Under 19s (Senior Colts)
16 March 2008
Tarleton 7 Kendal 8
Tarleton’s final league position of 3rd in Group C put them into the Colts League Cup along with the majority of teams from Group’s A and B. The draw gave them a home tie against Kendal from Group A, who were going to be a tough test for Tarleton. Throughout the game Tarleton fought hard and the difference in league standings between the sides was certainly not evident. A bright start put Tarleton on the attack and twice they stole possession at the line out to keep Kendal under pressure. Play went to within 10 metres of the Kendal line when Ben Kelly kicked forward and the Kendal player receiving the ball was bundled into touch. A knock on in the line out gave Tarleton a winning scrum but a penalty given for holding on gave Kendal the opportunity to clear their lines. Tarleton opened the scoring after Kendal won a scrum just inside their own half. An ambitious long pass failed to reach one of the Kendal backs and Graham Marshall nipped in quickly and kicked forward. He chased his kick and a favourable bounce allowed him to gather the ball and score under the posts. The try was converted by Chris Thorpe for a 7 – 0 lead. Tarleton put pressure on themselves when they gave easy possession to Kendal and were let off when a forward pass was made with the line begging. Tarleton won the scrum and Will Parker made ground but Kendal turned over possession and attacked again. This time they were penalised for holding on and the penalty kick towards half way allowed Tarleton to relieve the pressure. Play came back into the Tarleton half and a Kendal penalty kick from distance fell short of the posts. Joe Waite gathered and ran out of defence but Kendal again managed to turn over possession but were unable to take advantage before the half time whistle sounded.
In the opening minutes of the second half Tarleton were penalised and again, Kendal elected to go for the 3 points but the kick failed. Tarleton were defending well and a break from the back of the scrum and a pass to Matt Bradley allowed him to gain ground but a penalty at the ruck put Kendal back on the attack 5 metres from the line. Tom Eckersley did well to steal possession at the line out and Ben Kelly kicked to touch. A knock on at the line out gave Kendal a scrum which they won. They then went through a number of phases and scored an unconverted try to make the score 7 – 5. Ollie Raimond did well to steal at the restart and Tom Eckersley was winning line out ball to give Tarleton some good possession. There was little between the two sides and Tarleton’s defence was strong when it was needed. Kendal did not look like they were going to score further tries and they missed with an attempt at a drop goal and a further penalty kick also failed to give them the 3 points they desperately needed. The Tarleton forwards were playing well and they carried the ball forward before Ben Kelly kicked to touch. A win at the line out and quick ball allowed Sam Currie and then Joe Waite to push play towards the Kendal 22. Possession was then lost and Kendal came back with a counter attack. Tarleton did manage to recover but once again Kendal turned over possession and threw the ball to a player in space who this time successfully kicked a drop goal to give them the lead at 7 – 8 with only 2 or 3 minutes to go. Tarleton won a penalty and after confirming with the referee that there was time for a line out they kicked to touch. Although they won the line out there was no time to mount an attack before the final whistle blew.
It was a cruel way to lose a match when Tarleton had, once again, competed extremely well against opposition from a higher league group. Kendal will consider themselves lucky to be in the second round draw of the League Cup whilst Tarleton await the League Bowl draw for the losing teams from the first round.
Scorers: Marshall (Try), Thorpe (Conversion)
2 March 2008
Fleetwood 10 Tarleton 5
The Senior Colts finished their league campaign with a rather disappointing display away at Fleetwood. Preparations were not helped due to a 45 minute delay as a result of not having a referee. The game did eventually get underway when Fleetwood managed to find someone to officiate.
From the kick off Fleetwood drove Tarleton back and crossed the line only for play to be pulled back for a penalty against them. However, with barely five minutes gone Fleetwood opened the scoring with a try in the corner after winning a 5 metre scrum. The conversion attempt failed and the score was 5 – 0. A good passage of play from Tarleton followed a penalty. Jon Tyrer making ground and gaining a further penalty which was kicked into touch by Ben Kelly to put Tarleton within 10 metres of the Fleetwood line. Tarleton failed to capitalise on this position and Fleetwood won possession. Play went quickly to the opposite end and they scored their second unconverted try when their big forwards proved too much for the stretched Tarleton defence. Play from both sides was untidy with mistakes and infringements not allowing the game to flow. On too many occasions Tarleton gave away possession unnecessarily when they kicked forward instead if keeping the ball in hand and utilising the pace of the backs. Tarleton’s forwards did put together some good phases of play driving close to the line but failing to score. Tarleton won a 5 metre scrum and Liam Thompson drove towards the line. The ball was picked out of the ruck and passed to Jon Tyrer who crashed through to score an unconverted try and make the score 10 – 5 just before half time.
Tarleton attacked the Fleetwood line in the opening minutes of the second half winning a 5 metre scrum after being held up. Fleetwood did push them back but conceded a penalty which was kicked into touch but Tarleton lost possession at the line out allowing Fleetwood to take play into the Tarleton half. The pressure was relieved when the referee gave Tarleton a penalty within their own 22 which was kicked towards the half way line. Will Parker made a great break which was continued by Tom Eckersley and Ollie Raimond to push into the Fleetwood 22. A series of 5 metre scrums failed to produce the score that Tarleton needed and eventually Fleetwood managed to kick clear and take play towards half way. Tarleton’s play was again untidy with mistakes giving away possession.
The final whistle sounded without any change to the score during the second half. Fleetwood winning 10 -5. Tarleton again paid the price for starting slowly, allowing the opposition to gain early advantage. They finish the league season in a creditable third position having won 11 games and lost 7. It is now onto the Halbro Colts League Cup for the remaining games this season.
Scorers: Tyrer (Try)
17 February 2008
Hoylake 3 Tarleton 17
The game this week was a sharp contrast to last week’s excellent performance. Poor discipline and untidy play meant that the Senior Colts just managed a victory in a game that they should have won easily. The opening minutes were very scrappy, both sides handling poorly and a number of scrums resulted. Tarleton gained possession and threw the ball wide but a chip kick was knocked on by Hoylake and a scrum was given 5 metres out. An infringement at the scrum gave Hoylake a penalty which was moved forward 10 metres due to Tarleton speaking against the referee’s decision. This allowed them to clear the danger with a kick to touch. Tarleton’s forwards fought well to retrieve possession with Ollie Raimond making ground but once again a penalty was given and advanced 10 meters when Jon Tyrer disputed the decision. Hoylake moved well inside the Tarleton half and an illegal tackle gave them a penalty and an opportunity to kick and open the scoring with 3 points. A good piece of play from Rob Webster gave Tarleton possession. The ball was passed wide and Joe Waite almost made the try line but Dave Gordon managed to crash over from the ruck to score a try. Chris Thorpe failed with his conversion attempt and the score was 3 – 5. Will Parker and Lee Doyle combined well to take play back inside the Hoylake half but another penalty was given. This time Hoylake failed to make touch and Joe Waite gathered the ball and passed to Sam Currie who ran across the field and kicked forward but Hoylake managed to gather the ball and kick to touch for a line out on half way. Good play from a number of the forwards took play back inside the Hoylake 22 and Sam Currie made a dash to line. Hoylake failed to gather the ball in the tackle and Tom Eckersley was there to score a try in the corner which was not converted to make the score 3 – 10. Tarleton were tending to kick when they should have kept the ball in hand. They were also giving Hoylake easy possession with penalties, allowing them to clear danger on a number of occasions. A disagreement between Graham Marshall and a Hoylake second row player resulted in both individuals spending 10 minutes in the sin bin. Hoylake did put together some good phases of play to put Tarleton under pressure but the half ended with the score at 3 – 10.
