left corner, from the touchline RHYS HAMES duly converted to extend the lead to 24-0 and more importantly the benefit of a try scoring bonus point. In the minutes before half time, Bburn had pressure on the Wirral line and made a number of attempts at the line but the home team responded well to defy Bburn and leave the score at half time 24-0.
Playing towards the clubhouse, BEN BROOKS with his kicking exploited the wide spaces deep in the Bburn half to enable further pressure to be applied to Bburn. After 50mins, pressure from Wirral failed to exert the score they sought but on 54 minutes, play came out to the left with the backs all lined up and BEN BROOKS collected the ball 15 m out and broke through several tacklers to cross close to the posts and achieve the applause of all those watching from the clubhouse and on the ground. Duly converted by RHYS James to extend the lead to 31-0 (63 minutes). CHRIS SPEED came on for BEN BROOKS and JOSH STEAD on for ALFIE KIMPTON, with JOSH going to scrum half and TOM AKEHURST to the wing
For the next score, it was Bburn putting an attack together with good passing saw their sub Povall scoring close to the posts and duly converted, 31-7. On the next Wirral attack, MARK WILLIAMS broke through the Bburn defence and a further pass to WILL MORRIS enabled Will to score his fourth try of the afternoon and duly converted by RHYS to push the Wirral lead out to 38-7. JOE FURY came on for MATT RINGER with DAN CARROL going to hooker. Bburn were now looking to play the ball downfield rather than kicking deep and allowing Wirral to attack, however a dropped ball some 30m from their line was collected by MARK WILLIAMS on the left and with players outside him, straightened up and crossed over to score, duly converted by RHYS JAMES (to extend his goal scoring to 5 out of 7) and leave Wirral with a 45-7 lead.
This was Wirral’s best performance against Bburn since they came into this league and leaves Wirral ready for their next fixture away to second placed neighbours Anselmians at their Eastham ground in a fortnights time with a 2.15pm kick off, in what will be an interesting game.
Richard McNeil
Further reading