The first quarter of an hour was played between the two 22mtr lines with Eccles edging the possession but neither side threatening the try lines. Only an Anselmian penalty on two minutes, kicked by McGovern, separated the two sides.

The first try of the game came on 15 minutes when Anselmian backs moved the ball smartly across the pitch to the left on the Eccles 25 metre line to put Grabe clear to run in the first try of the game. A missed conversion left the score at 8 – 0 to Saints.
Eccles came back strongly and on 20 mins only a try saving tackle from Saints centre James Otutaha, chasing back and catching the Eccles left winger short of the line kept the score to 8 – 0. Intelligent kicking by McGovern and Pilgrim ensured the game was played in the Eccles half and in the next ten minutes Anselmians created two excellent chances of their own. For the first, Steve Brookes showed why he is a good prop rather than a standoff when his pass to the left wing sailed high into the crowd. The second went begging when a last-ditch Eccles tackle on Nolan with the line only 7 metres away saw him drop the ball in the tackle.

It was Eccles turn next and on 35 mins, again, it was their left wing who seemed certain to score only for Anselmians full back Cummings in a carbon copy of the Otutaha tackle to save the day. (For you youngsters out there, watch the video if you want to know how to tackle a huge guy 5 metres from the line). One minute later Cummings was joining the attack on the Eccles 22 metre line to create the overlap on the right and his pass set up back row Grabe, who had an excellent game throughout, for a run to the line. He was stopped short of the line only to pop the ball up to fellow backrow Nonu who went over for the score. McGovern converted from the right touchline to make the score 15 – 0 to Saints at half time.

Despite losing Pilgrim to a yellow card on 45 mins, Saints extended their lead in the 50th minute when Brookes picked up at a ruck and ran in unopposed under the Eccles posts. The conversion took the score to 22 – 0. However, to their credit Eccles refused to lie down and came back strong and on 55 minutes their endeavour earned them a push over try on the left and the conversion took the score to 22 – 7.
On the 60th minute the Eccles cause was helped by the red card dismissal of Anselmians oldest and fittest player (so he tells me). A more unlikely candidate for a red card you will never find but apparently, he led with his head in a tackle. The ref refused to accept the defence that the Eccles player was resisting arrest so off he went.

Eccles now had all the possession and the rest of the game was played almost entirely in the saint’s half. On 65 minutes the pressure told and the Eccles centre Ackers – Johnson who had impressed with his elusive running all afternoon broke free and ran in from 40 metres evading two tackles in the process. Despite the pressure Saints managed to prevent further scores and in the 79th minute, if almost to prove it was just not Eccles day, Anselmians went further ahead against the run of play. A Cummings kick to relieve pressure was touched by an Eccles hand before it went into touch 10 metres inside the Eccles half. Eccles appeared not to realise that it was Anselmian ball and were slow to the line out. In addition, the ball was touched by an Eccles sub after it had crossed the touchline but despite this Anselmians proceeded to take a quick line out and ran the ball in under the posts to the anger of the Eccles players. To his credit Geraint Jones, the Anselmian touch judge, did inform the ref that the ball had been touched off the pitch before the line out but the ref allowed the score to stand and Saints had earned the bonus point. The conversion took the score to 29 – 12 and, from the restart, Chris Pilgrim cleared to touh to end the game.