ALDWINIANS 52 - 7 WARRINGTON

Aldwinians gave early warning of their willingness, and ability, to play an open game when they moved the ball down the line from the starting kick. A last gasp tap tackle from winger Luke Turner averted a try but Warrington were under pressure deep in their own 22. A trade mark, long, stress relieving kick from stand-off Luke Little put the ball back in the Aldwinians half but the counter attack was good and, with Warrington’s defence at sixes and sevens, Aldwinians registered their first try.

From the restart, Aldwinians again fed the ball along their back division and, with Warrington unable to get their act together, rang up a second try.

Warrington were between a rock and a hard place. The heavy conditions underfoot meant it was advisable to play a territorial game. Little’s long kicks initially earned yards but these tended to be recovered by Aldwinians in their counter attacks. Often Warrington did manufacture good attacking positions from these kicks but too often the ball was knocked on or not sufficiently well protected and was turned over.

Aldwinians racked up two more tries one from the simple expedient of moving the ball wide and another from snapping up a dropped ball as Warrington attacked.

In the thirtieth minute, however, a well-timed pass from scrum-half Ollie Hudson on half-way put winger Ryan Eastwood away. The big winger took the ball up to the Aldwinian 22 and, following his tackle, quick ball provided by hooker Jamie Sterling opened the door for a try for captain Josh Downes, Little converted. 24-7.

On the stroke of half time, Aldwinians scored again, not from any sustained pressure in the Warrington half but through their well-coordinated back division breaking out from their own 22.

HT 31-7

The third quarter was Warrington’s purple patch where all the play was in Aldwinian territory. Warrington successfully kept possession in the forwards and threatened the Aldwinian line on numerous occasions. However, committed running notably, from props John and Sam Bennett and back rower Carl Wilson on his debut, and quick recycling could not break down the Aldwinian defence even when their No8 got his marching orders for 10 minutes for pulling Hudson back as he chased a grubber kick for the tryline.

Aldwinians tended to have the edge in the set scrums and the retirement from the fray by Sam Bennett with a calf injury did not improve the situation. Aldwinians got themselves back into the game and ran in 3 more tries in in the last quarter.

Back rower Richard Hall also made his debut, unfortunately a baptism of fire for him, but Warrington once again suffered from an inability to field a settled side.

FT 52-7

Report by Roy Potts WRUFC