Bowdon secure bonus point win in season opener

All week social media was alive with Tweets and Facebook statuses making it clear WPSH were building up to the game and looking to make a positive start to their campaign ambition of bouncing straight back up the leagues. Bowdon kept quiet, working late into the fading light on training nights to make sure they were ready and boy were they…..

If the pre-match omens weren’t good, with a long delay on the M56 and second row Dan Brown pulling up with a groin strain in the warmup meaning a late call to Craig Mason telling him to get his stakes on, the players didn’t show it and kept a quiet but focused air in the changing room. Players arrived, one by one going through their own personal pre-match routines, head phones on some, silence from others, many popping in and out of the hustle and bustle of the full changing room, physio strapping niggles, Garry setting up the camera ready to record the game, and Jamie Anthony getting the boys warmed up out on the pitch as Coach Murray prowled, no doubt anxious to see his team put into practice what had been worked on in pre-season. As the minutes ticked down the boys were firing up nicely and slowly but surely they began to enter into match day mode, a few words in the changing room to finish the prep off, a giant squeeze 1,2,3……BOWDON!!!! and the season was on its way.

Fly half Jonny Edwards started the game with a superb kick off allowing the Bowdon cover to put down the first marker and set the tone for a defensive performance that was to last the full 80 minutes and which would ultimately nullify the potent West Park back line.

For the first few phases nothing really happening with both teams struggling to make a break through. On the odd occasion West Park did threatened they would be turned over in the middle or be forced to try the outrageous with a number of cross field kicks to the wings all of which were well marshalled by the Bowdon backline. It was very much a forward’s game with Jonny Edwards and Scrum half, Chris Calvert, controlling the tempo. The deadlock was finally broken with West Park conceding a penalty just outside their 22m and Edwards took full advantage by sticking the ball straight through the middle of the posts. Together with the cheers from the travelling Bowdon support, this gave the team confidence and it wasn’t long before they were back inside the home team’s 22. Wing Craig Monaghan chasing a speculative kick into the try area was just beaten to the ball by the West Park full back who picked the ball up and was tackled out the back by Monaghan. The West Park 15 struggled to keep his cool and hurled the ball at the Bowdon wing, a few handbags followed with the ref blowing for a Bowdon penalty. Backing the dominance their set piece had shown in the game so far Bowdon elected to take the 5m scrummage. A strong and solid scrum allowed nr 8 Waddington to pick from the base and launch a close range attack. West Park however were alert to the threat and managed to stop the attack just short of the line and despite Waddington finally forcing the touch down the ref blew for a double movement – try denied.

If this was a blow it was soon to be made worse. Following a period of control but ultimately little gain in territory with the Bowdon back row led by Greg Jacob and supported by Hooker, Jamie Frost, tackling everything in sight, West Park were forced to put a kick over the Bowdon midfield. The kick was gathered by Monaghan who attempted to run it from deep with Dafydd Evans in support. Unfortunately the offload out of the tackle fell massively short of the supporting Evans and the loose pass was quickly pounced upon by West Park who took full advantage of the mistake to run it in from 30m out for a converted try.

As the conversion was being lined up captain Neil Bright gathered his troops under the posts and calmed things down stressing the positive manner in which the team had played so far and telling them that they should continue to back themselves and the style of play they were playing. Bowdon responded with the forwards again driving the ball up the field. Following some epic hits and good carries from Tom Gomulko, Greg Jacob, Craig Anthony, and Rick Bibby the ball was smartly switched to the backs who, attacking down the slope in lightning fashion, stuck it through hands, the move ending with Centre Andre Hechter dotting down in the corner. Conversion missed. 8 -7 Bowdon lead.

It had been an intense start to the first half and having not lost to Bowdon since Jan 2012 it was obvious that WPSH were stunned by the ferocity and pace of the Bowdon attack with their players looking a little shell shocked. In contrast Bowdon were looking surprisingly fresh in the beaming sunlight but it had been a tough 30 minutes. The remainder of the first half was very back and forth between the two teams, but eventually West Park capitalised on another loose pass going to ground to again gather and score to take the half time score to 12-8 in favour of the home side.

The sun was beaming down and with the West Park crowd picking up the second half kicked off with the game finely balanced. It wasn’t to remain that way as Bowdon were to score 17 unanswered points.

Despite the re-start finding turf and the ball not bouncing in fly-half Edward’s favour causing a knock on the pressure was immediately back on the Home team. What had been hinted in the first half come to pre-eminence with the first scrum of the half. The Bowdon pack was immense and turned the ball over. This was a pattern to be repeated throughout the half as the Bowdon pack attacked the WPSH ball at source and as Bowdon established a platform it allowed the backs to really ask questions of the home sides defence. Some fantastic running lines and strikes made by Connolly, Evans and Oben paid off as Liam Connolly forced his way through from a deft Evans offload for a try under the posts and a Bowdon lead.

This score set the platform for a truly exceptional 2nd half performance in which Bowdon came close a number of times with Tom Oben especially being denied a couple of tries by the corner flag and another couple of clear cut chances going to ground with the last pass. Lewis Kitchiner come off the bench and almost made an immediate impact making a line break from 30m out and just failing to get the offload. It wasn’t long however before Oben finally went over, this time managing to get it to ground before hitting the whitewash. The second half was all Bowdon and with the game put to bed they focused on the getting bonus point. The first opportunity came curtesy of a superb break from Calvert who popped it out to Craig Mason on the wing but agonisingly the ball again went to ground. Bowdon appeared to be set for a 3 try win but in the final play of the game Waddington picked off the back of a scrum to force his way over from close range and secure the bonus point win.

Great start to the season against tough opposition.

Next week Bowdon 1st XV will look to open their home account with another tough fixture against LSH.

Bowdon 25 – 12 West Park

1. Richard Bibby
2. Jamie Frost
3. Craig Anthony
4. Neil Bright
5. Tom Gomulko
6. Dan Billinge
7. Greg Jacob
8. Michael Waddington
9. Chris Calvert
10. Jonny Edwards
11. Craig Monaghan
12. Andre Hechter
13. Dafydd Evans
14. Thomas Oben
15. Liam Connolly
16. Lewis Kitchiner
17. Dave Barker
18. Craig Mason

Tries: Hechter, Connolly, Oben, Waddington
Conversions: Edwards (1)
Penalties: Edwards (1)