3rd Team Match Reports

3rd Team Match Reports

April 15, 2012 - 12:08 PM
Eccles 3rd 0 v Dukinfield 2nd 37 14/04/2012

The third team just could not raise their game against
tough opponents and put in a very flat performance despite the amount of tackles they had to make .The visitors opened the scoring with a try in the corner before a delay in the proceedings with an injury to centre Wes Harrison .On resumption of play Eccles lost the unlucky scrum half Martin Ogden to a leg injury and were doubley punished as Dukinfield again scored in the corner.Dukinfield added a further barge over try under the posts and then slotted a penalty to lead 20-0 but Eccles should have replied just before the interval as prop Sean Barlow ignored winger John Brookes who had space to score and was bundled into touch. Straight from the restart Dukinfield regathered their kick off to score a soft try and then cemented their dominance with a drive over try . A yellow card to one of the visitors gave Eccles the chance to a last threaten the visitors line though Kevin Fitzgerald spurned the best opportunity after carving through the defensive ranks turned into right into traffic instead of left where he would surely have scored.A further Dukinfield try topped off a miserable day for the thirds only brighten by the tackling Adam Austin, Fitzgerald and Brookes together with some strong running fro9m backs Conner Mckinney and Brendan Cullen.

April 12, 2012 - 07:08 PM
Selby XV 0 v Eccles 3rd 83 07/04/2012

A break from league action saw the third team and fellow travellers undertake an Easter tour of the Middle East ( of Yorkshire that is Selby in fact ) to play amidst the endless expanse of farmland ,church spires and the occassional power station.The party travelled in high spirits each member sporting a pink fez with the Grand Mufti Steve Cartwright
resplendant in a genuine (nearly said kosher -wrong code) Egyptian one .The squad included a couple of ex pats wing commander Paul Fleming down from Preston at second row and commodore Frank Fleming up from Oswestry with his charge able seaman Shorthouse .The pack had all the usual regulars with plenty of age and experience with Steve Dore putting in an appearance in the back row with a vow not to commit one foul and miracle of miracles (as good as the raising of Lazarus) he succeded. The backs denuded through injury fielded a youthful lot except for Frank Fleming aptly attired in 1920's style shorts at scrum half and these colts were to prove too hot to handle for the hosts . The signs for mismatch came straight from the kick off as hooker Jamie Finch surged through for the opening try ans soon followed by one from fullback Tom Dutton. The next try saw the loudest cheer as winger Iain Rothwell backed up a break to go clean under the posts but it was suggested that it was really only Bobby Ewing type dream that this event had occurred . Tom Chapman added another after quite rightly be pulled back for forwards passes earlier though he was nearly thwarted by a phantom whistler from the crowd (a prop I believe who had the referee on his case which had not been lost as suspected ) Further tries followed from Will Hamer ,Greg Wilson and Tom Dutton to leave the visitors weel ahead at the interval. Selby rallied in the second half and put up a good show in the forwards foraging hard but paid the price on losing the ball as they just did not have the pace in the backs to stem the Eccles counters not matter how they tried. Tries came at steady rate for the thirds with Chapman ,Hamer and Wilson bothe adding to their tally with Dutton completing a hat trick with James Wright bagging one himself. Lee Morris grabbed the last one after Dave Bates again suffered wobbly legs in sight of line and was actually thwarted by a winger with only one arm. Thankfully Glen Cahill and Billy Borritt did not score though the latter tried to claim one but after scoring one recently another would have been the stuff of nightmares. Post match the touring party retired to the clubhouse for some convivial hospitality and were surprised to see a keg of local real ale which was no match for the Eccles cogniscenti of proper ale and was rapidly an empty cask.

April 02, 2012 - 06:59 PM
Glossop 3rd 67 v Eccles 3rd 7 31/03/2012

The thirds just about cobbled together a team but still travelled with only fourteen players and the best that can be said about the trip is the weather was sunny !. Sportingly Glossop prop Ian Mitchell volunteered to make up the numbers for Eccles who had a makeshift back line where Connor Thornley at scrum half ,Nick Spooner at stand off (his first match in while due to injury) and Tom Cook on the wing played creditably well. Eccles had to defend manfully in the first half against repeated forays from Glossop and remarkably even had the upper hand in the scrums but a few lapses saw the home side run in three tries to lead 21-0 at the interval. Eccles surprised the home side by scoring soon after recommencement of play with second row Andy Coops ploughing his not inconsiderable frame over the line from a short range penalty . Thornley added the conversion but straight from the restart the thirds were caught napping gifting the home side an immmediate response. The rest of the half was a toil as Glossop started to plie on the points and the cause was not helped by the loss of centre Danny Holland to injury causing another home player to don an Eccles jersey and by the time the other centre Mark League had also to go off injured leaving fourteen weary colleagues behind it was one way traffic in favour of Glossop.At least the was something to smile about as one enthuastic forward !! tried to rally the troops with "come on we don't be nilled lets score a try " but we have scored came the reply
" okay score this half then " we have five minutes ago came the response with much bewiderment .