The second half saw both sides being penalised for various infringements. From one penalty, Ben Kelly kicked deep and Tarleton secured possession at the line out. A good driving maul from the forwards was again wasted as Tarleton tried to chip through the defence. Hoylake moved the ball well and only a superb tackle from Matt Bradley stopped them scoring a try. Good play from Tarleton was generally being spoiled by silly mistakes and penalties which gave away possession. Hoylake had a sustained period when they put Tarleton under severe pressure but resolute defence kept them at bay. Tarleton had opportunities to clear their poor passing put Chris Thorpe and then Ben Kelly under unnecessary pressure, each forced to touch down behind their own line as Hoylake threatened. Tarleton were fortunate that the opposition were not making the most of their opportunities. At last, Tarleton got play back into the Hoylake half when Will Parker collected the ball from a ruck and broke through. He made a lot of ground before being tackled and good backing up from Matt Bradley kept possession. An unfortunate knock on and then a penalty at the scrum allowed Hoylake to clear the danger as, once again, the referee’s decision was questioned and the penalty was moved forward. Play was again scrappy with both sides making mistakes and giving away penalties. Will Parker made a fantastic break from the number eight position and passed to Ollie Raimond who also made ground. The forwards gathered round quickly and Dave Gordon took possession and crashed over for his second try which was converted by Chris Thorpe. There was barely time to restart and the final whistle sounded with score 3 – 17.
Tarleton made hard work of this game. Better discipline and retaining possession would have given them a much easier victory. However, they came away with the 3 points for a win.
Scorers: Gordon (2 Tries), Eckersley (Try), Thorpe (Conversion)
10 February 2008
Tarleton 45 West Park (St Helens) 0
The Senior Colts produced a great performance to round off their home league fixtures this season scoring seven tries, each by a different member of the team. The scoring opened within the first 5 minutes when, from winning a scrum, number 8 Tom Eckersley collected the ball and took it down the blind side. He passed to Matt Bradley who sprinted through to score a try which was converted by Chris Thorpe to give a 7 – 0 lead. Tarleton continued to attack and were unlucky not to score when a kick from Ben Kelly was collected by Graham Marshall but a knock on gave a 5 metre scrum to West Park. An infringement then gave them opportunity to clear their lines with a penalty kick to touch. West Park produced a good attacking move, passing the ball out wide to stretch Tarleton but the final pass went into touch on the 22 metre line. From the line out Ben Kelly kicked clear, Graham Marshall followed up quickly to win the ball and run half the length of the pitch to score a second converted try after 15 minutes of play. Great play from the Tarleton forwards made ground before the ball came out wide but a knock on let West Park off the hook. From the scrum West Park kicked deep. Full back Joe Waite gathered the ball and ran towards the line where a 5 metre scrum went Tarleton’s way but an offside decision denied them a try as they crossed the line.
The Tarleton pressure was relentless and when they again threw the ball wide Joe Waite linked up well to score a try. The score was 19 – 0 as Chris Thorpe failed with the conversion. A good move from West Park brought them to within 5 metres of the Tarleton line where they were bundled into touch. Good defensive play from Tarleton took the ball towards the half way line. Ben Kelly and Matt Forrest made good ground before Tom Eckersley gathered the ball and ran in under the posts to score a try which was converted to make the half time score 26 – 0.
West Park did attack early in the second half but good tackling and running from defence kept them at bay. Play returned into the West Park half and a good move was ended when Will Parker was put into touch on their 22. Excellent play from James Ball, Jon Tyrer and Lee Doyle took Tarleton to within 10 metres of the line. West Park managed to steal possession but a penalty for holding on gave the advantage back to Tarleton. Good play from the pack maintained the attack and after 3 scrums from 5 metres out West Park were awarded a penalty and cleared their lines. Will Parker gathered the ball from the line out and he made good ground before a high tackle on him and the resulting penalty gave Ben Kelly an opportunity to kick the ball into the air. Liam Thompson followed up and kicked forward over the try line, dropping onto the ball to score a converted try and make the score 33 – 0. Tarleton were dominating possession and threatened the West Park continuously. From a 5 metre scrum, Will Parker picked up the ball from the number 8 position and crashed over to score the sixth try of the game which was not converted.
A good move from West Park gained them ground before the ball was chipped through but Joe Waite managed to gather the ball and the Tarleton forwards gathered round and pushed play back into the opposition half. Graham Marshall was penalised for a high tackle as he followed up a kick from Ben Kelly. West Park struggled to get the ball out of the danger zone. Rob Webster did well to knock the ball down to Chris Thorpe at a line out. He carried the ball into the West Park forwards and Lee Doyle picked up and made an excellent pass to Ben Kelly who dived over to score another converted try. From the restart West Park did threaten the Tarleton line but good defence made sure that the game ended with Tarleton keeping a clean sheet.
A great all round performance from Tarleton. There was excellent team spirit throughout with every player in the squad involved at some stage of the game.
Scorers: Bradley (Try), Marshall (Try), Waite (Try), Eckersley (Try), Thompson (Try), Parker (Try), Kelly (Try) Thorpe (5 Conversions)
3 February 2008
Liverpool St Helens 31 Tarleton 10
This 2nd round match in the Lancashire Cup was always going to be tough for Tarleton as they were up against Liverpool St Helens who currently top the league above them. The very strong wind also made conditions difficult. The opening minutes saw both sides kicking deep into opposition territory with LSH failing to take advantage of a good move when a pass found its way into touch with the try line begging. Tarleton found themselves under pressure on occasions when they failed to gather the ball from a high kicks and the bounce favoured the attacking players. A good kick from defence was followed up well by Matt Bradley who tackled the catcher, putting him into touch. LSH won the ball from a line out on half way and a good running and passing move opened the scoring for them after 12 minutes with a try under the posts which was converted. LSH continued to move the ball out wide and just failed to increase their lead when held up by the Tarleton defence in the corner. Again, the LSH scrum half was denied a try by good Tarleton defence and a penalty awarded against him for speaking against the referee cleared the danger. Tarleton pushed into the LSH half and a good driving maul took them towards the line. A winning 5 meter scrum and good play from the forwards resulted in Will Parker scoring an unconverted try to reduce the LSH lead to 7 – 5. A knock on from Tarleton 15 meters from their own line allowed LSH to secure the ball from the scrum and stretch the defence by passing the ball out wide to score their second try which was not converted. Tarleton came back again and great play from Will Parker took them towards the line but a knock on gave LSH the scrum 5 meters out. An excellent scrum from Tarleton won the ball back and Will Parker was pushed over the line to score his second try. Chris Thorpe failed with the conversion attempt and the half time score was 12 – 10.
