New Brighton 20 Burnage 31
Report by Doug Thorpe
Team Sheet: 15. Nick Aldersey, 14. Gareth Simpson (Luke Thompson), 13. Vincent Dutton, 12. Sean Ellis, 11. Andy Signal, 10. Antony Birley, 9. Simione Mafi, 1. John Williams(Paul Lewis), 2. Phil Buckley, 3. Mohammed Mustafa, 4. Jack Scott-Sugden, 5. Keith Mahon, 6. Thomas Charnley, 7. Kieran Hibbs, 8. Loa Tupou
The aficionados at Reeds Lane were in agreement that their team warranted a great deal of credit for their tenacity in making a fighting comeback in the final quarter. When, trailing 31 points to 8, a total annihilation was a real prospect. A brace of tries by Andy Signal in the last 10 minutes and a Anthony Birley conversion put the score into an area of respectability but it was not sufficient to counter the 4 tries scored by Burnage in the 10 minutes each side of half time during which period they had added a total of 14 points to their score and effectively put the game out of sight for the Blues.
New Brighton attacked from the start. A couple of long range penalty attempts had failed before a multi phased attack and some good work by Anthony Birley and Vinnie Dutton put Loa Tupou in at the corner on 12 minutes for an unconverted try. Within 5 minutes Burnage had responded as their powerful pack trundled over the line after an attacking line out. The try was claimed by their excellent No8 Geary Hewitt and converted by Adam Knight.
Burnage started to seriously ratchet up their score on 34 minutes as the Blues pack were pushed off their own ball in a set piece and for Hewitt to pick up and prove to be unstoppable in a dash for the line. Almost from the restart some excellent handling by the Burnage backs put centre Adam Blaney in for a try converted by Adam Knight to increase the lead.
Half Time Score: New Brighton 5 – 19 Burnage.
A penalty goal by Anthony Birley after a deliberate obstruction on Nick Aldersey on 42 mins was quickly countered by the visitors as again the Blues pack were forced to give way at a five metre scrum for the No8 to touch down. The same player scored his fourth try by picking up a loose ball and ploughing over the line on 50 mins. to leave the Blues facing a deficit of 31 points to 8.
New Brighton had not been playing badly. Simioni Mafi made a good fist of playing in the unusual position of scrum half. He combined well with Anthony Birley as well as mounting some telling attacks from the base of the scrum. Vinnie Dutton moved from the wing to centre with Sean Ellis also made some useful breaks which could, with a bit of luck, have led to scores and the centre field defence was sound.
The expected capitulation did not happen. New Brighton recorded a well earned score on the hour as Andy Signal strolled over after collecting a beautifully weighted cross kick by Birley who also added the extras. The Blues now with territorial advantage put Burnage under pressure but the visitors held out to restrict the home side to a single additional try by Andy Signal in stoppage time after a tap penalty move.
Final Score: New Brighton 20 Burnage 31
Match Photos