On a misty Sunday morning at Heywood Road, two determined squads took to the field for what turned out to be a high-quality and hard-fought contest between Sale FC and Warrington U15s. Both sides were hit by late withdrawals before kick-off, with Warrington even lending Sale a player in each half to ensure the match went ahead competitively. In the spirit of challenge and development, Warrington provided two of their top three scorers this season for the task.

With the season’s long-term goals in mind, Warrington also used the opportunity to test players in new positions, a much need exercise in building depth and flexibility across the squad.

The opening ten minutes were an arm-wrestle as both teams battled for control. The defensive work from both sides was fierce, but it was Warrington who drew first blood. A powerful team move by the forwards ended with Tai Beddall crashing over the line, Will Reynolds (Sponsored by Just Builders (NW) Ltd.) adding the extras for a 7–0 lead.

Soon after, Warrington doubled their advantage with a superb flowing move, Charlie Howson (Sponsored by Sigma Solutions) released Marcus Chan into space with a perfectly timed pass, and Marcus showed his pace and composure to finish in the corner. The conversion drifted wide, but Warrington were good value for their 12–0 lead.

Sale refused to go quietly. They built pressure through sustained possession and capitalised on some indiscipline from the visitors. A clever cross-field kick was expertly finished in the corner, narrowing the gap to 12–5.

Warrington didn’t take the score lying down and soon responded. Playing his first game in the forwards, at No. 8, Dexter Spurling picked up the ball in space and showcased his power and agility, breaking through several tackles before racing clear to score under the posts. Will Reynolds (Sponsored by Just Builders (NW) Ltd). converted to make it 19–5, and that’s how the half ended, with Warrington firmly on top but knowing Sale were still in the fight.

The second half began with Warrington again on the front foot. A dynamic break from Hari Owen split the defence, and though he could have gone himself, he unselfishly passed to Charlie Howson (Sponsored by Sigma Solutions), who raced away to finish another well-worked try. The conversion was missed, but the lead stretched to 24–5.

Sale showed tremendous spirit and refused to fade, indiscipline from Warrington saw Billy Woolvine ( Sponsored by Service Metals Group ) having 6 minutes in the Sin Bin, and Sale well and truly capitalised. A well-placed kick and determined chase saw Logan Jones ( Sponsored by The Brass Monkey), playing for Sale in the second half, pounce on a defensive mix-up to score. The conversion brought it to 24–12. Moments later, almost a carbon copy followed, another kick through, another relentless chase, and Logan Jones ( Sponsored by The Brass Monkey) again gathered to score his second try of the half. Another successful conversion brought Sale right back into the contest at 24–19 and really highlighted the strength of their kick and chase game.

That resurgence proved to be the wake-up call Warrington needed. The visitors raised their intensity in both defence and attack, and after a series of strong carries, Sam Tester (Sponsored by Bex Jones Hair Stylist) spotted a gap on the blindside and darted through to score. Will Reynolds (Sponsored by Just Builders (NW) Ltd) added the conversion to move the score to 31–19.

The next ten minutes saw chances at both ends, but strong defence and a few handling errors kept the score unchanged. Warrington finished the match in commanding style, working their way back up field and putting the ball into the hands of the ever-impressive Hari Owen, who crossed for a richly deserved try. Will Reynolds (Sponsored by Just Builders (NW) Ltd)again converted to seal the 38–19 victory.

It was an entertaining and hard-fought game, with both teams showing resilience and determination throughout. Several Warrington players put their hands up for MOM with great performances, but it was Hari Owen for his work in both defence and attack that saw him awarded MOM.

A special thanks goes to Joss Ivins (Sponsored by Combined Chemical Services), Logan Jones (Sponsored by The Brass Monkey), and Oscar Platt, who all stepped up to play for Sale at various points — each putting in maximum effort and showing great sportsmanship, even when lining up against their usual teammates.

Final Score: Sale FC U15s 19 – 38 Warrington U15s
MOM – Hari Owen