From the start of the second half it was obvious that Tarleton’s full back Joe Waite was going to be kept busy as LSH used the wind advantage to kick deep. They increased their lead to 17 – 10 when they followed up well and scored a try which was not converted. Tarleton were under pressure but kept defending well, winning scrums and line outs to keep the attackers at bay. Some excellent breaks from the backs should have produced something for Tarleton but the final pass went to ground on a number of occasions handing the advantage back to LSH who came forward in numbers. Tarleton had to defend well putting players into touch within 15 meters of the line. Tarleton had the put in at a 5 meter scrum and good work by Lee Doyle and Dave Gordon took play out of the danger zone. However, Will Parker found himself isolated and was judged to have been holding on which gave LSH a penalty. They kicked into the corner and won possession at the line out allowing their scrum half to skip through the defence and score a converted try to make the score 24 – 10. Tarleton did not give up and came back on the attack. Unfortunately, errors gave LSH the advantage and their hooker scored the final try of the match when he barged through the defence from 10 meters. The conversion made the final score 31 -10.
Tarleton were not disgraced against opposition a class above them. They fought well and competed throughout. LSH were certainly not given the easy passage into the semi final they were, perhaps, expecting.
Scorers: Parker (2 Tries)
13 January 2008
Tarleton 25 Manchester 0
The strong gusting wind was always going to have an influence on this game and Tarleton needed to make the most of their first half advantage having the wind at their backs. It was Manchester however who threatened to score first when they won a scrum in the centre of the pitch, kicking forward and gathering the ball only to be penalised. An early let off for Tarleton. The Tarleton pack then woke up and good play from a winning line out took the action well into the opposition half were they won 3 points from a Chris Thorpe penalty kick. Tarleton put further points on the board when Matt Bradley finished off some great work by Will Parker and Liam Thompson to score a converted try and give a 10 – 0 lead. The forwards continued the pressure, driving well and winning the ball at scrums and line outs. Manchester were struggling to make distance with clearance kicks against the wind. Sam Currie managed to gather the ball from an attempted clearance by Manchester within their 22 and then dodged two defenders to score Tarleton’s second try. Although the conversion attempt failed the lead was increased to 15 – 0. Manchester then had a good period of play within the Tarleton half were they pushed the defence back. Matt Forrest did well to gather the ball from a line out only 10 meters from the corner. Stuart Smith and Liam Thompson then combined to make ground and clear the danger. Tarleton were attacking strongly and should have put more points on the board as they repeatedly threatened the line but made mistakes to let Manchester off the hook. However, they managed a third try just before half time after good work by Tom Eckersley put Graham Marshall in at the corner. Chris Thorpe just failed to make the conversion with good attempt leaving the half time score 20 – 0.
The second half was more difficult for Tarleton as they had to work hard in order to make ground whilst Manchester had the wind advantage and were able to kick to safety on a number of occasions. Tarleton’s play did become a little untidy and Manchester again came close when a kick to the corner from a penalty gave them a line out only 10 meters from the line. However, the Tarleton defence held strong to deny them a score. Tarleton were getting the better of the scrums and were winning them against the head repeatedly. They were unlucky not to score when a move down the blind side was halted with a knock on. Play was becoming scrappy, mainly due to the high wind, but not helped by errors from both sides. With 10 minutes left Tarleton were reduced to 14 men when Lee Doyle was sent to the sin bin. Good work from the forwards, in particular Rob Webster, gave Sam Currie his second try when he received the ball to then break through two tackles before touching down for an unconverted try which moved the score to 25 – 0. Manchester did come back and kicked deep into the Tarleton half on a number of occasions but Joe Waite did very well at full back to gather the ball and then make valuable ground to keep them at bay. The remaining minutes saw Tarleton pinned inside their own 22 with penalties and scrums going Manchester’s way. However, they managed to hold strong until the final whistle.
Full credit to both sides for contributing to a good game of rugby in difficult conditions. Tarleton doing well to keep their first clean sheet of this season.
Scorers: Bradley (Try), Marshall (Try), Currie (2 Tries), Thorpe (Penalty and Conversion)
6 January 2008
Stockport 24 Tarleton 15
The Senior Colts faced an unbeaten Stockport team who were on the attack from the outset forcing Tarleton to kick into touch on two occasions to get play out of their own 22. Stockport came back again but it was a defensive error which gave them the opening try when Tarleton failed to clear their lines after winning possession from a scrum 10 meters out allowing Stockport to regain the ball and score an unconverted try for a 5 – 0 lead with only 5 minutes gone. From the restart Tarleton did well as they made Stockport kick to touch and then forced them to ground the ball behind their own line. Stockport’s kicking game was very good as they cleared the ball to the half way line and then stole possession at consecutive line outs. This allowed Stockport to throw the ball out wide and they scored a try in the corner which was converted to increase their lead to 12 – 0. From the restart Tarleton again did well to push play deep into the opposition half where Rob Webster secured possession at a line out. The pack gathered round and drove him over the Stockport line to score an unconverted try and reduce the lead to 12 – 5. Stockport frequently got the ball out to their backs who were running strongly but Tarleton defended well and managed to keep them at bay. Tarleton almost managed to score a try before half time when they got to the Stockport line only to lose possession at the vital moment.
Stockport continued to attack early in the second half and following a period of play when both sides had numerous penalties awarded they crossed the line under the posts after winning a scrum 10 meters out to score a converted try and extend their lead to 19 – 5. Tarleton did not give in and took play well into the Stockport half were they got a penalty and kicked into the corner for a line out. The pack secured possession and drove forward before the ball was passed out to Sam Currie who managed to dive in at the corner and score a try which was not converted to make the score 19 – 10. Stockport certainly knew they were in a game as Tarleton came back at them driving into the 22 and winning possession at a line out only to knock on and allow Stockport to clear the danger with a long distance kick after they won a scrum 5 meters out. Stockport then stole the ball at the line out and quickly passed through their backs to score a further unconverted try for a 24 – 10 lead. Tarleton refused to accept defeat and again came back at Stockport with Liam Thompson and Jon Tyrer making ground before Will Parker gathered the ball from a scrum and then forced his way through to score a try in the corner. The whistle sounded when Chris Thorpe failed to make the conversion with the final score 24 – 15.
A creditable performance from Tarleton against a Stockport team who were certainly made to work hard for their victory.
