Report by Roy Potts WRUFC

With the formal season over, Warrington travelled to Shrewsbury for the first round of the PAPA John’s Cup North Plate. Although former regular competitors, this was the first time the two sides had met in the 21st century.

Warrington started the game like a tornado and with the breeze at their backs pinned the home side on their try line when the starting kick was fumbled. Twice held up over the line and once denied a try when the last pass to centre Kevin McCombie was judged forward, Warrington were not to be frustrated when first Ty Hamblett then Will Morgan reduced the metres that burly prop, Christian White, finally had to make for a well-deserved try. 0-5.

Five minutes later veteran winger Mark Tickle chalked up Warrington’s second try following some scintillating handling from centre partnership McCombie and Josh Riley ably abetted by Max Caldwell from fullback. Matt Beeley converted judging the wind faultlessly. 0-12.

Warrington were in dominant form and slick offloads from Morgan and Luke Turner kept the ball alive as Warrington swept down the pitch, Caldwell again providing the final pass for Tickle’s second try. Beeley converted. 0-19. Beeley’s sensible use of the wind, good chasing and uncompromising tackling from Phil Lynch in particular all contrived to keep Shrewsbury on the back foot in their own half.

Twenty-five minutes in Shrewsbury finally opened their tally with a penalty in the 22 for a Warrington high tackle. 3-19.

From the restart Warrington gained control from a line out deep in Shrewsbury territory. A subsequent free kick, taken quickly by Charlie Hughes got the scrum-half to within 5 metres of the try line. Strong drives by Hamblett and White were repulsed, but when the ball was fed a little wider Beeley jinked his way over for Warrington’s fourth try which he converted. 3-26.

Shrewsbury bounced back with a well worked try, their fly-off looping round and combining with their centre who sliced through and under the posts. However, Warrington had the last word in the half as Beeley converted a penalty in the last play. 10-29.

HT 10-29

If Warrington had dominated for the first thirty minutes of the first half Shrewsbury dominated for the first twenty of the second. Form the restart, a poor clearance kick was collected by Shrewsbury’s flying centre who promptly ran the ball back for a try wide on the right. 15- 29.
Warrington responded with pressure of their own but, with the try line beckoning, the last pass from Almond to Riley went astray. It was Shrewsbury’s turn to use the wind, gaining a penalty as they kept Warrington in their 22. The penalty earned Warrington a yellow card for the high tackle and Shrewsbury a try under the posts from a quick take. 22-29.

A second yellow for another Warrington high tackle followed in quick succession reducing Warrington to thirteen men and compounding Warrington’s woes as Rocky Turner made yet another come back as front-row substitute for the sin-binned Hamblett, centre Sam Rehill already having come on to replace the hapless second rower, Josh Maskery, retired with a dislocated shoulder.

Despite the positional turmoil and reduction in numbers, Warrington’s defence held firm. Once restored to full strength, another try from 20 metres out from the elusive Beeley capitalised on a break by Riley continued by Lynch and Turner fils.

FT 22-34

Despite a continuing churn in personnel both before and during the game, Warrington showed real resilience and adaptability, with players maybe playing out of position but certainly not playing like fish out of water.

A big thank you to the players that travelled to represent Warrington RUFC and also to a number of supporters who made the journey.

A special mention to Kirsty, club physio, with the aid of a video call to Fiona, managed to put Josh Maskery’s dislocated shoulder back in, great team effort ladies.