WARRINGTON 25 - 71 DIDSBURY TOC H

Warrington started at blistering speed opening the scoring in the fourth minute with a try from prop Ward on the end of a movement built on successive carries by back rowers Lynch and Fleming. Standoff Luke Little’s reliable boot added the conversion. 7-0

From the restart Toc H regained possession, swept up to the Warrington 5 metre line with a series of phases but had to settle for a scrum. The front row of Ward, White and Rowan, playing against their old colleague Tom Green, now in Toc H colours, gave Warrington the edge at the set piece, but the visitors managed to scramble the ball away and were awarded an easy penalty at the subsequent breakdown in front of the posts. 7-3

Warrington’s superiority at the set piece and the harrying of his opposite number by scrum half Rigby gave Warrington possession in the Toc H 22 providing a platform for numerous assaults from close range. But, in turn, Warrington’s only reward for all the effort was a penalty duly slotted by Little in the twelfth minute. 10-3

Little stretched the lead 5 minutes later with a second penalty but Toc H responded in the twentieth minute with a converted try. 13-10.

From the restart second row Baker retained possession for Warrington, handed on to his fellow second rower Maskery who in turn fed captain Downes who was unstoppable from 20metres out. The try under the posts gave Little an easy conversion. Toc H struck back almost immediately, however. An impressive return kick from Little forced Toc H back to their own 22 but with clean line-out ball and a break through the centre they ran the length of the pitch to score under the posts. 20--17.

The visitors added another try a few minutes later snapping up a loose ball after some combined hard scrabble from first Downes then Fleming had taken Warrington to within 15m of the TocH line. 20-24.

Warrington returned to the attack and again came close but long passes from stand-off Little did not stick and were in danger of leaving Warrington exposed had Toc H managed to intercept or grab the loose ball. With the last play of the half Toc H, in an alarmingly familiar manner, broke through in the centre to secure their fourth try. 20-31.

HT 20-31

Although Warrington’s close defence was solid, the same could not be said when the ball was moved wide, and Toc H continued to exploit this weakness, running in five more tries without response. Warrington’s best defence was in attack and they were not without chances. A break by centre Bass looked promising but his kick for winger Turner was collected by Toc H on the try line and Warrington, getting slower to the break down, could not recover possession.

It was not until the 75th minute that Warrington finally added their third try initiated by Baker from a line-out on half way. Taken on by Lynch, with some forceful handoffs, then Rowan who fed winger Turner for the last dash to the line. Unfortunately, Warrington were not to have the last word as, in the few remaining minutes Toc H fielded a poor clearance kick and romped through a scattered Warrington defence for their final try. The Toc H kicker was in fine form converting all bar one of their tries.

FT 25-71

Stalwart full back Andy Almond’s being the sole member remaining from the previous week’s back division highlights the major reason for Warrington’s defeat. With a a wealth of Individual talent, Warrington, with ball in hand were a formidable force and scored three sparkling tries to prove it. Without the ball, the lack of familiarity within the back division resulted in a fragile defence which a nippy, well-drilled opposition exploited mercilessly.