Scorers: Webster (Try), Currie (Try), Parker(Try)
30 December 2007
Birkenhead Park 17 Tarleton 22
Tarleton needed to get back to winning ways following consecutive defeats in their previous two games. The opening minutes of the game were evenly matched with both sides not really making the most of the possession they secured. Good defensive play from Tarleton was undone when they were penalised 25 meters out allowing Birkenhead a kick at goal. The attempt went wide of the posts and the score remained 0 - 0. Liam Thompson did well to regain the ball from the drop out. However, Birkenhead managed to turnover possession and pass wide to their winger who chipped the ball through and followed up to score an unconverted try in the corner and give the home side a 5 - 0 lead after 15 minutes. Tarleton were awarded a penalty when a Birkenhead player was shown a yellow card for foul play in a ruck but they failed to reduce the deficit as the kick fell short of the posts. Tarleton continued to attack and great play from Will Parker and Jon Tyrer got the ball out to Ben Kelly who passed to Stuart Smith who scored a try converted by Chris Thorpe for Tarleton to lead 5 - 7. Birkenhead were given opportunities from penalty decisions on a number of occasions due to Tarleton's poor discipline but they failed to take advantage and the interval score remained at 5 - 7.
Tarleton often got the ball to the backs but poor handling was letting them down until Ben Kelly retrieved the ball from a scrum and passed to Graham Marshall. He made ground before unloading to Matt Bradley who scored a good try which was wasn't converted to increase the lead to 5 - 12. Tarleton had 3 consecutive penalty decisions given against them within their own 22 which gave Birkenhead the opportunity to level the score at 12 - 12 with a converted try. Good play from the forwards took play close to the Birkenhead line but again, penalty decisions did not go Tarleton's way. Birkenhead should have cleared to touch but Ben Seddon gathered the ball well and then the forwards drove the opposition pack backwards and Liam Thompson scored an unconverted try for Tarleton to regain the lead at 12 - 17. Tarleton then scored another unconverted try as a result of superb play from the forwards. Most of the pack were involved following a great pick up and pass by Tom Eckersley to Will Parker. The ball was driven in hard and then recycled quickly a number of times before being passed out to Graham Marshall who sprinted for the corner. Tarleton continued in this mode and were doing well but Birkenhead scored the last try of the game in the corner. As the conversion attempt failed the final whistle sounded and victory went to Tarleton 17 - 22.
It was great to secure a win and see periods when Tarleton's play was excellent. Next week takes the team to Stockport who are currently unbeaten this season. If Tarleton manage to maintain the standard throughout a full game that they reached on occasions today then an upset could be on the cards.
Scorers: Smith (Try), Bradley (Try), Thompson (Try), Marshall (Try), Thorpe (Conversion)
23 December 2007
Winnington Park 24 Tarleton 0
The Senior Colts travelled to the current league leaders this weekend but failed to close the points gap with a rather lackluster performance. Tarleton had a let off straight from the start when they were caught offside but Winnington failed with the penalty kick in front of the posts from 23 meters. The home side soon had points on the board when they took a quick tap after Tarleton were penalised for holding on to the ball and poor defensive play allowed them to score an unconverted try with only 3 minutes gone. Some good rugby from the Tarleton forwards took play to the Winnington 22 but possession was squandered and the advantage lost. Tarleton should have put points on the board when they attacked the Winnington line and won a 5 meter scrum against the head. They were then awarded a penalty which was put into the corner for line out but a knock on gave Winnington the opportunity to clear the danger by kicking from the back of the resulting scrum. Tarleton's tactical kicking was poor.
On many occasions, the ball was kicked deep into opposition territory straight to defending players who were then allowed to run freely without being challenged. Winnington brought play to the Tarleton 22 but were penalised and the ball was kicked to touch. After winning the line out Tarleton lost possession in a ruck. The ball moved to the Winnington fly half who made a great run to score a try which was converted to give the home side a 12 - 0 advantage at the interval.
Winnington's kicking game was better than Tarleton's as they gained ground and then possession on a number of occasions. Good work from Will Parker was wasted. He stole the ball and made 20 meters only to find not one of the Tarleton players was in support. Chris Thorpe took a quick tap but was tackled just short of the line. The referee gave a 5 meter scrum to Tarleton but once again possession was lost and Winnington came on the attack taking play into the Tarleton half and only a superb tackle by Joe Waite prevented a further score. Tarleton managed to clear danger by kicking to touch on a couple of occasions but Winnington came back and the ball was passed quickly along the line to stretch Tarleton and give a try under the posts which was converted for a 19 - 0 lead. Almost immediately Winnington made it 24 - 0 when a silly defensive error handed them the ball to score the simplest of tries and make the final score 24 - 0.
The final score did flatter Winnington who were not that much stronger than Tarleton. However, in a game that was sometimes rather scrappy they made the most of their opportunities and Tarleton didn't.
6 December 2007
Tarleton 18 Ashton-on-Mersey 25
The Senior Colts were back in action at Carr Lane after having no game during the previous 2 weekends. The recent lack of competitive rugby was evident from the start with many errors and neither side gaining the upper hand. When the Tarleton forwards pushed into the Ashton half poor handling and infringements allowed the visitors to clear any danger. Ashton had a good spell and enjoyed territorial advantage. They were awarded a penalty 25 metres out which was kicked successfully to give them 3 points. Tarleton's play was very scrappy and often they won possession only to hand the advantage back to Ashton. A poor attempt at a clearance kick by Tarleton when close to their own line allowed an Ashton player to gather the ball and score a converted try under the posts for them to lead 0 - 10. Despite being penalised from the restart, Tarleton managed to push into the Ashton half and won a scrum 10 metres out. Tom Eckersley picked the ball up and passed to Will Parker who made ground and won a penalty when very near to the line. The ball passed out quickly through the backs but a knock on gave Ashton a scrum and the opportunity to clear. Tarleton came back again and got a penalty as Ashton were caught off side. Chris Thorpe kicked successfully to make the score 3 - 10 as the whistle blew for half time.
Some excellent work early in the second half from the Tarleton forwards, especially Rob Webster, took play into the Ashton half but once again a penalty was conceded to give away possession. Matt Forrest then took a great catch when Ashton kicked long allowing Tarleton to counter attack and win a penalty 25 metres out which was kicked to make the score 6 - 10. Ashton came back strongly and, despite kicking out of trouble on a couple of occasions, Ashton got within striking distance of the posts to land a drop goal and increase their lead to 6 - 13. Tarleton seemed to undo any good work they did by losing possession or conceding penalties and Ashton increased their lead again with a try scored from a winning scrum. The conversion failed and the score was 6 - 18. At last, Tarleton seemed to come alive and great work from Rob Webster to keep possession and then unload to Will Parker who charged through to score a try which was converted by Chris Thorpe reducing the lead to 5 points. Tarleton kept up the pressure on the Ashton line and, following two 5 metre scrums, the referee played the advantage following an Ashton infringement and Tom Eckersley stretched out to touch down in the corner and make the score 18 - 18 with an unconverted try.
The last few minutes were frantic with Tarleton coming close only to lose the ball when 5 metres from the line. Ashton came back, but a forward pass ruined an opportunity to score when they had Tarleton stretched. Ashton attacked again but their throw at a line out was not straight and Tarleton had a scrum 10 metres from their own line. Tarleton won the ball but Ashton were up on the defence immediately forcing play behind the Tarleton line. Unbelievably, Tarleton tried to pass the ball to get out of trouble and inevitably it was fumbled under pressure and stolen by an Ashton player who touched down with a try which was converted to gain them a victory in the last minute.
