Birkenhead Park RFC

Sat 12 Mar 2022

Stockport

55 - 14

(HT 19-7)

Birkenhead Park

Stockport

Birkenhead Park

Park well beaten by the Champions!

Birkenhead Park suffered their first defeat of 2022 to unbeaten Stockport who clinched the title on Saturday afternoon.

Park started the game the brighter of the two teams and built some early pressure but their early efforts were wasted when a poor pass in the opposition 22 went to the Stockport winger who ran seventy yards before some good off-loading lead to the opposite winger Jack Martin scoring a try after eight minutes. Park’s influential scrum half Sam Chidley then left the field with a suspected broken ankle meaning a backline reshuffle with Dave Hall, returning from injury on at Full back and Dave Morgan moving to nine. Stockport capitalised on this reshuffle and scored their second try to lead 12-0. Park did regroup and had their best spell of the game a fantastic 50/22 kick from Adam Roscoe gave Park the opportunity to launch an attack, which resulted in skipper Ollie Mabbott going over for a try, converted by Hall 12-7. Port responded just before the break when some poor Park tackling resulted in Simon Green going over giving Port a 19-7 lead at Half time.

Any hope of a Park come back was dashed with poor discipline from Park leading to Alan Hughes being Sin binned, when he returned the game was gone with Port scoring four tries, extending their lead to 41-7. Park’s day went from bad to worse with Welsh Wizard Garin Roberts leaving the field injured leading to another backline reshuffle and Back row man Sean Mooney having to play the rest of the game on the wing. Stockport ran in a further two converted tries and were well worth their win. Park did finish on a positive When Nic Witte rumbled over from five yards out.

Overall it was a poor performance from Park, Stockport were much the better side on the day, as they have been all season. Stockport have won every fixture this season and with second placed Kendal losing, Stockport were crowned League Champions at full time.

Park spokesman George Pollock commented afterwards “Fair play to Stockport they were a different class from us today. We must now regroup as we have another tough away fixture at Manchester next week. It looks like Sam Chidley’s season is over and let’s just hope Garin Roberts injury isn’t too bad”

Park 1^st team travel to  Manchester next week 3.00pm Kick off.

Peter Greville

Press Officer

Birkenhead Park