March 26, 2012 - 07:14 PM
Eccles 3rd 36 v Old Aldwinians 4th 6 24/03/2012

The third team blossomed in the spring sunshine to produce some fine rugby to entertain an a large crowd (no doubt enticed by the beer festival) and record a handsome victory. Eccles started much the better of the two sides playing some excellent stuff managing to gain the advantage as centre
Kevin Fitzgerald shrugged off a tackle to score the opening try which Karl Wilkinson converted. The thirds piled on the pressure with scrum half Martin Ogden havig a try chalked off harshly for a double movement before prop Billy Borrett having just come on and with only his second touch took a short ball to plough over under the posts with Wilkinson again converting. Eccles should have put the result beyond doubt but squandered three of four gilt edged chances whilst incurring the wrath of the referee for far too many indescretions ( the penalty count about five to one in favour of the visitors) which led to yellow card for second row Nick Titley for persistant infringement though had only been on the field for three minutes( taking one for the team ).Aldwinians took advantage to land two penalties to leave them only 14-6 down at the interval. Soon after the restart Fitzgerald again used his speed and strength to dive over in the corner with Wilkinson adding the extras . Eccles could not repeat the superb form of the first half as the match settle into a fairly even contest that is until the visitors missed a penalty and the resulting drop out was quickly taken and a kindly bounce saw winger Nick Delaney race 50 metres before finding support from hooker Andy Davies who in turn fed Pete Jones scored under the sticks. This deflated the visitors and punctured any hopes of their revival and was just a question of how many more tries Eccles could add. Prop Shaun Barlow snatched the next one from a line out to race down the wing (10 yards) to score in the corner before back row Ben Plummer delivered the coup de grace finishing off some slick play to surge over the line.A lively display from the thirds with good quality rubgy in parts which merited a fine win.

March 19, 2012 - 07:10 PM
Eccles 3rd 0 v Rochdale 3rd 23 17/03/2012

The Eccles third team were in much better shape this week than the squad mauled last week to give the visitors Rochdale lying fourth in the league a tough time before they gained their expected victory. Although Rochdale had more of the possession and had the better chances being held up twice close to the line Eccles matched in many respects with the defence on tremendous form so much so that the match was scoreless for the first twenty five minutes. Rochdale eventually did manage to squeeze over for a try in the corner as their winger lost the ball in the tackle but regathered in mid air to touch down.Eccles then lost the services of scrum half Gary Hamer to the sin bin for blatant slowing down of play when penalty had been awarded(a calculated risk but a easy one for the referee). Rochdale landed a penalty to ease further ahead but Eccles could and should have been right in it just before the interval as winger Matt Parkinson chipped ahead and was about to regather virtually on the tryline but was deemed to have "marginally tackled early without the ball" . A penalty was awarded but the view from the touchline was if the that was case it should have a penalty try and eyebrows were raised no yellow card was forthcoming.The second half saw the debut of winger John Brookes as the game continued in a hard fought gritty fashion in increasingly slippery conditions . Rochdale managed to conjure a try in what was becoming a wearying contest for the forwards .As the match wore on frustrations increased especially as second row Dve Bates became the second Eccles player condemned to the sin bin ratherly unluckly
for although he had tried the referees patience in the rucks on this occassion he was blameless for it was a Rochdale hand which had scooped the ball out . Rochdale made the game safe with two late tries one in the final minute for win which they deserved but had to work harder than they anticipated. A solid performance all round with Simon Twigg having a burst which bullocked would tackler well out of the way and prop Andy Coops had a charge down and regather (his first he claims )so some players were left happy.