Once again, the usual well fought and evenly matched game between these teams which, on this occasion went Ashton's way. Tarleton really have only themselves to blame for a poor performance in the first half and some silly defensive errors which gifted the visitors their tries.
Scorers: Parker (Try), Eckersley (Try), Thorp (Conversion and 2 Penalties)
25 November 2007
Rochdale 19 Tarleton 28
This week saw the Senior Colts in action away at Rochdale in the first round of the Lancashire Cup. Although Rochdale are struggling in the Colts 'B' League they play in a group higher than Tarleton. The home side went behind in the opening minutes when Will Parker gathered the ball from the back of a scrum and made good ground before passing to Graham Marshall who made an excellent run to score the first try which was not converted. Rochdale came back strongly but great defensive work from Tarleton kept them at bay and a kick to touch put play back into the Rochdale half. Tarleton's forwards were doing well and excellent work from Jon Tyrer and Stuart Smith gave the latter a try to make the score 0 - 10 with a failed conversion.
Tarleton then had a period when they gave away penalties allowing Rochdale to attack but good play from Matt Forrest relieved the pressure with kick to touch. Again, good play from the forwards secured possession at a line out and allowed them to cross the line but a knock on gave a 5 metre scrum to Rochdale and they cleared the danger. Dave Gordon battled well to steal the ball at a line out allowing the Tarleton pack to drive over the line only to be held up. A penalty at the resulting scrum allowed Rochdale to kick to touch with a line out on their own 22. The throw in was not straight and Tarleton elected to have a scrum from which they secured possession and drove forward forcing Rochdale to concede a penalty which was kicked by Chris Thorpe to make the score 0 -13. Tarleton allowed Rochdale back into the game when mistakes were made allowing their No. 10 to make a good break and score a converted try on the stroke of half time to give a score of 7 - 13 at the interval.
The start of the second period saw some untidy play from both sides when handling errors gave a number of scrums. Good work from Dave Gordon and Andrew Tasker gave Sam Currie a run at the defence and a kick into touch on the Rochdale 22. Again, great work from the forwards stole possession and Tom Eckersley crossed the line but was judged to have knocked on as the ball was grounded. Although Rochdale cleared the danger on a number occasions Tarleton continued the attack. The forwards secured the ball at a line out. It was passed to Jon Tyrer who burst through the defence from 5 metres to score a try which was converted to increase the lead to 7 - 20.
From the restart Rochdale were allowed to attack as Tarleton made mistakes but a winning scrum and good tactical kicking returned play to the Rochdale half were a penalty kick into the corner gave a line out. Tom Eckersley did very well to gather the ball, allowing the pack to gather round and drive over for Liam Thompson to touch down and score an unconverted try. Tarleton seemed to think they had won the game at this point and allowed Rochdale to attack. They threw the ball wide outnumbering the defenders to score an unconverted try in the corner and make the score 12 - 25. The home side came within one score of Tarleton when they crossed the line again and converted to narrow the gap to 6 points at 19 - 25. This score shocked Tarleton into action and good driving runs from the forwards gave them a penalty 25 metres out. Chris Thorpe's kick just succeeded as it went over off the cross bar to make the score 19 - 28 and give a little breathing space.
Both sides played well in the remaining minutes but the score remained the same when the final whistle sounded. Tarleton winning a well fought game to secure a place in the second round.
Scorers: Tries – Marshall (Try), Smith (Try), Tyrer (Try), Thompson (Try), Thorpe (Conversion & 2 Penalties)
18 November 2007
Tarleton 15 Widnes 12
This game was always going to be a closely contested affair following Tarleton's narrow defeat at Widnes only 3 weeks ago. The cold and windy conditions were always going to cause some difficulties.
Tarleton started well and were unlucky not to open the scoring when Sam Currie kicked forward to cross the Widnes line but knocked on as he attempted to ground the ball. This let off seemed to kick start Widnes who came back strongly only to give away penalties, allowing Tarleton to clear their lines on a couple of occasions. An injury to Ben Kelly meant he had to leave the field and Tarleton had to rearrange things with Will Parker moving into the backs. The first points of the game resulted from some poor Tarleton handling which allowed Widnes to gather the ball and score a converted try after 20 minutes. Again, Tarleton managed to get the ball over the Widnes line only to knock on once more. Widnes then enjoyed a period when they were on top and increased their lead to 0 - 12 with an unconverted try. The visitors were moving the ball well and might have increased their lead further had Matt Forrest not made an important tackle close to the line. A mistake by the Tarleton defence gave a 5 metre scrum. Somehow the ball found it's way to Joe Waite on the wing. He kicked the ball along the ground a couple of times to beat the retreating defenders and then gathered the ball and scored an unconverted try in the corner
Tarleton reduced the Widnes lead again when Sam Currie gathered the ball inside his own 22 and went on a long meandering run across the pitch to deceive the defence and score a try, this time in the opposite corner. Chris Thorpe failed with the conversion attempt. Matt Bradley did well to chase back towards his own line and then clear to touch when Widnes threatened. Good play followed from the Tarleton forwards, driving and supporting well to then release the ball along the line for Joe Waite to score his second try of the game. The half time whistle sounded when the conversion failed with Tarleton in the lead 15 - 12.
Both sides battled well throughout the second half. However, on numerous occasions both teams gave away the advantage by conceding penalties and making errors which cost them scoring opportunities. Widnes did have a sustained period within the Tarleton half but the defence held strong. The Tarleton forwards did a superb job throughout, driving forward, securing possession at line outs and competing well at rucks and mauls to push the opposition back. Widnes did have an opportunity to level the scores when they were awarded a penalty just inside the Tarleton half. However, a brave attempt at the kick from long distance failed. There were no changes to the score in the remaining minutes and Tarleton gained their revenge over Widnes with the same 3 point margin as the previous fixture.
Both teams are to be congratulated on an excellent game of rugby. Played with considerable effort and determination in the right spirit.
Scorers: Waite (2 Tries), Currie (Try)
11 November 2007
West Park 12 Tarleton 29
Tarleton had only 13 players when the game started due to 2 of the team getting lost on their way to this fixture. As a result, West Park, who had a squad of 20 available started with 14. Despite the home side having the advantage in numbers Tarleton started strongly, in particular the forwards, who drove forward and supported the man with the ball very well. Tarleton had the first opportunity to put points on the board with a penalty kick but Chris Thorpe's effort went just wide of the posts. Tarleton were then denied what appeared to be a try as the referee judged that the ball had gone dead and gave a 22 drop out. From this kick Tarleton gathered the ball and made ground to the West Park 22 were they secured the ball from a line out. A tremendous effort from the pack kept the maul moving a good 18 metres to the line for Oliver Raimond to score an unconverted try for a 0 - 5 Tarleton lead after 10 minutes.
