Warrington RUFC vs Walasey RUFC

Warrington maintained their unbeaten start to the season on Saturday but will regard this draw as a point lost rather than one gained.  It has moved them one place up the table to 3rd but given the abundance of possession and territory the home team enjoyed it is Wallasey that left Walton Lea Road the happier of the two teams.

Wallasey are a notoriously difficult side to score points against.  In the corresponding fixture last season Warrington only won by the slenderest of margins despite being on top for all the game and last Saturday’s game was no different.  Wallasey had an uncompromising pack, superbly led by their goalkicking loose head prop, and a young, speedy backline who fought valiantly although they were forced to play the game for long periods without the ball

After a bright opening from Warrington it was the visitors who opened the scoring against the run of play when their stand-off dummied his way over from 20 yards for a converted try.  Warrington quickly hit back and after sustained pressure Neil Sullivan crashed over from close range and Matt Rockey converted to level the scores.  For the second consecutive week Wayne Lawrence was forced to leave the field early with an injury but with Tom Darbyshire and Paul Gill together for the first time this season in the second row Warrington remained on top.

The pattern of the game then remained the same throughout.  Warrington attacked, Wallasey defended excellently before eventually giving away a penalty close to their line with Matt Rockey slotting the kick to give Warrington a three point advantage.  Wallasey would then kick off, Warrington would fail to deal with the kick off, give away a penalty themselves and the Wallasey kicker would convert it.  Consequently, Warrington led 10-7, 13-10 and 16-13 and each time were pegged back.

In the final seconds of the match Matt Rockey was hurt in a tackle and had to leave the field.  Shaun Mc Dermott was brought on but his attempt to kick the resultant penalty fell ten yards short and the points were shared.

Both sides have ambitions to gain promotion this season and their early form indicated they could well be in the race going into the final stages of the season.  Whether either can continue to fulfill this early promise remains to be seen.  This game was marred by a brawl that neither side took a backward step in but with a player from either side dispatched to the sin-bin calm returned for the final quarter of the game.

Warrington are on the road again next week as they travel to Crewe & Nantwich to play another of the early pace setters, although they suffered a surprise defeat at Orrell Anvils last weekend.

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