March 12, 2012 - 07:09 PM
Oldham 3rd 96 v Eccles 3rd 0 10/03/2012

It was not one of the thirds better days the successful squad of the previous week was decimated due to injuries ,call ups and the non availability of the colts leaving only sixteen left to travel to Oldham and that included three players just back from long term injury. A full strength side would have been needed to contain a powerful home side who boasted ten replacements if required and in the event it was one way traffic for most of the afternoon. The late arrival of three Eccles players mean't a lack of preparation and with only two front row players available to the visitors the match had to start with passive scrums .
Things only got worse for Eccles as scrum Martin Ogden lasted a mere five minutes succumbing to a neck injury in the tackle and then stand off Jack Walton had to depart
on fifteen minutes with a deeply gashed head . Eccles reorganised with flanker Kris Whitehead going to scrum half and centre Pete Heseltine to stand off but playing with a man short for the rest of the match would prove to be too much for the visitors .Despite
the best efforts of thirds the score move from 5-0 at the time of the injuries to 48-0 by the interval. The second half started badly with a gifted try and got no better for though Eccles tried to run the ball at each opportunity it was difficult to force a gap and every slip was punished by the home side.
The result had long been a foregone conclusion before Eccles were further reduced to thirteen men for the last ten minutes as full back Wes Harrison went off with a hand injury. It was a dispiriting afternoon for the thirds who would have had their hands full with a full squad to combat the home side who where a big strong athletic bunch. Man of the match for the thirds was Kris Whitehead who put in tremendous amount of work as stand in scrum half helped along with tireless support from flanker Will Kester and second row Andy Coops.

March 04, 2012 - 12:22 PM
Eccles 3rd 22 v Broughton 1st 03/03/2012

Eccles third team sprang a surprise to edge out league leaders Broughton in a highly entertaining all action match and deservedly so being the better of the two sides on the day.The thirds paraded a fair number of youngsters allied to the steadying hands of experience at half back of scrum half Martin Ogden and stand off Jack Walton . Broughton realised from early on that it would be no stroll in park as it had been in their home fixture as Eccles pressed straight from the opening whistle.An early score confirmed their fears as Reece James "charged down" a intended pass regathered to plunge over for try which Walton converted. A perfect start which Eccles looked likely to build on but it was the visitors who hit back when a perfect chip saw their centre touch down. The thirds bounced back and continued to carry the greater threat and increased their lead with Walton latching on to a long line out throw to dive over to score with James adding the extras. A 14-5 half time lead was fully merited and became even better as Walton landed a penalty but Broughton kept in touch with a try .Eccles seemed to have greated a winning margin as centre Wes Harrison finished off a fine move with a try which James converted but two late tries from Broughton introduced a few nervy moments before the final whistle. A fine performance form the team with a deserved win which was no fluke with a tremendous performance from all the squad with a man of match going to Jack Walton his ditribution and tactical kicking though Reece James was not far behind and the evergreen Andy Davies the pick of the forwards .Skipper Dave Bates could be proud of his teams efforts which saw debuts for Ojo fetiajosiah, Tom Coook and Andy Cooper an d the return of Dan Thomas from injury and Tony Hudson from inn keeeping

February 20, 2012 - 07:02 PM
Burnage 4th 0 vEccles 3rd 13 18/02/2012

The big freeze relented to allow the thirds to take to the road for a hard fought league encounter whose quality belied the fact that both sides had been idle for a fortnight. The conditions were heavy underfoot freshened by a pre match hailstorm thus favouring the defence as it was hard to maintain a penetrating break .
Eccles fielded a youthful backline except for scrum half or auxiliary flanker as some call it Stuart Smith with two debutants at centre in Paul Hargreaves and Jake Darcy .These two in particular and the backs in general produced some wonderful moves in the first half and threatened to take the match completely away from the home side but dogged defence and slip here and there kept the score line blank until a great piece handling saw Darcy get over in the corner for the opening try. An even better move saw him grab a second try and visions of a bebut hatrick loomed but that was the last of the try scoring for the sfternoon though both sides came awfully close no more than winger Paul Thornley who hacked through a charge down only to nudge the ball forward inches short of the tryline. An entertaining half ended with Eccles a slender 10-0 advantage at the interval which should merited more for their efforts. The forwards who worked hard in the first half really raised their game in the second as the home side tried to force the issue with their lively back row especially the Eccles back three of debutant Mike Mpofu at number eight and flankers Kris Whitehead and Steve Gregory who thwarted such attacks with awesome tackling. In fact all the team despite a dodgy ten minutes defended magnificently with hooker Alex Pugh putting in a tremendous tackle count. A late surge by Eccles brought due reward as Burnage were penalised and James Cunningham
slotted over the penalty. A great effort by Dave Bates men to not concede a point in a excellant match played in great spirit by both teams. A mention for that old Greek at scrum half Smithy who made one sparkling break which nearly resulted in a score got robbed of the ball once (a rarity )and produced a through the legs torpedo pass which reached a target though the intended one and to prop Jacob Henderson who produced a back door pass any fly half whould have been proud of.