Tarleton continued the attacking play and secured the ball from a 5 metre scrum. Will Parker was held short of the line but Tom Eckersley gained possession from the ruck and scored Tarleton's 2nd try which was not converted. Numbers went to 15 on each side when the missing Tarleton players eventually arrived at their destination. West Park came into the game and won a 5 metre scrum after almost crossing the line. However, they were penalised after someone threw a punch and ended up being shown a yellow card. Tarleton relieved the pressure with the resulting penalty. The ball was passed quickly to the backs and Graham Marshall once again showed his pace to run through the defence and score a try under the posts which was converted to make the score 0 - 17. Although West Park ended the half on top Tarleton's defence was strong and they failed reduce the lead.
Tarleton seemed to lose some of their control and discipline at the start of the second half which allowed West Park to gain ground. However, Tarleton managed to clear the ball towards the West Park half when Joe Waite followed up to gather his kick. West Park managed to to turn over possession and a long kick put them into the Tarleton 22 but again, they failed to make the most of a try scoring opportunity. Good play from the Tarleton forwards gained valuable ground and quick ball from a winning scrum gave Will Parker the chance to charge through and score a try which was converted for 0 - 24 lead. West Park didn't give up and came back with 2 tries and a conversion as Tarleton tired in the last quarter of the game and their discipline slipped. A good run from Matt Bradley ended when he was stopped just short of the line by the West Park defence. Tarleton continued the attacking play and a kick to touch from a penalty gave them a line out towards the corner. The forwards did well to secure possession and drive Rob Webster over to score. A good attempt at the conversion fell just short and the final score was 12 - 29.
Tarleton built this result on a very strong start from which the opposition found it difficult to recover. As the second part of the season approaches the team should be confident that they can beat anyone in this league on their day.
Scorers: Raimond (Try), Eckersley (Try), Marshall(Try), Parker (Try), Webster (Try) Thorp (2 Conversions)
4 November 2007
Tarleton 28 Hoylake 8
Tarleton had a good squad of players available for this fixture which helped a great deal.
After losing the ball from the Hoylake kick to start the game Tarleton were very lucky to regain possession. A great run from Will Parker took play to within a few metres of the Hoylake line. The ball was kicked into touch by a defender from the resulting scrum but quick ball from the line out and a chip kick forward allowed centre Graham Marshall to follow up and score the opening try, which was not converted, after only 3 minutes.
From the restart Tarleton were penalised and Hoylake made the score 5 - 3 with a penalty kick. Tarleton were playing well with the backs seeing plenty of the ball but poor discipline again allowed Hoylake to clear the danger with a penalty kick to touch. The Tarleton forwards came back and gained territory and were awarded a penalty on the Hoylake 22 which was kicked by Chris Thorpe to make the score 8 - 3. On a number of occasions Tarleton's handling let them down, giving the advantage to the visitors but they failed to capitalise with a missed penalty kick. Good work by the forwards took play well into the opposition half and some excellent backing up allowed the ball to be passed wide for Graham Marshall to score a try and increase the lead 13 - 3. Tarleton maintained the attacking play and a superb run down the wing by Matt Bradley and follow up by the forwards allowed them to drive Oliver Raimond over the line to touch down and make the score 18 - 3 with another unconverted try. Hoylake came back again strongly but failed to score when they were within 5 metres of the Tarleton line leaving the half time score at 18 - 3.
During the interval the Tarleton forwards were encouraged to increase their work rate and get to the break down quicker in order to secure possession and prevent Hoylake beating them on the ground. Hoylake attacked from the restart but a good kick to touch from within his 22 by Ben Kelly pushed them back. Tarleton seemed to relax for a period of about 10 minutes and were punished when Hoylake scored an unconverted try to reduce the lead to 10 points. Tarleton did manage to step up a gear and good work from Jon Tyrer, Sam Currie and Joe Waite gave Graham Marshall his hat-trick of tries and restored the 15 point lead. Quick ball and good handling through the backs gave Tarleton a fifth try scored by winger Joe Waite. Chris Thorpe's conversion attempt falling just short of the posts.
To their credit Hoylake never gave up and continued to battle well, stopping Tarleton increasing their lead during the remaining 10 minutes of the game. Final score was 28 - 8. A good all round team performance from Tarleton. The forwards secured possession throughout the game allowing the backs to use their pace and stretch the opposition.
Scorers: Marshall (3 Tries), Waite (Try), Raimond (Try), Thorpe (Conversions and Penalties)
28 October 2007
Widnes 10 Tarleton 7
The home side started strongly and a good kick forward was carried over the Tarleton line by a defender to give Widnes a 5 metre scrum. Although Widnes did have a weight advantage in the forwards Tarleton managed to hold their ground. However, a quick ball from the base of a scrum was passed along the backs and a try was scored in the corner to give Widnes a 5 - 0 lead after 5 minutes. The kicker failed with his conversion effort. Tarleton made a lot of ground when Will Parker took the ball from a scrum before passing to Jon Tyrer. Unfortunately a kick forward went straight into touch and Widnes managed to clear the danger with a clearance kick from the lineout which was gathered by Sam Currie to start a counter attack. However, poor discipline gave Widnes a penalty which was moved forward 10 metres when the referee's decision was questioned by Tarleton.
Widnes increased their lead after 20 minutes when the Tarleton defence failed to clear the ball from a long kick forward allowing Widnes to regain possession and cross the line to make the score 10 - 0. Again the conversion was missed. Widnes continued to attack and were denied a third try when Tom Eckersley held up the attacker when he had crossed the line. Despite being under pressure the Tarleton defence held strong and good long kick moved the play into the Widnes half of the field. The Tarleton forwards did well to drive Widnes back and then win a scrum inside the 22. However, a forward pass halted Tarleton's momentum. The game was evenly matched at this stage with both sides kicking for touch well on a number of occasions in order to break down attacking play. The first half ended with score 10 - 0.
The opening minutes of the second half saw both sides penalised for a number of infringements. From one penalty Matt Forrest kicked well to give Tarleton an attacking position on the Widnes 22. Tarleton pushed on and then a 5 metre scrum was won by Widnes and a kick into touch relieved the pressure. Tarleton secured the ball from the line out and scrum half Graham Marshall spotted a gap in the Widnes defence, darting through to cross the line and carry the ball towards the posts before touching down to give Tarleton a well deserved try which was converted by Chris Thorpe to make the score 10 - 7 after 15 minutes of the second half.
Some excellent tactical kicking from the Tarleton backs allowed play to remain within the oppositions half of the field where good work from the forwards carried play towards the Widnes line to gain a 5 metre scrum. Widnes managed to clear the danger and play moved out of their 22. The referee then produced a yellow card to send Jon Tyrer to the sin bin for an infringement in a ruck. Shortly afterwards the numbers were even again when a Widnes player was also shown a yellow card. Tarleton continued to attack but let themselves down with some unforced errors when they were in good positions. As the minutes were ticking away Tarleton continued to attack but time ran out and they lost this game 10 - 7. Tarleton again gave a tremendous effort in this game against a Widnes squad of 21 which was utilised fully as they were able to rotate players regularly. A luxury which Tarleton do not have with their limited squad numbers.
