An early mistake from Warrington put them on the back foot in the first minute. Taking the kick-off and running the ball from the 22 with their usual panache, they conceded an interception giving Eccles a try. 5-0

Amends were quickly made, however. Warrington kept the ball through a long period of open play which saw the ball flow from left to right, right to left with the denouement a try from No8 and captain Danny Fleming. JP Hudson added the conversion to put Warrington ahead with six minutes gone. 5-7

Eccles stuck to their guns, and the ball, churning their way upfield with their heavy pack running onto the ball, recycling quickly and making inevitable yards despite committed Warrington tackling. Once in the Warrington 22 they moved the ball wider where, finding the Warrington defence a bit more porous, they touched down in the fifteenth minute to regain the lead. 12-7

Ten minutes later Warrington were under pressure at a scrum on their 5m line. Although Eccles could make no headway against the much lighter Warrington pack, they again found Warrington’s Achilles heel when they moved the ball wide where some good angles of running earned them another try. 17-7

However, two minutes later winger Luke Turner pulled one back for Warrington, capitalising on the space provided by earlier sharp passing from Hudson and full back Max Caldwell. Although the try went unconverted, Hudson made sure just minutes later from within the Eccles 22 when they were penalised for a high tackle. 17-15

Centre Archie Kellet was next on the board for Warrington on the stroke of half time as he finished off a storming break by centre Ryan Newton, carried on by the most unlikely of wingers, but jack-of-all-trades, Austin Carr, deputising for the injured Caldwell. With the conversion from Hudson Warrington turned round at the interval in the lead.

HT 17-22

Hudson edged Warrington 8 points ahead with another penalty five minutes into the second half but Eccles scored their bonus point try ten minutes later rumbling over from a 5m line out. 22-25

Shortly after, it looked as if Warrington were on their way for their try bonus but the referee belatedly stopped play to award them a penalty for an Eccles yellow card infringement. Warrington were not to be denied, however, when Carr, obviously growing into his wing position, scored Warrington’s fourth try wide on the right. 22-30

Quick thinking from Archie Kellett earned his second try as he took a short penalty just outside the Eccles 22 and scampered through their flat-footed defence for an excellent solo effort, Hudson with the conversion. 22-37

Warrington’s superior fitness and speed now became more apparent as scrum half Harrison Turner picked up from the back of a scrum on the half way line and dashed up the Eccles 5m line. Although Turner was brought down just metres short, the ubiquitous Johnny Evans was on hand to finish things off, Hudson converted. 22-44

Although the Eccles pack had clearly lost steam by this stage, even to the extent of being put under pressure at the set piece, their back division had not and again breached the Warrington defence taking some good angles through the centre. 29-44

Prop Tom Green scored Warrington’s last try as he made the final yards of a sustained, short-range onslaught on the Eccles line by the Warrington pack, Hudson adding the extras. 29-51

The nip and tuck of the first half, began to swing Warrington’s way in the last quarter of the game. Warrington’s committed tackling coped well with the waves of Eccles’s big short range runners. As these runners began to run out of puff, they did not arrive so quickly or frequently and their attacks lost momentum. A reduction in the penalty count and in unforced errors, albeit there were two interceptions, improved Warrington’s ratio of possession and again reinforced the adage that the best defence is attack.

FT 29-51

Team:-
1) T.Green, 2) A.Stewart, 3) S.Bennett, 4) W.Morgan, 5) J.Evans, 6) S.Antrobus,
7) Andy Kellett, 8) D.Fleming (c), 9) H.Turner, 10) JP Hudson, 11) L.Turner, 12) A.Kellett, 13) R.Newton, 14) K.Sherrett, 15) M.Caldwell

Bench:- 16) C.Wilson, 17) J.Barker, 18) A.Carr

Report by Roy Potts WRUFC

Next game: - Warrington v Liverpool St Helens on 3rd January 2026 KO 2:15p