Birkenhead Park RFC

Sat 23 Mar 2024, 15:00

Liverpool St Helens

12 - 31

(HT 0-0)

Birkenhead Park

Liverpool St Helens

Birkenhead Park

On a cold wet windy day at Moss Lane Park travelled to LSH for this rearranged fixture with a number of changes Hughes and White into the front row, White back from holidays and student Earnshaw taking over at 9, Gray comes in on the bench. With the majority of alicadoo’s away support was a little thin with the DOR watching on a sun lounger in Marbella.

LSH kicked off with the wind and not starting well with the kick going dead giving Park a scrum on the half way. From this Park moved into the LSH 22 but were unable to regain the ball with the wind having an effect and LSH clearing downfield. With the wind at their backs LSH were able to stay in Park’s half for periods of time. Park were on top in the set piece but LSH were able to shuffle the ball out and from a scrum on the half way some quick ball saw a break by the LSH centre who got behind the Park defence and was able to ship the ball to the winger who went in unopposed, 5-0. Park came back on the attack from the kick off and when the ball was returned a quick tap in the Park half sent Bennett scampering 30m upfield. Park however had some poor hands and a spate of dropped balls eased the pressure. It was a good job Park’s scrum was working well and putting the pressure on the LSH ball. Some good runs from Cross and WDR in the midfield were giving LSH serious problems but Park just couldn’t put sustained phases together. With a penalty won at the scrum Baldwin kicked to the 22, the ball won Wellington carried again well into the 22 and the ball then moved wide one way for Cross to carry. When it was recycled LSH ran out of defenders and Laing was able to score out wide, 5-5. Park were having possession in their own half and were now getting some phases together and moved 80m upfield with good interpassing between Cross and Bennett getting behind the defence. With some neat hands in the backs Ashcroft came into the line feeding WDR who drew the final defender to feed Laing for his second try under the posts, Baldwin converting 5-12. The weather wasn’t great as the rain blew across the pitch and LSH were attacking. The Park defence was strong and White took man and ball to dislodge the pill, his footballing skills let him down with further clearance. LSH had possession and were camped in the Park half as the rain turned to sleet making keeping hold of the ball harder. Park’s defence was good though and they were able to clear their lines time and again. With a strong scrum on the LSH 10m line the ball went wide with Waterfield into the line eventually feeding Laing who chipped through but again footballing skills were a let down and was knocked on. From the LSH scrum Park put the defence under pressure and the ball was dropped and Park had a scrum 5m out. The game was being played in the midfield but Park were able to recycle and keep moving forward. Grant made some good inroads and then it was spread wide but held up short. The ball came out and Cross powered on but just as the defender got close he slipped the ball to Ashcroft who found the gap to score, 5-17, HT.

At the start of the second half Park were straight onto the attack and were putting pressure on the LSH defence. A positive tackle by Grant gave Park the edge and the ball was carried forward by Bennett until he was stopped 5m short. A number of pick and go’s were tried and repelled by LSH until the ball went wide and a short pass found Cross running a great line to crash over, Baldwin converting, 5-24. LSH came back on the attack winning a penalty just outside the park 22 however with a strong wind against them the ball never found touch and Park were off. The ball went wide and a neat exchange between Liang and Waterfield saw Park into the LSH 22 unfortunately they were unable to convert into points. Park were penalised and LSH took some quick taps one of which allowed the winger to chip and chase but unfortunately his kick ran dead and Park could get out. Park’s defence was strong at the time as it needed to be as LSH were having a continuous period of possess and getting the advantage from their attacking play. They kept plugging away and when Park were penalised at the breakdown a quick tap from the LSH player saw him crash over the line to score, converted 12-24. The sun came out for some time however the rain had come back also just to make the conditions more difficult. LSH were not giving up and were forced into trying to run the ball at every opportunity and they were making a good game of it. However when they came into the park half the ball was kicked down field to put the pressure back on LSH. Park kept the pressure on in the LSH 22 when they tried to run the Park defence was on top and the LSH scrum half off loaded straight to White, hands then went wide to Waterfield whose quick feet stepped inside the defence to score close to the posts, Baldwin converting, 12-31. LSH came back at park but turning the ball over and the wind assisted kicks put them back in their 22. Park from there did not let them out and were able to run down the clock.

Again a good, hard earned 5 point victory for Park against a determined LSH team wh0 never gave up. This put Park comfortable at the top of the league going into their last game away against Vale of Lune. The weather didn’t make this one for the spectators but Park came to do a job and they got it done all the more impressive with a much changed line up. Park need to keep improving as they move towards the cup fxtures.