Scorers: Marshall (Try), Thorpe (Conversion)
14 October 2007
Tarleton 24 Birkenhead Park 22
Tarleton managed to start this game with a squad of 17 players after last weeks struggle for players. However, once again we saw a a game of two distinctly different halves. The initial kick to start the game was gathered by Will Parker who made an excellent run through the Birkenhead defence. He was stopped short of the try line and Tarleton were awarded a penalty. Jon Tyrer took the ball from the tap and burst through to score a try. The conversion attempt failed and Tarleton led 5 - 0. This start gave Tarleton a false sense of security and they appeared to think the game was going to be easy. Failure to collect the ball from a long Birkenhead kick into the Tarleton 22 allowed the visitors to follow up and score an unconverted try to level the score at 5 - 5 after 10 minutes. Again, poor handling allowed Birkenhead to gather the ball close to the Tarleton line. This time a knock on close to the line let Tarleton off the hook but some poor discipline gave Birkenhead a penalty which was successfully kicked to give them the lead 5 - 8. Birkenhead extended their lead to 5 - 15 after winning a 5 metre scrum and scoring a converted try. Tarleton almost scored a try when Graham Marshall made a great run before passing to Chris Thorpe who was held up when over the line. Once again Tarleton were on the receiving end after failing to gather the ball from a speculative Birkenhead kick through which resulted in another converted try for the visitors and a half time score 5 - 22.
Tarleton looked to be out of this game but a stern talk from coach Nick Eckersley at the interval seemed to rally them in the second half. After some initial attacking play from Birkenhead the Tarleton forwards stepped up a gear. A quickly taken tap gave Will Parker an opportunity to run with the ball and some excellent play from the pack allowed Tom Eckersley to score a try towards the corner which was converted by Chris Thorpe to make the score 12 - 22. The forwards continued to play well and after securing the ball from a line out on the Birkenhead 22 good driving runs from Jon Tyrer and Tom Eckersley gave Stuart Smith the chance to drive over the line and score a great try which was converted to make the score 19 - 22. The Tarleton forwards continued to have control of the game and they came close to scoring on a couple of occasions with some strong driving and scrummaging. However some careless play around the ruck allowed Birkenhead to clear the ball and kick well into the Tarleton half. Tarleton were penalised by the referee and Birkenhead were given an opportunity to increase their lead but failed with the penalty kick. Birkenhead were penalised at the restart for tackling the Tarleton catcher before he had gathered the ball. Tarleton then moved the ball quickly through the backs and a looping run from Graham Marshall around the Birkenhead defence gave him a try and put Tarleton in the lead 24 - 22. Chris Thorpe failed with the conversion attempt. From the restart Birkenhead came forward strongly and took the ball to the Tarleton 22 where they were awarded a penalty. Birkenhead decided to go for goal and, with what was to be the last kick of the game, missed the opportunity to win the match. The final score being 24 - 22 to Tarleton.
If Tarleton are to make life easier for themselves and a little less tense for their supporters they need to be switched on from the start instead of leaving it well into the second half to play at the level that they are certainly capable of.
Scorers: Tyrer (Try), Eckersley (Try), Smith (Try), Marshal (Try), Thorpe (2 Conversions)
7 October 2007
Ashton-on-Mersey 14 Tarleton 15
Despite the best efforts of Mike Tyrer, the Senior Colts Manager, to gather a squad, Tarleton had to start this game with 14 players. This situation was made worse early in the game when prop Paul Carlton had to leave the field with a painful injury to his hand leaving Tarleton with only 13 players. Ashton - on - Mersey started the game strongly and a good driving run from their No.8 opened the scoring for them with a try which was converted to make the score 7 - 0 after ten minutes. Tarleton continued to be under attack and only some desperate defending managed to prevent Ashton from increasing their lead. Tarleton did manage to clear the danger by winning a 5 metre scrum and kicking the ball clear. However the play was soon back inside the Tarleton 22 but good defensive play prevented Ashton scoring and the half ended with the score 7 - 0.
Tarleton started the second half well showing some excellent fighting spirit to take the play towards the Ashton line. They won a 5 metre scrum and crossed the line but the referee judged that Will Parker was 'held up' by the Ashton defenders. Tarleton continued the fight back and some excellent play from the forwards gave them a try scored by Will Parker and converted by Chris Thorpe to level the score 7 - 7. A superb clearance kick from inside their own half and a favourable bounce gave Tarleton possession on the Ashton 22 where an infringement from Ashton gave Tarleton a penalty in front of the posts which was successfully kicked by Chris Thorpe to give Tarleton the lead 7 - 10. Ashton came back to secure the ball from a line out on the Tarleton 22 and a good passing move gave them a converted try to regain the lead 14 - 10. However, Tarleton did not give in and again fought back well to win a penalty in the Ashton half. Some great thinking followed from Tom Eckersley who took a quick tap and surprised the Ashton defence. He gained ground and quickly passed to Will Parker who sprinted for the line and scored under the posts. The conversion attempt from Chris Thorpe was charged down by an advancing Ashton player and the score was 14 - 15. From the restart Ashton attacked strongly. They secured possession from a number of scrums and a line out but Tarleton remained strong and an excellent clearance kick and follow up by Graham Marshall put the Ashton player into touch. Ashton came back again and Tarleton were penalised. There then followed unbelievable decision from an Ashton player who took a tap instead of kicking for the 3 points on offer which could have won the game for them. This spurred Tarleton on to hold strong during the remaining minutes to secure the win by a single point.
The Tarleton team are to be congratulated on giving should a spirited performance. The effort level and commitment shown to secure this win against the odds is commendable. Hopefully this will inspire the team and give them confidence to take into their future games.
Scorers: Parker (2 Tries), Thorpe (Conversions and Penalties)
30 September 2007
Tarleton 22 Winnington Park 21
The opening period of this game was evenly matched. Tarleton failed to relieve some Winnington Park pressure with a kick to touch falling short. This allowed the Winnington forwards to take advantage and they did cross the line but were judged to have been 'held up' by the Tarleton defence. A break by Will Parker from the resulting scrum allowed Tarleton to gain ground towards the Winnington half. However, Tarleton managed to squander possession handing the advantage back to Winnington Park who opened the scoring with a try under the posts which was converted to give the visitors a 7 - 0 lead after 15 minutes. Tarleton responded well and some excellent play from Ben Seddon and Will Parker allowed winger Sam Currie to score in the corner. Chris Thorpe's conversion attempt fell just short of the posts leaving the score at 5 - 7. Tarleton gained the lead when No.8 Will Parker picked the ball up from the back of a scrum and ran half the length of pitch, beating the Winnington defence to score a try and make the score 10 - 7. On this occasion Ben Kelly missing the conversion. Winnington Park came back at Tarleton and some good play gave them a 5 metre scrum. A great catch from a high kick and then a clearance to touch allowed Tarleton to regain the advantage. However, they failed to secure possession from a winning scrum and then lost possession in a maul to end the half once again under attack from the Winnington forwards.
