Warrington took on a strong and experienced Birkenhead side after being beaten 12-4 when we played them away in February. We had a stronger team this time and hoped for a better performance. Warrington went a goal down as we defended the shallow end but quickly equalised through Addison Brown. Birkenhead scored two more goals but again Warrington fought back with a goal from Tom Hadley and a second goal from Addison Brown. At 3-3 Warrington were working hard and looking just as good as Birkenhead. An exclusion foul was then awarded against Birkenhead but Warrington failed to score on the man up, Birkenhead counter attacked and scored. They added a fifth goal with 5 seconds to go and finished the quarter 3-5 ahead.
In the second quarter Warrington defended the deep end. Birkenhead scored first with their centre forward being difficult to contain. Birkenhead had another player excluded Warrington failed to score from the man up again but managed to pull one back a minute latter with a goal from Peter Burke to make it 4-6. Birkenhead then scored two further goals Warrington pulled one back with a goal from Tom Hadley but were finding it difficult against a strong and experienced Birkenhead side. Birkenhead had another player sin binned and Warrington again failed to take advantage of the man up. Birkenhead scored on the counter attack to make it 5-9. Dave Price was then excluded and Birkenhead converted the man up. Birkenhead then added another goal but then had another player excluded in a familiar pattern Warrington failed to convert the man up and Birkenhead counter attacked and scored again making the half time score 5-12.
I the third quarter Birkenhead again had a player excluded and at last the man up was converted by Addison Brown. Birkenhead continued to score adding two more goals before Andrew Burke was excluded for 20 seconds but Warrington defended the man up. However Birkenhead scored a minute later. Another Birkenhead player was excluded and Warrington scored to make it 7-15 at the end of the third quarter.
In the final quarter Birkenhead conceded three further exclusions but we converted only one man up before Birkenhead scored two further goals. The final score was 8-17 with Birkenhead conceding 9 exclusion fouls to Warrington’s 5. Birkenhead tended to convert their man ups and Warrington tended not to, if we had the game would have been very close.
Warrington’s team included: Neil Musgrove, Ian Musgrove (1), Dave Price, Matt Webber, Tom Hadley (2), Addison Brown (4), Tim Mainwaring, Sam Cooper, Peter Burke (1), Andrew Burke, Tom Costello.