1XV MATCH REPORT TEAM SHEETS Fleetwood 32 - 32 Eccles Eccles headed to a bright and breezy Fleetwood on Saturday looking to improve on the 11-11 draw at Gorton Street last December where the teams had slugged it out in appauling weather, with a resilient Fleetwood snatching a share of points with a late penalty. Fleetwood enjoyed the early possession, but Eccles were comfortable in their defensive work and soaked up the initial artillery from the home forwards. When the opportunity came to take possession and break up field, Eccles were quick to do so. A penalty was swiftly taken by Chris Fortune who seized the chance to catch Fleetwood napping, his pass to the equally alert James Wright, playing at scrum half, set in motion a rapid attack, finding Will Parkinson on the left wing who slid in at the corner for the opening score on 9 minutes. 0-5. Fleetwood responded from the restart and their Hooker crashed over the line on the left to equal the score on 13 mins. The strong wind was proving a problem for the kicking of both teams and the conversion was missed. 5-5. Eccles did not take long to respond themselves. On 17 mins a break out of defence from Rory McGrath, with quick work from Wright and Aspinall in the centre, set Gavin Ackers Johnson free on the right wing, who shrugged off tackles and swept around the fullback to run it in behind the posts; converted. 5-12. Playing at pace, Eccles continued to apply sustained attacking pressure on Fleetwood. On 34 mins, a series of line outs on the right inside the 22, with Zak Brooker providing dependable hands in the air, resulted in an Eccles penalty in front of the sticks, calmly dispatched by Wright. 5-15. Once again Fleetwood looked to reduce the deficit taking the game into Eccles territory. Following a Fleetwood scrum Javi Manzanares ripped possession from the attack and Chris Fortune was on hand to kick to touch to bring the first half to a close. Though Eccles had earned a decent lead through speed and better precision in attack, it was a competitive contest, and with the wind and a bigger pack behind them in the second period, a strong fight back from the home team was expected. HT 5-15. Eccles made a good restart, wining a penalty and a quick reaction once again from Wright and Fortune, released Gav on the right wing who swerved in and out to evade his challengers before offloading inside to the supporting Fly Half Harry Candland who steamed in under the sticks for a third Eccles Try; converted. 5-22. The 17-point cushion appeared to make Eccles complacent. A penalty inside the 22 gave Fleetwood a platform for thier tighthead prop to crash over to side of the posts. 12-22. A few minutes later Eccles were caught playing in the wrong areas and gifted an easy penalty in centre field. 15-22. A response was required and at 55 mins an Eccles break on the right resulted in defensive chaos inside the Fleetwood 22. From the penalty, Eccles kicked to the corner for the line out and the forwards executed an unstoppable driving maul in the corner for Hooker Tom Coe to claim the try. 15-27. Undeterred, Fleetwood forwards piled on the pressure and a long pass out wide left found the fullback who dived in at 20-27. With Fleetwood pressing for the corner. late points, a terrific jackal and turnover from Dan Aspinall regained possession and provided the opportunity for Eccles to regroup. Quick work from backs' created an opening on the left for Tim Bologun who weaved through the feild before opening up the gas to speed away into the open Fleetwood half to score a glorious try. The conversation kick into a strong head wind didn't make the target, but surely a 12-point cushion with 10 minutes to play would be enough, wouldn’t it? 20-32. The Fleetwood forwards pounded away and at 75 mins their scrum half sniped around the ruck to breach the Eccles line and score; the conversion hit the post. 25-32. From the restart Eccles lost possession in midfield, the penalty put Fleetwood within striking distance. The hosts kicked to the corner and from the line out the inevitable driving maul trucked over the line with the number 6 scoring at the death. 30-32. The conversion missed its target, but the referee insisted it was retaken because the charge down was not silent. The next kick was successful and remarkably the match ended in draw. Last play. Ten Tries. Two very different styles of play. Honours even once again. FT 32-32.
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