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Local Derby Victory
Tony McArdle9 Mar - 13:41
Saints maintain top spot with win over local rivals Wirral
Round 19 saw 8th placed local team Wirral visit Eastham for the return game which Saints won away 62 -22. With a changed side due to injuries in came Matty Bowden and Joel Ashton also returning after Injury Ollie Dodd with, overcast conditions Saints kicked off towards the car park end. A great 50/22 kick from the number 12 gave the Wirral side a great attacking opportunity forcing Saints to throw everything into defence, with Wirral winning a penalty 20 m out they decided to kick and were rewarded with three points to open the scoring.
From the restart Saints constantly attacked, dominant in the scrum with several scrum penalties, Saints went to the corner and Will Grabe driving over the resulting lineout, converted by Baldwin to take the lead 7-3. The play was now all by the Saints powerful runs by Holmes and Nolan drove the home side up the pitch, a cross-field kick by Bowden was collected by Dan Woods to score in the corner, conversion missed to give Saints a 12 -3 lead.
Twice more Saints went over the line, both times held up by the desperately under pressure Wirral pack. With a rare visit to the Saints 22, Wirral again found themselves with a penalty and decided to go for the points to go in at half time 12-6 down.
Second half saw Saints pressure Wirral right from the start, with Lewis Kincart darting from the back of a ruck to score under the sticks, easy conversion for Baldwin and a 19-6 lead. Wirral had a period of possession and only stout defence was keeping them from scoring, however when the ball was turned over on the 10m line a break by Nolan and Woods, the ball found its way into the hands of Dodd who went the length of the pitch to score behind the sticks and notch up the try bonus point, again converted for a healthy 26- 6 lead.
Wirral where throwing everything into attack now and a solid kick through the defensive line was collected by the winger for a well worked try, not converted but bringing the score to 26-11. Saints where again looking strong, with yet another try ruled held up however the next attack saw Joe Sanders emerge through a ruck ball in hand to score his 27th try of the season converted again by the steady boot of Baldwin 33-11.
With Saints now totally dominant it was ex Wirral schoolboy Dan Woods who found himself in space to sprint in with nobody near him to score his 2nd of the game converted by Baldwin for a final score of 40 -11 which means the worst Saints can finish is second in the division, with 3 games to go. Unfortunately, Wirral drop to 10th place in the relegation play off zone one point below Rochdale who they play last game of the season.
Next game in a fortnight is Stockport away for Saints 21st March.
From the restart Saints constantly attacked, dominant in the scrum with several scrum penalties, Saints went to the corner and Will Grabe driving over the resulting lineout, converted by Baldwin to take the lead 7-3. The play was now all by the Saints powerful runs by Holmes and Nolan drove the home side up the pitch, a cross-field kick by Bowden was collected by Dan Woods to score in the corner, conversion missed to give Saints a 12 -3 lead.
Twice more Saints went over the line, both times held up by the desperately under pressure Wirral pack. With a rare visit to the Saints 22, Wirral again found themselves with a penalty and decided to go for the points to go in at half time 12-6 down.
Second half saw Saints pressure Wirral right from the start, with Lewis Kincart darting from the back of a ruck to score under the sticks, easy conversion for Baldwin and a 19-6 lead. Wirral had a period of possession and only stout defence was keeping them from scoring, however when the ball was turned over on the 10m line a break by Nolan and Woods, the ball found its way into the hands of Dodd who went the length of the pitch to score behind the sticks and notch up the try bonus point, again converted for a healthy 26- 6 lead.
Wirral where throwing everything into attack now and a solid kick through the defensive line was collected by the winger for a well worked try, not converted but bringing the score to 26-11. Saints where again looking strong, with yet another try ruled held up however the next attack saw Joe Sanders emerge through a ruck ball in hand to score his 27th try of the season converted again by the steady boot of Baldwin 33-11.
With Saints now totally dominant it was ex Wirral schoolboy Dan Woods who found himself in space to sprint in with nobody near him to score his 2nd of the game converted by Baldwin for a final score of 40 -11 which means the worst Saints can finish is second in the division, with 3 games to go. Unfortunately, Wirral drop to 10th place in the relegation play off zone one point below Rochdale who they play last game of the season.
Next game in a fortnight is Stockport away for Saints 21st March.
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