2nd XV Lose to Eccles 4th XV

The second game of the season was away to league leaders Eccles 4th XV. While 16 people were available there were a few players out of position and three debutantes gave the team an unknown quality.

Strong running from the forward pack gave Bedians some immediate momentum at the start. Eccles drew first blood with their speedster backs exploiting space out wide, followed very quickly in similar fashion by a second try.

Playing a tight game started to pay dividends with fresh second row partnership Ali Hafeez and Ryan McCormick making inroads. First on the Bedians scoresheet was academy graduate Mal Logue slipping through several Eccles players to dot down.

The rest of the first half was a fast paced mix of Bedians forwards controlling the game with the Eccles back line trying to find space. Mal Logue wriggled through for another score and Huw Skiplorne bagging the third and converting one giving Bedians a 17-14 lead at half time.

The first ten minutes of the second half was scoreless with the match ebbing back and forth. With 30 minutes to go the superior numbers for Eccles started to show with tiredness creeping into the Bedians legs. In the last 10 minutes the damn burst and Eccles ran in multiple tries.

Credit to Eccles a well deserved victory, their young and quick back line will trouble every defence in the league. With 20 players this game would have been much much tighter so Bedians should look forward to the return fixture.

A great debut for Mal Logue, grabbing a brace and taking down defenders twice his size. Ali Hafeez provided a running threat from 2nd row for the entire game. Cameron Hesk and Conn O'Neill marshalled the continual threat from Eccles back line while supporting some rather novice wingers.

Big thanks to Ritchie Swailes, turning up 20 minutes before kick off in a boiler suit having answered an SOS to provide cover from full back!

While the score line is rather savage much can be taken from a very competitive performance over 60 minutes by an experimental Bedians side. Turn that into 80 and the wins will come. Well done boys!

Try: Mal Logue (2), Huw Skiplorne
Con: Huw Skiplorne

Gabriel Hogan
Paddy Hamlyn
Anthony Hargreaves
Ali Hafeez
Ryan McCormick
Mal Logue
Dan Thomas
Jack Newsome
Michael Barringer
Huw Skiplorne
Joe Valentine
Cameron Hesk
Conn O'Neill
Tom Fuller
Ritchie Swailes

Jim O'Neill