Birkenhead Park RFC

Sat 1 Oct 2022

Winnington Park

15 - 50

(HT 10-29)

Birkenhead Park

Winnington Park

Birkenhead Park

Birkenhead’s trip to Winnington Park took place on a fresh Saturday afternoon with a few alterations to last week’s team due to injury and illness. Playing into the wind in the first half Birkenhead got off to a slow start turning the ball over in the first contact set the standard for the opening 20 minutes. Winnington started brightly and looked threatening in their attacks getting a penalty in front of the sticks to take the lead, 3-0. Birkenhead compounded the error being in front at the restart ad with the Winnington loose head taking advantage of some gaps in the defence pushed Birkenhead into their 22. Some loose handling led to Winnington missing their opportunities and with a box kick held in the wind by Dai Morgan the bounce favoured Birkenhead and fell into winger Majoribanks’s hands to run 60m to score, without injury this time. Winninggon kept up the pressure but couldn’t breach the Birkenhead defence and when pressure was put on a Winnington scrum the ball popped out skipper Mooney collected it fed it out wide and winger Roscoe scampered 50m to score, Hall converting 3-12. Winnington kept up the pressure but Birkenhead held out and eventually forced a penalty on the half way line. A quick tap and go from scrum half Morgan, inter-passing with Roberts and Morgan finished it off, Hall converting 3-19. From a 22m line out Birkenhead spread the ball wide and with some good carries in the midfield by props Doolan and Davies led to the feed to Wellington who crashed over from 5m, Hall converting 3-26. With the scrum gaining dominance Birkenhead got another penalty on the Winnington 22 with Hall taking the points, 3-29. With the half running down Winnington forced their way into Birkenhead’s 22 and from a 5m line out Winnington’s prop crashed over the line, try converted 10-29, at half time.

Winnington started the second half brightly and when the ball was moved wide a break through the midfield led to another try 15-29. Winnington had lots of pressure but were unable to breach the Birkenhead line and with a succession of drives Birkenhead moved swiftly into the Winnington 22. From a Birkenhead scrum 5m out the ball was fed out and soft hands from Wellington fed Roscoe to score his second, Hall converting 15-36. From the restart Winnington were back in Birkenhead’s half but a great break by Hall led to him finding open space and put a great kick in behind Winnington. Good chasing by Wellington and Majoribanks led to a turnover. Birkenhead kept up the pressure and when he received the ball Centre Davies, returning from injury, broke the line and despite the best efforts of two defenders managed to score under the posts, Hall converting 15-43. Birkenhead kept up the attacks and put pressure on the Winnington line. After a missed clearance kick from Winnington a series of rucks from Birkenhead led prop Davies to charge into the midfield. From the resulting ruck Wellington picked the ball up and burst through the defence to score under the posts, Hall converting bringing up the half century, 15-50, full time.

A comprehensive victory on the score board belied a number of issues that Birkenhead still need to work on and Winnington Park were unlucky not to have more points. However Birkenhead showed that they are a good team with a system that works and when that comes together they will give all teams in this league a hard time. With a week off coming it gives time for players to get over some niggles but is not a time for rest.