Wednesday 18-03-2026 - 16:25

Liverpool John Moores University made it three wins in two months over nearest rivals University of Liverpool to secure a quarter-final berth in the BUCS National Trophy.

With the dust having barely settled on the wins at Wyncote Sports Ground in December and on their own patch at Thatto Heath Crusaders in January, John Moores started the potentially season-ending cup tie on the front foot, forcing the match to be played in the Liverpool half for the majority of the opening stages. Panic in the Liverpool defence, resulting in a repeat set, seemed to put the John Moores attack at sixes and sevens, but prop forward Euan Haynes found himself in possession of the ball on the left edge and fed it to back rower Joe Chadwick, who released his inner winger and dove over the line for the first try of the game.

While full-back Ben Foster failed to get the required distance on the resulting conversion, Liverpool head coach Ethan Yates urged his team to rush in defence and not fall off tackles too quickly. Yates’ rallying cry looked to have had the desired effect almost immediately as his full-back Mason McMurray charged towards the try line from deep to touch the ball down. His joy was short-lived, however, as he was penalised by the official for a double movement.

It was but brief respite for the Lizards of Liverpool as back-to-back penalties gave LJMU easy yards up the pitch. Foster broke the Liverpool rearguard, but was felled by a last-ditch ankle tap. The visitors were not to be denied, however, as Ethan Shelmerdine was on hand to scoop the ball up and double his team’s lead.

It was John Moores’ turn to be denied on the twenty minute mark. A smart cross-field kick from scrum-half Sam Price was collected by winger Connor Travis, who produced a neat trick play and shovelled the ball out the back to Josh Barnard. The centre jinked inside and burrowed his way to the line, but the Lizards scrambling defence did just enough to force Barnard to knock on over the line.

That let off enabled Liverpool to finally grab a foothold in the contest. Oscar Stout-Goodrich evaded a number of desperate John Moores tackles and wouldn’t be stopped as he raced away to get the Lizards on the board. McMurray tagged on the extras to bring the score back to within two points.

Momentum was gathering for the home side and Stout-Goodrich was the difference maker once again ten minutes later. Despite huge LJMU protests for alleged interference, Liverpool continued their fluid play, throwing the ball around with confidence, and sent the centre in to double his try-scoring tally and put the Lizards in the lead for the first time in the game. McMurray kicked the impressive conversion from distance, and Yates was keen to remind his team that they deserved their lead but needed to cut out the errors from their games - “We’re our own worst enemy” remarked the Liverpool coach.

John Moores would have the final say of an engaging first half. Forward George Moffitt, still feeling the effects of a shoulder injury sustained in a tackle mid-way through the first forty, busted a number of tackles and outstripped McMurray to score under the posts. Foster added the easy, and his first, conversion, while Moffitt engaged in some friendly rivalry with the Liverpool #1, reminding him that he was outpaced by a prop.

Half-time: University of Liverpool 12-14 Liverpool John Moores University

Either side of half-time, John Moores lost captain Euan Haynes for the rest of the game through illness and hooker Oscar Halsall, a substitute on this occasion, following a head clash. During the break, the visitors’ head coach, Stuart Price, used his team’s adversity to issue a rallying cry ahead of the second forty. He told his team that the second half was going to be less about tactics and technique and more about heart, desire and how much they were determined to extend their small advantage and defeat their rivals for a third time this season.

It was the Lizards, in fact, who started on the front foot after the restart. A cheap knock on and concession of possession from centre Ellis Keppell, making his first appearance of the season in a cyan shirt, gifted Liverpool the ball in the John Moores half, and six tackles later, Stout-Goodrich completed his hattrick on the right-hand side.

The Liverpool centre’s opposite number would soon also add his name to the scoresheet. After dropping the ball over the line in the first half, Barnard wouldn’t be denied in the second half. The Lizards defenders claimed for an alleged double movement, but the John Moores centre wasn’t in the mood to hand around and managed to dot the ball down despite the attention of multiple Liverpool tacklers. Foster was unable to capitalise with another missed conversion, but JMU would go on to retain their lead and increase the pressure on their hosts.

With just ten minutes left on the clock and star performer McMurray valiantly playing through the pain of a knee injury, the Liverpool flame was snuffed out by the combination of Halsall and Chadwick. With no shirt on his back after his previous short-side play was dealt with, Halsall fed his second-rower, who was going to do everything possible to come away with a second try. The defence looked to have stopped the forward on a number of occasions, but Chadwick kept his legs pumping and was able to reach out and slam the ball down to edge his team further ahead and put them within touching distance of a place in the semi-finals. Foster converted, joking that he didn’t deserve his place in the team, let alone as their designated goal kicker, if he failed in his kicking duties on this occasion.

Taking up the mantle left by his stricken captain and partner in the front row, Joe Mountcastle belied the number eight shirt on his back and joined a 4-on-1 overload on the left edge. The prop forward showed a clean pair of heels and was mobbed by his teammates after registering his name on the scoresheet.

On the final play of the match, the icing was well and truly put on the John Moores cake as the returning Keppell raced away uncontested, leaving Alfie Robinson to have the final say, successfully converting Keppell’s try under the watchful eye of his teammates.

John Moores captain Haynes credited the opponents, claiming “they’re the best Liverpool team we’ve faced in my time at university.” The reward for victory against Liverpool is a quarter-final trip to the all-conquering University of Hull, and although their Humberside rivals went unbeaten for the entirety of the 2025/26 league campaign, Haynes believes they are beatable and is confident his team can be the first to achieve the, so far, impossible this season.

Full-time: University of Liverpool 16-36 Liverpool John Moores University

University of Liverpool:

1. Mason McMurray 2. George Oram 3. James McConnell 4. Oscar Stout-Goodrich 5. Tom Birtles 6. Harry Bates 7. Olly Oldroyd (C) 8. Vinny Rowlands 9. Alex Donnelly 10. Harrison Adams 11. Leo Iribarren 12. Sean Metcalfe 13. Brad Davidson 14. Zak Walklet 15. William Armitage 16. Charlie Smith 17. Alfred Greensides

Tries: Oscar Stout-Goodrich (x3)

Goals: Mason McMurray (x2)

Liverpool John Moores University:

1. Ben Foster 2. Ellis Keppell 3. Ethan Shelmerdine 4. Josh Barnard 5. Conor Travis 6. Oliver Brady 7. Sam Price 8. Joe Mountcastle 9. Alfie Robinson 10. George Moffitt 11. Kynan Selby 12. Joe Chadwick 13. Euan Haynes (C) 14. Oscar Halsall 15. Finn Prendergast 16. Raffy Wilson 17. Alex Thomas

Tries: Joe Chadwick (x2), Ethan Shelmerdine, George Moffitt, Josh Barnard, Joe Mountcastle, Ellis Keppell

Goals: Ben Foster (x3), Alfie Robinson