Birkenhead Park RFC

Sat 10 Feb 2024

Birkenhead Park

31 - 0

(HT 0-0)

Liverpool St Helens

Birkenhead Park

Liverpool St Helens

This game took place at the Upper Park as it was deemed that the LSH pitch was unplayable due to standing water and the RFU edict was the match needed to be played. LSH started brightly and began pressing the Park line but Park were able to hold them out despite efforts to cross the whitewash. LSH had a number of effort that took them close to the Park line but the final pass just let them down but it was a good strong start from the visitors. In the first 10 minutes Park were just not able to get out of their own half and it was only after giving a penalty away by LSH that Park were able to move into the LSH 22. Unfortunately with Park turning over their own ball at the lineout LSH were able to clear their lines. The Park pitch was very heavy with lot of mud making the ball difficult to keep hold of by both side and was a great leveller. Park managed to turn over an LSH lineout and Park moved the ball wide with Baldwin threading the ball behind the LSH defence. Park were quickly up and put pressure on gaining a penalty, a quick tap by Roscoe oved them within 5m of the line. When the ball came out unfortunately it was dropped and LSH had the scrum, park managed to shove LSH off the ball allowing Fox to pick up and crash over, Baldwin converting, 7-0. Park were back in possession and were trying to execute their processes but the defence from LSH and the conditions weren’t allowing them to do so with any number of concurrent phases. Good defence though was keeping them out but things could possibly change when the LSH winger was given a yellow card for a high tackle on Roscoe. From a good position though park dropped the ball in the midfield and LSH cleared downfield. When Park came back to attack it was again just the little error that stopped the attack with continuously dropped balls. With a number of changes having taken place in the Park team things were not quite going to plan. Park were beginning to see more of the ball but were unable quite literally to hold onto the ball when in the red zone allowing LSH to exit and stop the danger. Off the back of a scruffy line out Fox pressurised the LSH 10 and charged down the kick and was then held back. Baldwin put the penalty into the corner but the ball could not be held and LSH had possession. With a strong scrum Park turned it back over and it was moved wide catching LSH offside. With the scrum opted for Park moved forward and with Fox in control at the back he was able to pick him and score, 12-0. HT.

Park kicked off the 2^nd half brightly and moved into the LSH half with Cross to the fore with carries in the midfield. With strong tackling Park kept them pinned in their 22 and although LSH kicked to clear their lines it was collected by Bennett who spun out of one tackle then outpaced the rest of the defenders to score under the posts, Baldwin converting 19-0. LSH came back at Park but with the set piece working well park kept them out and they were unable to get into the Park 22. On a couple of occasions LSH were able to put the penalty into the corner but Park’s defence was able to keep them out. Park were looking comfortable with and without the ball but did not help themselves when having been blocked late by an LSH defender Baldwin exacted revenge stepping into the LSH 15’ path and was shown a yellow card. Down to 14 park were having to up the levels and with some strong tackling in the midfield by Ibbotson and Elliot the ball was turned over. Quick hands on the Park 22 and the ball was shipped to Laing on the wing who outpaced the defence to score under the posts, 24-0. LSH didn’t top though and kept on piling on the pressure with some neat kicks putting Park into their own 22m area. Try as they might though LSH were unable to breach the Park defence and with the conditions not helping the handling ability of both teams Park were able to keep them out. Young University student, Earnshaw, was controlling things well at 9 and with university lock Elliott also making his presence felt Park were still in control of the game. Both teams were getting plenty of scrum practice as with the ball like a bar of soap and difficult to keep hold of both teams were dropping balls. Park were penalised a couple of times at the scrum with it going down and a s a result LSH were able to move into the midfield. Park were able to turn the ball over and get back into the LSH 22 and Baldwin put the ball 10m out. Park’s driving maul was stopped short and turned over but the clearing kick only made 10m. When the lineout was quickly sacked and the Cross held up short the ball was moved wide and found debutant Waterfield who thought he had scored only to have been adjudged to have put a foot in touch. Park were able to keep the pressure on and with wave after wave coming at the LSH defence it seemed only a matter of time. When given a penalty 20m out a quick tap by Earnshaw found Roscoe who despite being held by two defenders managed to throw them off and run in to score, Baldwin converting, 31-0. Despite trying to get some points of the board Park were in no mood to allow them the opportunity and saw out the rest of the game with no additional points.

A difficult game against a team who are at the bottom of the table but showed plenty of fight and spirit that belayed their status. Park ground out the win and took all 5 point cementing their place at the top of the league. With the chasing pack still close behind it is still all to play for as we move to the last 5 games of the season. A trip to the Isle of Man next week followed by a midweek run in with C&N in the Cheshire Vase is leading up to an exciting end of season run in.