Wrathall Wreaks Havoc!

Wigton were comfortable 36-17 winners over Whitehaven played out at Lowmoor Road on an uninspiring moist afternoon. Wigton were workmanlike rather than spectacular although No 8 Greg Wrathall had a memorably afternoon scoring four tries in an impressive personal display, whilst scrum half Dan Reed showed some moments of high skill. The visitors scored three tries through their impressive lineout work, although two of these came late on in the closing stages of the game.

It was Reed who sparked Wigton’s first try. The referee was playing advantage for a high tackle as Wigton carried the ball strongly in the opposition 22. Reed produced a wondrous reverse pass for hooker Elliot Armstrong to power onto and break through a tackle to score between the posts. Reed added the extras for a 7-0 lead.

A feature of the game was the number of offences for high tackles, most of which looked innocuous enough, but were correct by the current interpretation of the law, suggesting that players in the less elevated echelons of the game are struggling to cope with an interpretation which leaves even the slightest contact liable to be penalised. The other favourite offence for Wigton was for the tackler not releasing the ball carrier before competing for the ball, again the referee’s interpretation being correct with the ball carrier being deemed tackled as his legs hit the ground.

Whitehaven’s general play seemed to pose few threats to the well organised Wigton defence and the second try came when the visitors coughed up the ball under pressure. Fly half David Hanabury gratefully accepted the ball and there was some neat interplay between the backs taking play close to the tryline. Whitehaven conceded a penalty but before anyone had a chance to react, Wigton had tapped and Wrathall was over the line in a flash pushing the lead out to 12-0.

From the restart centre Richard Moffatt produced a well timed pass to give his winger Josh Leeson a chance to gallop into open country. A try looked likely but Wigton knocked on, conceding a scrum. However, Reed turned this into an opportunity as he charged down the clearance kick and then leapt to claim the ricochet in the in goal area to score and give Wigton a comfortable 19-0 lead.

From the restart Wrathall made thirty yards when he had no right to, powering through all but the most determined tackles, but a series of penalties enabled Whitehaven to enjoy some possession in Wigton’s 22. The defence were coping well and Whitehaven seemed to run out of ideas when attempting a very speculative grubbed. Wigton cleared but in competing for the ball were judged to have tackled a player in the air. This penalty gave Whitehaven a close attacking lineout from which a well coordinated drive produced a converted try for No 8 Jamie Martin.

Wigton soon responded in kind with Reed again being the catalyst. He caught Whitehaven out with a quick tap and they were penalised for not being back ten metres. From the resulting penalty Wigton were able to set up an attacking lineout. It was the Greens turn to get the drive going and Wrathall claimed the try for a 24-7 half time score.

The second have was rather disjointed largely owing to a series of penalties and replacements. With the match points seemingly decided some of the intensity went out of the game. All the tries came from field position in the opposition red zone as a result of penalties.

Wigton got their next try from a close scrum. A concerted drive got Whitehaven going backwards but Wrathall still had work to do when he picked up and thundered over for his hat trick. Reed’s conversion gave Wigton a 31-7 lead.

The next bit of action saw replacement Mark Deans leave the field to some bemusement as he was yellow carded for a high tackle. He was unfortunate in that David Hanabury’s tackle meant the ball carrier was falling down as the considerable presence of Deans arrived and had little chance to avoid a collision. Big forwards inevitably feel hard done by when they are penalised for high tackling someone who is already on their way down, but such is the nature of the game nowadays. Whitehaven were unable to make any impression on the scoreboard while Wigton were short handed. Indeed Wigton were the next score with another quickly tapped free kick giving Wrathall his fourth try.

Whitehaven managed to close the gap in the closing stages with penalties allowing them to set up attacking lineouts. From one they set up a drive before transferring to flanker Connor Dalgleish for a try. A second opportunity soon afterwards produced a try for scrum half Todd Woods giving the final scoreboard a total of 36 points to 17.

Next week Wigton head to Keswick who will doubtless be in good heart after earring a 10 all draw at Aspatria.