Some excellent defensive work from full back Tim Holloway resulted in a Tarleton 22 metre drop kick. Will Parker managed to gather the ball and pass to Graham Marshall who made a superb long run through the Winnington Park defence to score a try in the corner. The try was not converted and the score was 15 - 7. Tarleton maintained the attacking play despite having to shuffle players around due to some injuries. They gained ground from a good kick to touch and secured possession from the line out. The ball was passed out to Matt Forrest who just managed to beat the Winnington defence and score a try which he unfortunately did not recall very well as he took a bump on the head in the process and had to leave the field feeling a bit dizzy. The try was converted by Chris Thorpe. At this point the game should have been in the bag with Tarleton in the lead 22 - 7. However, Winnington Park came back strongly and very good work from their forwards gave them a second try and conversion to make the score 22 - 14. In the dying moments of the game Winnington crossed the Tarleton line once more to score their third try. The last kick of the game saw the try converted to make the final score 22 - 21.
Scorers: Currie (Try), Parker (Try), Marshall (Try), Forrest (Try), Thorp (Conversions)
23 September 2007
Tarleton 0 Stockport 26
Tarleton senior colts found themselves up against the early league leaders Stockport at Carr Lane. From the outset Stockport appeared to be a well organised team with some strong running forwards and an early break from them would have resulted in a try had the referee not spotted a double movement. A couple of infringements at the scrum allowed Tarleton to gain some ground and relieve the Stockport pressure. However, Stockport were soon back on the attack and only an excellent tackle from Graham Marshall denied Stockport another try scoring opportunity. After 12 minutes Stockport opened the scoring with a try after mistakes and poor Tarleton defence allowed a Stockport forward to score under the posts. The try was converted to give Stockport a 7 - 0 lead. Tarleton continued to be under pressure due to mistakes which lost possession. This meant some desperate defensive work close to the line for Tarleton. Two 5 metre scrums maintained the Stockport pressure and they scored a further try which was converted for 14 - 0 lead at half time.
During the half time interval coach Nick Eckersley tried to motivate Tarleton to give a better performance in the second half. However, soon after the restart Stockport secured possession from a line out on the Tarleton 22 metre line and some good passing between the Stockport backs allowed their centre to score a try under the posts which was converted for a 21 - 0 lead. Tarleton continued to squander possession, particularly from the line out allowing Stockport to regain the advantage on a number of occasions and a further try was scored in the corner. 26 - 0. Tarleton were unlucky not score a try when Will Parker was judged to have knocked on having made an excellent run to gather the ball following a big kick from Ben Kelly. As Tarleton struggled to maintain possession Stockport continued to threaten until the end of the game.
Tarleton now need to leave this poor performance behind them and move forward to re group and prepare for the next game at home to Winnington Park next Sunday.
9 September 2007
Manchester 15 Tarleton 17
The senior colts first away game of the season took them to Manchester RUFC. Tarleton started well and were on top in the opening minutes of the game. Excellent support play from forwards Tom Eckersley and Jon Tyrer allowed captain Will Parker to score a try under the posts which was converted by Chris Thorpe. Tarleton continued to play well to maintain territorial advantage. However some indiscipline from Tarleton resulted in Manchester being awarded a penalty after 10 minutes. A successful kick made the score 3 - 7. Will Parker secured possession from a line out. The ball passed quickly to the Tarleton backs and an excellent move allowed full back Sam Currie to link up and run through the Manchester defence to score a try under the posts, converted by Chris Thorpe to give Tarleton a 14 - 3 lead. Tarleton continued the pressure and were just denied a try in the corner when Matt Bradley stepped into touch short of the try line. Tarleton's poor discipline was penalised twice, allowing Manchester to gain the advantage and score a try in the corner just before half time. The try was not converted making the half time score 8 - 14.
The opening period of the second half saw Manchester with the advantage but two penalties awarded to Tarleton allowed them to gain ground. Chris Thorpe getting 3 points with a successful kick from 25 meters to make the score 8 - 17. The following period of the game saw Tarleton penalised for a series of errors which put them under severe pressure. Excellent defending close to the line denied Manchester a number of chances to score. An injury to Matt Bradley allowed replacement Ben Seddon onto the field for his first taste of Senior Colts Rugby. The referee penalized Tarleton on a number of occasions for persistent errors. Will Parker eventually paying the price and spending 10 minutes in the sin bin. With the remaining minutes ticking away Tarleton were under pressure and a break by one of the Manchester forwards beat the defence and a try was scored and converted from under the posts. The final score 15 - 17. A excellent competitive game with Tarleton holding on to get their first win of the season.
Scorers: Parker (Try), Currie (Try), Thorpe (2 Conversions & 1 Penalty)
2 September 2007
Tarleton 12 Fleetwood 14
Match Report 1
In wet and windy conditions Tarletons' Senior Colts found themselves with just enough players to form a side against a 19 man Fleetwood squad. Depsite this they played some open and expansive rugby and if they had been able to convert their early pressure into points the result could have been much different.
They lost a player half way through the first half with a cut cheek and still managed to give Fleetwood a good contest in what was to prove a physical game. Some of the hits going in from the Tarleton defense were awesome and despite Fleetwood scoring a converted breakaway try Tarleton continued to play some good rugby and eventually crossed the line to equal the score.
With 10 minutes to go Fleetwood used their extra man out wide and ran in what they thought must be the winning score, to their credit Tarleton continued to pressurise Fleetwood despite their obvious tiredness. With what was to be the last play of the match Tarleton crashed over for a try but the kick was always going to be difficult into a gale force wind.
A good start to the season, there are signs that Tarleton will be able to compete well in their games but as last season they need to have a larger squad poresent so that they too can take advantage of being able to bring on fresh legs throughout the game - this was the difference between the teams today - had Tarleton had a full squad they would not have lost this match.
Match Report 2
The first game of the new season saw an evenly matched game between Tarleton and Fleetwood. Tarleton started well and after 10 minutes a mistake by Fleetwood from a scrum on their own 22 line allowed the Tarleton scrum half, Ben Kelly, to make a break passing to Stuart Smith who was held just short of the line. After 25 minutes an unfortunate facial injury to Tarleton's inside centre meant that the home team had to play the majority of the game with 14 men. However, both defences held out until half time with the score at 0 - 0.
Fleetwood started the 2nd half strongly and scored the the first try of the game after 48 minutes. The try was converted to give them a 7 - 0 lead. Tarleton were awarded a penalty on the Fleetwood 22. A quick tap by Ben Kelly and an excellent run from Will Parker resulted in Stuart Smith scoring a try which was converted by Chris Thorpe to level the scores.
Tarleton began to tire and Fleetwood made the most of the extra man advantage to score a converted try and regain the lead. Tarleton never gave up and in the dying moments of the game a good kick to the wing was gathered by Graham Marshall to score a try in the corner. The last action of the game saw Chris Thorpe make a good attempt with the conversion from the touchline. With the wind against him his kick fell short of the posts.
A good close game with Fleetwood just winning 14 - 12.
Scorers: Smith (Try), Marshall (Try), Thorpe (Conversion)
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