First XV match report – 09.02.08
WALLASEY 20-20 ORMSKIRK
It seems unlikely but Ormskirk’s First team recorded their second draw in as many weeks when a tense battle against Wallasey ended honours-evens on Saturday. In the closest battle this season Kirk kept hold of the lead until the dying minutes, but a conversion kick from the touch line prevented the visitors from taking 2 league points.
Ormskirk took ten minutes to warm up in this fixture, in which time, Wallasey showed that they were more than willing to run the ball out of defence and play strong attacking rugby. Mark Webster at flanker put in some enthusiastic defence work, so much so that he would eventually be binned for, as the referee saw it, ‘over exuberant play’.
After sustained pressure Kirk’s defence, began to mould into attack. When Ben Davies made a break from the side of a ruck and off loaded to Captain Cliff Kirby the stage was set for fly-half Whalley to execute a sublime pass to inside centre Matt Johnson. Johnson, no stranger to dazzling foot-work, side stepped the full-back and scored leaving a straightforward Kick for Whalley.
The run of play kept going Ormskirk’s way and Wallasey shortly afterwards conceded a penalty. Again Kirk’s fly-half struck the ball sweetly and the home team were playing catch up, 0-10. It was disappointing that a lapse in concentration and communication, followed by missed tackles by some of the Kirk team, left a gaping hole in the defence and Wallasey’s winger enjoyed a long run-in under the posts. The game could have turned an even more devastating corner moments later had Man of the Match, Andy Healy not been on hand to make the tackle of the day on the opposition full-back.
The second half had a breeze going against Ormskirk and the Sun was blinding. Both teams exchanged penalty kicks taking the score to 13-10. Kieran Mahood, as always, worked tirelessly with the runs from the back of the scrum and when he linked with scrum-half Jamie Gregg more and more ground was gained. The majority of possession belonged to the pack and with veteran Paul Blackwood playing what must be approaching his 600th game Ormskirk looked fairly comfortable.
Injuries, as in any game play a big part, and for a while Healy stepped into the ten’s shoes. A delightful pass to Ashworth and full back eventually saw the ball in youngster Luke Parker’s hands. With pace to burn, Parker made several strides then chipped down the right wing, the forward momentum set the stage for the pack to utilise good lineout ball. Wilson pinged it in and Davies caught, taking it left and left again, Gregg commanded the pack towards the try line where Wilson would eventually finish off with the score, under a mound of bodies.
Kirk’s lead of ten points was cut down by another penalty kick and with only several minutes to spare the tension was almost unbearable. Kirk players put their bodies on the line, in the case of Andrew Dean, his nose. But when Wallasey gained a penalty in the final minutes and kicked to the corner pressure turned to a try. Kirk could do nothing but watch the final kick of the game, a conversion that added 2 extra points, which tied the match. Hopefully the drawing streak will turn into a winning one when Liverpool Collegiate travel to Green Lane next Saturday
