Warrington RUFC vs Oswestry

Warrington dropped two vital League points on Saturday when they lost at home to Oswestry. Warrington’s cause was not helped when Andy James declared his unavailability for the next 2 games on Thursday night and they were further hampered when his half back partner Peter Cannon limped off with a hamstring injury sustained in the act of scoring Warrington’s first try.

With a strong wind at their backs Warrington took a little time to get into the match but on their first attack Cannon bustled over from close range for a try that James Shaw converted. Warrington’s inability to successfully manage the kick off saw the visitors immediately put them under pressure and weak tackling, which was to be a constant throughout in the Warrington backline, allowed Oswestry to score a converted try under the posts to level the scores.

Poor kicking from hand meant Warrington were never able to put the Oswestry defence under any sustained pressure and it was the closing minute of the first half before they regained the lead when Neil Sullivan worked his way over from close range.

The visitors were quickly level at the start of the second period as some woeful tackling allowed the opposition centre to race through from 35 yards out to score a try wide out. The following 20 minutes saw little threatening play from either side until Warrington hit a purple patch.  Firstly, Shaw kicked a penalty to put them ahead again and five minutes later it was the same players deft slight of hand that created the space for Anton Fields to burst over.

With fifteen minutes left, eight points ahead and a visiting team looking tired and beaten Warrington should have pushed ahead.  Sadly and not for the first time this season they held onto rather than try to extend their lead and with disastrous consequences.

A penalty conceded at the ruck was too far away from the line to have a kick at goal until back chat to the referee saw us marched back 10 metres and put the kick at goal within distance. A successful kick narrowed the gap to five points. From the restart a Warrington play was caught offside and from the resultant scrum the Oswestry full back battered one Warrington defensive attempt out of the way and raced clear to touch down under the posts with no other Warrington player troubling themselves to make even an attempted tackle. The conversion put the visitors ahead for the first, only and final time in the match.

Although Warrington secured enough possession and territory in the final 10 minutes every opportunity was wasted through ill discipline, over enthusiasm and a lack of patience.  Oswestry held firm and deserved their win.

Whilst Warrington will look to the enforced absence of their two half-backs as a major contributing factor to this unexpected loss they still had sufficient dominance to have won the game comfortably.  If promotion is to become a reality better control of valued possession and a basic ability and willingness to tackle are essential.

This Saturday, Warrington travel back to Liverpool Collegiate, where they won narrowly by 9pts-5 a fortnight ago.  This game is a second round tie in the Lancashire Plate

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