1st XV
Matches
Sat 26 Nov 2016  ·  Division 4 West
Helsby RUFC
1st XV
Tries: C Goggin (2), P Arkell, A Walker, M BurnsConversions: A Walker (2)
29
17
Liverpool St Helens 3
Helsby go 2nd!

Helsby go 2nd!

Dave Glynn3 Dec 2016 - 22:37
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A tough day at Helsby

Helsby RUFC 1st XV entertain a Liverpool St Helens 3rd XV today in Division 4 West. The game kicks off 5 minutes late and Helsby are instantly on the back foot with pressure from St Helens. Already the penalty count is stacking up with St Helens forcing the Helsby pack further and further back and then a try to St Helens. Helsby are 7-0 down within the first 10 minutes of the game which is a very unfamiliar territory for Helsby - this will be interesting to see how the team handle this situation.
But there is no panic and Helsby slowly start to get their attacking and passing play together. The flowing rugby is now there for all to see and Helsby have a try scrubbed off for a forward pass. Then the superb handling skills of Captain Chris Goggin and Phil Arkle get Helsby into the groove and Matty Burns scores for Helsby with 20 minutes on the clock. It’s now 7-5 to Liverpool St Helens. Chris Goggin is turning on the style and scores for Helsby after some brilliant work by Man of the Match Matty Burns. Goggin is terrorising the St Helens pack with pace and dexterity and breaks the St Helens line and unselfishly passes to Phil Arkle who scores. 19-7 and now Helsby are surging forward at every opportunity with Liam Rowland and Kevin Weir doing some excellent work for Alex Walker to score a try for Helsby on the stroke of half time. 24-7 after a very slow start for Helsby.

The second half strangely starts in the same manner as the first half with more penalties to St Helens and Helsby relinquishing lots of ground. Only minutes into the second half and St Helens score to make it 24-12 and this game is slowly turning into a classic encounter. St Helens are rampant and score again to make the score 24-17 and the game is on a knifes edge - only great Helsby tackling is keeping St Helens at bay. Helsby are almost out on their feet giving everything they have then St Helens break the Helsby line and are clean through. Chris Goggin goes in pursuit but with a 10m gap surely he can’t tackle the player? - then miraculously he starts to make up the deficit with the gap reducing and reducing on every step then with literally metres to the try line Chris Goggin throws himself forward to complete an incredible tap tackle and the St Helens player falls to the ground and knocks on- what a try saving tackle by Goggin quite literally world class and so crucial.
However the mass of penalties still keep coming against Helsby 35 in total - many I simply can’t quite understand but with 20 minutes remaining the lads are digging deep in an absorbing but brutal encounter with just 13 men for a period of time– I have never seen the lads look so shattered in a game but with just 3 minutes remaining Chris Goggin rounds off a superb performance with a try for Helsby after some great work by Josh Warburton. The game ends 29-17 to Helsby in an absorbing game. The lads gave everything and literally collapse to the ground on the final whistle- incredible performance and that tap tackle by Chris Goggin was truly sensational and so crucial. Brilliant game and Helsby now go second in the league with the 17th December game against Crosby St Marys game only 3 weeks away.

Try scorers:
Chris Goggin x2
Phil Arkell
Alex Walker
Matty burns
Alex Walker x2 kicks

Match details

Match date

Sat 26 Nov 2016

Kickoff

14:15

Competition

Division 4 West

League position

2
Helsby 1
5
Liverpool St Helens 3
Team overview
Further reading

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