A motley crew, assembled in the main by Rockey Turner from old Warrington hands, some more recent Warrington hands and some new recruits, took to the field as Warrington Vets for their first outing of the year. Apart from one outing last year this was the first Vets team to perform for more than two decades and the aim is re-establishing the team on a more regular basis.

As referee, the magisterial Kevin Jones provided the necessary control although, perhaps in deference to the average age of the players, it was not immediately clear from which era his interpretation of the laws came from.

Warrington attacked from the start and a break from new recruit from South Africa Charles Jansen playing at centre made space for winger Paul Beddard. Although Beddard was hauled down just short on this occasion, he touched down successfully a minute later linking well with centre Mark Tickle. Tickle added the conversion from in front of the sticks. 7-0

Moore equalised five minutes later when some elusive running took their centre through the middle and under the posts. Moore continued to exert pressure through their forwards but some big hits from middle rower Duncan Joubert, another South African recruit, took the edge off these attacks. 7-7

In the seventeenth minute Joubert was in attacking mode, barging down the field, providing a neat off-load for stand-off Jon Farrell who in turn snapped a pass out to Beddard who romped home for his second try. 12-7

Just before half time captain Turner flopped over from short range after a break from Deon Swanepoel, Warrington’s third South African, laid the foundations for a period of pressure on the Moore line.

Half time 17-7

Moore started the second half on the offensive and kept play in the Warrington 22 but a timely tackle from back rower Dan Johnson forced a knock on. From the resultant scrum No 8 Sean Yoxall picked and went making space for fellow back rower Aaron Potter. A neat break from Potter put centre Jansen away. John Spreadbury in support had the line at his mercy but the ball from Jansen did not go to hand and a scoring opportunity went a begging.

Moore returned to the Warrington half and with ten minutes gone added a second try from their speedy standoff combining well with their centre. 17-14

At the set piece Warrington tended to have the advantage but with the numerous comings and goings as both sides brought on substitutes to give aging bones and muscles some relief it was hard to see which particular combination worked best. Moore, however, had the worst of the exchanges and Warrington’s Tom Stubbs and Danny Griffiths both found themselves in Moore colours as the game took its toll. Stubbs, formerly a prop, had been learning new skills as a line-out jumper since he turned out to be the lightest forward on the day but was not pressed into using them for Moore.

Twenty minutes in Yoxall picked up from the base of a scrum on the Moore 10 metre line and opened an opportunity for winger Beddard. The final pass back inside, however, to scrum half James Farrell did not go to hand and another try scoring opportunity was squandered.

Moore then broke out from their 22, going the length of the pitch to score under Warrington’s posts.17-21

Five minutes later as Warrington attacked in the Moore 22, they nearly repeated the feat but for a try saving tackle by Jansen.

With minutes to go it was Jansen who put Warrington back in the lead, scoring under the posts to give Farrell an easy conversion.

FT 24-21

Although the general pace of the game was slower, there was no shortage of skill or commitment from both sides to give the numerous spectators an entertaining afternoon.