Birkenhead Park 29 West 10

By A Special Correspondent - October 30 2011
Birkenhead Park 29 West 10
Ben Lloyd
FRUSTRATION. That was the best word to sum up a day on the Wirral for West Hartlepool. Frustration that they came away away from Birkenhead Park without a point and frustration at referee Nick Ramsden. West had led 10-7 midway through the second half and were still in bonus point territory going into the last minute of normal time at Upper Park Road.
However, two tries at the death put a lopsided look on the scoreline and denied the visitors a point their graft had deserved.
Not for the first away trip this season, or even this month, West were forced into some 11th hour changes.
Colin Cheslin and Stephen Stockdale were both withdrawals, with Zac Southern and Ben Lloyd coming into the starting XV on the left wing and lock. Both players put in tremendous shifts.
It was pretty much all Birkenhead Park in the opening 15 minutes as the hosts looked to atone for the Merseyside derby drubbing at Waterloo seven days earlier.
They looked anxious though so when they tried to move the ball wide Greg Edwards, fast becoming a modern-day Mike 'Burglar Bill' Harrison made the interception.
He only reached halfway but the centre had saved West from going 7-0 down.
With Dave Hall missing an early penalty that had three points written all over it, it was Birkenhead Park feeling the frustration, especially when the full-back spilled an 18th-minute kick ahead by Stuart Waites.
Waites couldn't believe his good fortune and he ran clear for a try. For good measure he put over the conversion from wide on the right.
West's defence was worked hard but they put their bodies on the line.
And they were unlucky to concede a 'try' just after the half-hour.
Birkenhead had been held up over the line and gained a five-metre scrum. The hosts chipped away and hooker and skipper Christian Jones drove over in the right corner.
Mr Ramsden could not see it and after cries of "yes" from home players and fans, he ran around to the blindide and, incredibly, awarded the score.
Jones may have got the ball down, but the Yorkshire ref hadn't seen it and should not have guessed.
To rub salt in the wounds, Hall converted from the right touchline.
Mr Ramsden added over six minutes of stoppage time and right in the final seconds penalised West for being offside in front of their posts.
Thankfully for the visitors Hall was not as accurate in front of the sticks as he was from out on the flanks and half-time arrived with the scores level at 7-7, even if the Birkenhead scoreboard read 7-5 to the hosts.
Waites had no such problems 10 minutes into the second half when he put West 10-7 ahead after their best passage of play.
Frustration reared its head again when Jonny Boatman was almost decapitated by a head-high tackle at the re-start.
The Birkenhead prop escaped with a ticking off but when Gareth Foreman stuck his hand in a ruck five minutes later the yellow card came out of the referee's shorts pocket.
Down to 14 men, West held out until the 62nd minute when they got winger Mike Chapman over in the left corner after West ran out of defenders. Hall added a super conversion.
Five minutes later, West frustration boiled over when they were penalised just inside the home half.
Dissent meant they were marched back though for what seemed to be further than the mandatory 10 metres.
It brought the award to within kicking distance and Hall was on target from 39 metres.
West did get some rub of the green when Mr Ramsden missed a knock-on by Andrew Davies.
The lock momentarily stopped before putting his foot on the accelerator and powered up the left wing.
Reminisent of a try at Alnwick a season or four ago, Davies looked like going all the way before being forced out on the 22.
Frustration again at the resultant line-out. Mr Ramsden penalised West and it was the last time they caught sight of the home line.
West conceded several penalties late on and when Park kicked one award into the away 22, the forwards got a drive on and sub Olly Mabbutt finished it off with an unconverted try in the final minute.
It took a bonus point away from West and in injury time, Birkenhead returned to the 22 where Jones forced his way over for his second try and a BP for his team.
Frustration was the only word for it.
Birkenhead Park: Hall, Houlistan, Hughes, Scott, Chapman, Rich, Lowry, Cassidy, Jones, Campbell, Saidi, Stead, Ashcroft, Stead, D Ibbotson. Reps: Mabbutt, M Ibbotson, Ingram
Tries: Jones [2], Chapman, Mabbutt. Con: Hall [3]. Pen: Hall
West: Waites [Mallinson 72], Butcher, Edwards, Robinson, Southern, G Foreman, A Foreman, Wood, Bailey [Hogan 55], Coates, Davies, Lloyd [Eddy 50], D Boatman, J Boatman, Taylor
Try: Waites. Con: Waites. Pen: Waites
Referee Nick Ramsden [Yorkshire Federation]
 
Birkenhead Park 29 West 10
Posted by: Official West Hartlepool RFC (IP Logged)
Date: 30/10/2011 11:43


Re: Birkenhead Park 29 West 10
Posted by: MikeyBoy (IP Logged)
Date: 31/10/2011 08:57

we're going to be struggling away from home when we can't put a consistent team out every week. Having said that, this sounds like a decent effort and we were unfortunate to not get the bonus

Re: Birkenhead Park 29 West 10
Posted by: West Park Allotment (IP Logged)
Date: 31/10/2011 10:26

Seems like other clubs have similar problems judging by results. Important thing is to win your home games and pick up bonus points.

Re: Birkenhead Park 29 West 10
Posted by: Supercodhead (IP Logged)
Date: 31/10/2011 12:00

the needle is stuck>>you cant keep on blaming the ref week in week out>>>

Re: Birkenhead Park 29 West 10
Posted by: west exile (IP Logged)
Date: 31/10/2011 13:16

How come anth carr isn't playing anymore, injured?

Re: Birkenhead Park 29 West 10
Posted by: Andy Quinn (IP Logged)
Date: 31/10/2011 13:27

I think its work comittments

Re: Birkenhead Park 29 West 10
Posted by: Dave Picken (IP Logged)
Date: 31/10/2011 13:31

And Stocker has wedding commitments.

Re: Birkenhead Park 29 West 10
Posted by: Denny Dixon (IP Logged)
Date: 01/11/2011 10:17

Sounds as if good performance but thwarted in a number of ways. This weeks home game is a must win bonus pointer which looking at the fixtures will enable us to be hanging on to the shirt tales of the middle bunch. Well done to the Stags back on the real winning ways once again and really good to see after the starting games!!! Bucks keep on trucking and sounds as if it was a plucky performance at a place never easy to come away with a victory. Fourths should keep turning out and enjoying, some results will come. If 54 have turned out for the Bucks then we should be confident to turn out a fourths week in week out to the benefit of all the teams!!!

Re: Birkenhead Park 29 West 10
Posted by: West Park Allotment (IP Logged)
Date: 01/11/2011 10:56

It's never going to be easy moving up a league however we obviously have the ability to do well providing we get our heads down and mouths shut.

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