Birkenhead Park RFC

Sat 14 Oct 2023

Birkenhead Park

37 - 26

(HT 0-0)

Bowdon

Birkenhead Park

Bowdon

Birkenhead Park 37 Bowdon 26

Park were taking on the league leaders this week with visitors Bowdon sitting top after 5 5point victories to start their campaign and the only team last season to beat park home and away. Straight from the kick off things didn’t go well with park failing to gather the ball and Bowdon getting the scrum. The Park forwards set their stall out early on and disrupted the scrum forcing the penalty to clear their lines. Park were going through the phases and were firmly entrenched in the Bowdon 22 but couldn’t quite get that telling pass away. Bowdon though were able to clear their lines with a couple of penalties being given away by Park allowing them to move into the Park half. The defence was good from Park and with a dominant scrum even Bowdon’s own ball was under significant pressure. A good turn over on the half way by Wellington gave Park the opportunity to move into the Bowdon 22 and the ball was moved into the midfield. A couple of carries by Davidson saw him on the second one somehow escape 4 defenders to touch down out wide, Baldwin converting, 7-0. Park still didn’t know how to deal with the kick off but good carries by Perkins and Bennett allowed them to move out of their half. A penalty in the Bowdon 22 gave Park the opportunity to kick to the corner which Baldwin obliged with. A well worked line out saw White nestled in at the back and the Park pack marched over the line for him to dot down at the back, 12-0. Again the restart was a mess for Park and when they also messed up the line out Bowdon had the ball again. Park’s slackness gave away easy ball and Bowdon looked to move it wide and only a neat knock back by Du Randt stopped them from scoring and Park were able to scramble it clear. Park were dominant in the scrum but the same could not be said for the line out which was malfunctioning. Bowdon came back into the game strongly and had possession to take them inside the Park 22, however Park’s defence was strong enough to keep them out despite their attempts to cross the line. With Park exerting pressure at the set piece too they were unable to get good clean ball. Park’s dominance at scrum time in particular got them out of some messes allowing Baldwin to clear the lines. At a line out for Park on their 22m line the ball went astray and Prop Doolan swept it up, then sent a 60 yard spiral kick deep into the Bowdon 22 for a 50-20 kick. From the Park line out the ball was collected cleanly and with White in his arm chair the pack did the work to trundle him over for his second of the day, 17-0. Park still couldn’t fathom out the kick offs but fortunately a knock on gave them the scrum, which again resulted in a penalty to move into the Bowdon half. With the ball off the top it was moved quickly wide and Roscoe made good yards but was tackled short of the line. Scrum half Chidley was quickly in support and picked up and dived in on the short side to score, Hall converting, 24-0. Again the restart was a mess for Park but after a scrum they managed to get back some kind of order. When Chidley broke off the back of the scrum he fed Du Randt who fended off a number of tacklers but was brought down 30m out. He managed to off load to the onrushing Bennett who put the burners on to out-pace the defence to score out wide, Hall converting 31-0. Bowdon were now throwing everything at Park in the closing minutes of the half and but for a couple of dropped passes with an overlap could well have scored. Unfortunately for them the scramble defence for Park was excellent and they were unable to take advantage and the referee after 10 minutes of added time blew up.

Park had had a strong wind at their backs in the first half so this was going to be a different game but they had enough points in the bag to think maybe the job was done. Things that had been excellent in the first half however fell apart in the opening exchanges. Bowdon did not want to get involved in any set piece challenges and decided to throw the ball around at any and every opportunity. After 5minutes this produced a gap when the Bowdon centre stepped a couple of players to score, 31-5. With Park’s kick off not right and then a penalty at the scrum Park allowed them back in it. A quick tap and Bowdon were off with good interchanges and off loads eventually finding the second row to power through untouched to score near the posts, converted, 31-12. Park seemed to now implode somewhat with aimless kicks finding the dangerous Bowdon back 3 who took every opportunity to run  back at Park, making yards every time. With their off-loading now beginning to stick Bowdon were running rampant and with the ball moved wide the No8 found a gap and when tackled turned the ball inside to the supporting centre who crashed over, converted, 31-19. Things were looking ominous for Park as it appeared a different team had come out for the 2^nd half perhaps thinking the job was done. Park got more involved now and starting to show more vigour but the cause wasn’t helped when substitute Fox was deemed to have committed a dangerous tackle and was sent to the bin. Things got even worse for Park when Wellington was given a yellow after what was deemed to be another high tackle and Park were down to 13 players.  Eventually Bowdon found a way through and scored under the posts, converted, 31-26. What had been a comfortable looking victory was now well and truly in the balance and Park’s backs were up against it. Things were made slightly easier when a Bowdon player was adjudged to have hit a high tackle and was given a yellow card making it 13-14 in terms of players now. Park were now playing how they should have earlier in the half keeping it tight and eventually forcing Bowdon into giving away a penalty which Hall duly dispatched, 34-26. Park were now putting back in the effort that had been missing from the first half and were now staying in the game and stopped the scoring getting 15 players back on the park. With the wind in their faces though it was difficult to get out of their half at times. Park got back in the Bowdon half and the set piece began to function again. After knocking on when going through the phases of keep ball Bowdon had a scrum 30m out. The pressure was applied by park and the ref duly awarded the penalty which Hall converted, 34-26. It was now a little more comfortable and Park were actually taking part in the game now with their defence getting back involved. Bowdon were still intent on throwing the ball around but park this time were standing up to them and making the tackles. Bowdon were desperate to get the try that would give them another bonus point but Park managed to stand firm and eventually turn the ball over just 5m out for the line on the final play.

A hard fought game which could have gone the other way brought about by park completely switching off for 20 minutes in the second half when they thought the game was won. Another stern test awaits this team next week away at new boys and new league leaders Crew and Nantwich and they will need to be on form for 80minutes.