The 3rd XV welcomed West Park St Helens to Burrows Hill on a perfect afternoon to enjoy a cold beer and watch rugby from Deany’s balcony. Good to see a small crowd in support overlooking the game on the 2’s pitch.
After last weeks brave loss at Ellesmere Port, the squad was bolstered by a few additions. Notably, former colts Joe Elstone & Harry Lowe making their senior debuts, John Burns (at the other end of the age scale) also making his debut. Steve Lowe back in blue and white having been lured back from League, Mat Sant escaping the Fishpool kitchen, an anonymous prop from over the fence just wanting a game of rugby and of course Hilly’s big brother Bear on his 11th comeback! And of course there was also the man just known as “Ash” ...more about him later.
The first half was a fairly tight affair. Park with so many changes from last week lacking a bit of cohesion particularly around the breakdown. However the set piece was working well. Bear’s arrows hitting the mark at the line out and with the props on display no surprise that the Park scrum was solid on our ball and pushed West Park’s pack back a couple of times against the head. With most of the battle being played out at close quarters, it was an opportunist break up the wing by rapidly improving Mike Morrisey that nearly opened the scoring only to be denied by a foot in touch call.
And so, Ash..........
“I guarantee he will score tries, a centre, used to play a bit of league, not played for a few years due to an ACL......” skipper Tony King was told on Friday. OK, nothing to lose, more the merrier for 3s rugby. And so he was handed the 13 shirt. Now when Jase sized the (blooming huge) shirts he must have had a premonition about Ash as finally someone filled the shirt correctly, i.e. at the shoulders, not just the waist!!
And so into the back end of the first half. Good ball reached Ash in space on the opposition 10 metre line. Off he went, ball in one hand Fijian sevens style, dancing left and right at pace, defenders unable to lay a hand on him or simply brushed aside before rounding the fullback to score a brilliant opening try.
Park then settled, producing more control. But it was the visitors who hit back breaking out wide from within their own half, their own teenage rugby league import showing electric pace to outrun everyone and score a brilliant try on the stroke of half time and make it 5 - 5.
Park knew that they had the advantage of a larger bench and if they could just tighten up the breakdown they could turn the screw. This they did as the 2nd half started brightly. Park attacking the clubhouse end roared on by the increasingly lubricated “crowd”. Good scrum position and quick ball. Mark Phoenix hitting a line from his glory days to make yards, good support and the ball moved right for Mike Morrisey to score his second in as many weeks.
Park’s dominance continued. Camped out in the opposition 22, the penalty count started to tick. Scrums were taken and platforms created but the visitors held firm. Finally another penalty , 5 yards out, wily old Bear spotting a considerably younger and narrower defender in front of him. Quick tap, and yet another try for the veteran hooker.
Much credit to the visitors. Despite only having 1 sub, they lifted their intensity and it was the home side who looked to be tiring the fastest. A few knocks and tweaks forcing the pack to be reshuffled. John Burns taking on line out jumping responsibility and using all his experience to keep a steady stream of good ball.
After a period on the sideline nursing his knee that man Ash returned to settle the nerves with a try on the right from the 22 . Not as spectacular as the first but clinically effective.
Still not done though, West Park narrowed the score to 20-12 but the clock was in favour of the Blue and White. And so it ended, Park with just about 15 fit players on the pitch as the whistle blew.
A great performance, hinting at the potential of the squad if we can ever get consistent availability. Some outstanding debuts, young and old. And if Ash’s knee can hold up hopefully a player to watch develop as he learns the finer points of Union.
MoM: Mike Morrisey. One of the very few players to play all 3 games so far. Scored for the second week running and had one disallowed. Showing outstanding commitment in travelling home from university every week to play.
Tony King
