Waterloo (Firwood) 38 vs Whitchurch 22

A strange afternoon of outstanding tackling and commitment mixed inexorably with moments of half hearted flapping saw the Reds go down to a well drilled  Waterloo.  Whitchurch started well and put the home side under pressure for the first ten minutes but a breakaway try by the speedy scouse backs saw them fall behind. The Shropshire men continued their pressure and were rewarded by a try from Elliot Horton to draw level. Both sides were now in a full blooded battle and it was the home backs who prevailed to score again in the corner. They went further ahead a few minutes later when the visitors seemed to switch off and miss tackles for Waterloo to score under the posts and then convert. This awakened Whitchurch who looked like facing a battering. They forced their way to their opponent’s line and Jake Bailey touched down after a classic catch and drive to leave the score at 17 – 10 at half time. 

The second half continued with a fierce battle up front but after 56 minutes home pressure paid off with a converted try and a yellow card for Nathan Horton. The ten minute penalty proved costly as the Liverpool side score two more converted tries to lead 38 – 10 and things looked bleak for Whitchurch. Horton’s return from the sin bin saw a resurgence and it was no surprise when they started to pull back the score with another catch and drive and try fro Callum Southall. Almost immediately there was a skirmish on the field and Tom Hales was red carded.  This galvanised the reds who muscled their way to the line and, when the ball squirted out of a maul sideways, was pounced upon by Danny Nicholas to score out wide. A fine conversion by Robbie Leighton brought the score to 38 to 22points and there it stayed until the final whistle. Whitchurch had lost to a club that once boasted many internationals but had gained a valuable point for scoring four tries.