ANSELMIANS 2ND XV 38 – 21 WARRINGTON 2ND XV

Warrington were finally able to complete the fixture delayed from the start of the season by lack of numbers. Numbers were again short but filled on the day by promising new recruits from Iran, returning stalwarts, guests for the day and help from the first XV who did not have a fixture.

The more cohesive home team were quickly on the board with a try through their backs and another through their forwards 20 minutes later after a number of pick and drives. Warrington struggled to gain, or retain, possession. At the line-out, despite the height of jumper Jack Barker, a lack of the essential coordination between thrower, lifters and jumper took its toll. With ball in hand, although, Warrington proved threatening particularly through the unlikely pairing of veteran John Welsh, relatively new to the code, and back-rower Will Morgan in the centre slots. Warrington tended to be slower to the breakdown, however, so Anselmians turned the ball over.
It was Anselmians then who added another try before the interval piling over from a line-out where their driving maul was particularly effective.

HT 19-0.

5 minutes into the second half Morgan took a short pass on the Anselmian 22 from general and scrum-half Matt Rockey. A combination of hand-offs, side stepping and brute force got him through considerable traffic for a fine individual try. Matt Beeley added the extras but, on the restart, Warrington allowed the ball to bounce into touch deep in their own 22 and were once again under pressure. Despite an initial break-out by scrum half Rockey, Anselmians maintained the pressure and added another try. 24-7.

With 15 minutes gone Dan Griffith playing on the wing received a yellow card for a high tackle. Anselmians made the most of their extra man and ran in a try under the posts. In the subsequent rearrangements, the crowd experienced the rare sight of Christian White filling in at wing-forward! However, with 5 props to choose from, this situation did not prevail for long and with White restored to the front row Warrington proceeded to accomplish that now most unusual of tasks of winning ball against the head.
Warrington now had the edge in the scrums and gained a pushover try with wing-forward Mosen Ghaderi finally touching down, Beeley converted. 31-14. Unfortunately, Anselmians fielded the restart and went over for their sixth try.

Warrington had the last word, however, when prop Daffydd Floyd took a short ball at the front of a line out and bustled 25 metres up to the Anselmian line. Although he was brought down just short, Ghaderi was on hand to burrow over for his second try, Beeley converted.

FT 38-21

Anselmians greatest advantage, and Warrington’s lack, on the day lay precisely in those parts of the game where a little coordination goes a long way i.e. line-outs, and driving mauls and the counter to them.

Roy Potts WRUFC