January 30, 2012 - 07:08 PM
Bury 3rd 7 v Eccles 3rd 7 28/01/2012

The injury jinx struck the third team at Bury yet again with second row Ben Chapman breaking his ankle in the week of his eighteenth birthday this following on from Mike Farne breaking his leg against their second string earlier in the season . Eccles had much the better of the first half having more of the possession and the territorial advantage posing a threat with each attack whilst providing a solid defence with centre Steve Bagnall serving up a man of the match performance tackling and stopping all who came his way no matter how big.Eccles took a while despite coming close a number of times to finally breach the home defence with success as scrum half Reece James broke from halfway before passing to flanker with the" veteran legs" Stuart Smith who finding a return pass blocked found space on the inside to high step a tackle before speeding under the posts to score with James adding the conversion. Bury tried to reply with forward power primarily usuing their giant prop to attempt to breach the visitors line though was once stopped in his tracks by a crunching tackle from prop James Cunningham .Fullback Brendan Cullen was again on form running back Bury's kicks and creating promising opportunities for the Eccles backs but further tries just would not come .Minutes before the interval the forwards worked hard and the scoring chance finally beckoned but as Chapman drove forward for line he was brought down tantilisingly short and in the crush of bodies the jinx struck .The half time whistle was immediately blown but then a lengthy delay followed as Ben was treated before removal to hospital and Eccles had to reorganise with only one replacement as the other had already replaced the injured wing Iain Rothwell.Bury also rang the changes with inumerable replacements on the side line to such an extent that they changed threequarters of the pack in the second period. On recommencement of play Bury tore into the fray with renewed vigour whilst Eccles became a bit ragged having to defend for most of that half. A change of putting Nick Titley at number two in the lineout proved inspired as it cut down the amount of possession the home side had garnered up to that point. Despite tremendous defence something had to give and Bury managed to squeeze in from a try in the corner with added conversion tieing up the scores. Both teams had a failed penalty attempt apiece to snatch the lead before Eccles rallied with a late surge and almost snatched victory as a James panalty fell agonisingly just under the. crossbar This was not a case of points dropped but a point gained for the team showed great spirit and tackled their hearts out despite misfortune of that injury and stuck to their task despite all those fresh legs thrown on by their opponents

January 16, 2012 - 07:07 PM
Eccles 3rd 12 v Bury 2nd 14/01/2012

The thirds welcomed Bury to Gorton Street and having lost out in the away fixture earlier in the season hoped to give a better account of themselves despite on paper not having a particularly strong squad.In actual fact they excelled expectations by dominating for most of the match especially in the first half playing as they did in the second half last week working as a unit suporting one another and making the tackles. It must have surprised the visitors to have so few chances in that first half as Eccles as Eccles stretched their defence to the limit .The mystery was how the match remained scoreless for so long as the thirds pressed but failed to deliver the coup de gras . Eventually fullback Brendan Cullen who previously made inroads into the Bury defence collected a clearance kick and proceeded to weave passed several defenders along the touchline defore scoring under the posts .Sam Thomson converted but Ecclles were not able to add more to the tally and had to be content a poor reward of a seven point lead at the interval. In the second half Bury had more of a share of the action though Eccles were still the better side without translating it into points though a great pushover "try" touched down by returned director of rugby Stuart Smith was ruled out strangely as held up. The thirds were guilty of some rushed play when compusure was required allowing the visitors a sniff of the tryline from the resultant errors but fortunately the defensive tackling was to the mark to snuff out any such chances. It was not until the final minutes that the match was mathmatically secure when solid play from the forwards saw the reach stand off Lee Murphy on his game back from a long injury lay off who arced his way to the corner to dive over for a try. A grafting display from the forwards despite the lapses in the line out and less than secure scrum but the loose play and defence wes par excellance with flanker Connor Mckinney to the fore. Not to be outdone the backs had a chance to shine and didnot disapppoint with Cullen at full back secure and elusive centres Sam Thomson and Steve Bagnall on the button with the tackles and adventurous in attack. The wingers usually get neglected but encouraged by Archie Bates on the touchline Iain Rothwell and Nick Delaney fielded the ball well and made yards on the return with bright and bold runs. Another win for captain Dave Bates but he seems to be suffering form white line phobia as opposed to fever as yet one more scoring chance went a begging whilst Andy Davies was excellent at scrum half for no minutes !.

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