Eccles 24 Warrington 20

WARRINGTON suffered a second defeat of the season on Saturday at Eccles, albeit securing a losing bonus point in North One West.

The visitors led 13-0 at one stage, but Eccles turned the game around following the dismissal of Matt Connelly.

“We battled well against the odds,” said coach Andy Roberts.

“Unfortunately, our attack was a bit one-dimensional, they defended well and the handicap of being one man down eventually proved too much.”

First, Darren Norman kicked a penalty and then Warrington started to use what little possession they had to pressure the Eccles line.

The forwards backed up a surging break from Max Walker and fed their back line for Tom Wood to stroll over and Norman take the lead to 13 points.

Connelly was then dismissed and although they managed a second Norman penalty, Warrington found themselves increasingly under the cosh.

Eccles used their numerical advantage to create an overlap and touch down in the corner and then exerted pressure at a set scrum, produced quick ball and scooted between the posts to trail 13-12 at half time.

Warrington’s woes were further compounded early in the second period, when scrum half Ben Hockenhull had to leave the field with mild concussion and Eccles capitalised with a try in the corner.

Another converted score for the hosts took the score to 24-13.

Wood claimed his second late on and Norman's conversion took Warrington within one score of victory, but Eccles held out.

The seconds beat their Burnage counterparts 23-13 to maintain fourth spot in Standish Media Services Division One.

Warrington opened the scoring with two penalties from Shaun McDermott. Burnage replied with a penalty of their own but Warrington increased their lead when the backs combined well to create the space for Haydn Fraser to show his pace and scorch over in the corner.

But two Burnage tries sent them in with a two-point lead at the break.

The second half belonged totally to Warrington.

They ruled the set scrums, where iconic hooker Paul Thompson took five strikes against the head, and the backs used the plethora of possession to show of their skills.

With Jack Hannon controlling the base of the scrum and with full back Will Larbey threatening the defence with dangerous incursions into the line, it wasn’t long before Warrington had their second try on the scoreboard.

From a pick up at number 8, the ball flashed to Craig Byrne and the robust centre, who was outstanding throughout, shrugged off four potential tacklers to touch down. Shaun McDermott converted.

The Warrington pack then closed down the game and the inevitable victory was sealed when the ever-alert Ryan Carter finished off an excellent backs’ move to score.

“This was a good result in very difficult conditions,” said player-coach Paul Thompson.

“I was especially pleased with the way the lads came from behind and showed their killer instinct to finish off the opposition in the second period.”