Birkenhead Park RFC

Sat 5 Nov 2022

Birkenhead Park

30 - 16

(HT 10-10)

Firwood Waterloo

Birkenhead Park

Firwood Waterloo

It was a damp cold afternoon at the Upper Park for Birkenhead Park entertaining table toppers Waterloo fresh from their excellent win against Anselmians the previous week. Park started brightly spending time in the Waterloo half. From a swift lineout the ball was moved into the midfield and when given to centre Davies some nice footwork got beyond the Waterloo defence. Waterloo were caught offside and Hall coolly slotted the opening points, 3-0. Waterloo had a period of possession but strong park defence meant they were going nowhere and eventually park forced the turnover penalty. Park had a sustained period of pressure and did not allow Waterloo out of their half when the heavens opened with a deluge making the ball difficult to handle. Park kept up the pressure and when either an excellent cross kick or a mistimed effort, depending on your point of view, from centre Davies saw the ball bounce into winger Dan Morgan’s hand for him to show a clean pair of heels to the covering defence to score out wide, Hall converting, 10-0. The rain continued but park were seemingly in control and able to control the Waterloo attack. A quick tap from a scrum penalty saw Waterloo enter the Park 22 for one of the few time this half and despite some strong defence after a series of strong carries the waterloo prop crashed over from 5m, converted 10-7. The weather made the ball difficult to handle and with mistakes in these conditions were punished with some good tactical kicking from both sides. Waterloo now began to gain some advantage and spent some time in the Park half with the defending team unable to safely clear their lines. Park had lost two key players to injury with No8 Fox and stalwart No15 Hall both having to leave the field. From another foray just outside the Park 22 waterloo were awarded a penalty at the breakdown which was calmly slotted as the last play of the half, 10-10.

The rain had eased for the start of the 2^nd half but the conditions made the ball greasy and difficult to control Park were gaining dominance in the scrum. Errors were keeping both teams in the game and the ball was mainly kept between the two 10m lines with one team then the other making the error with a greasy ball. It was Waterloo attacking when Park defensive pressure forced the mistake, this was seized upon by winger Amy-Smith who calmly collected the ball and outpaced the defence to score under the posts, Roberts converting 17-10. Waterloo came back and forced their way to just outside the Park 22 and when the ball was moved inside Park were caught offside allowing the Waterloo 10 to slot the kick at goal, 17-13. Park were keeping Waterloo pinned in their own half but another penalty against them, the 3^rd in as many minutes, allowed Waterloo to ease the pressure. Park defence however was on top and quickly forced the turnover allowing park back into the Waterloo half. When Waterloo were caught offending at the breakdown it gave Roberts the opportunity to restore Park’s 7poit advantage and he made no mistake, 20-13. However no sooner had Park gained the advantage another sill penalty gave the Waterloo 10 another opportunity and he made no mistake, 20-16. Wanting to make amends park defence was up flat and strong and when Waterloo tried to move the ball wide a double from winger Morgan and centre Davies forced the penalty, Roberts again converting, 23-16. Park however were in control especially at the scrum and when the ball found winger Amy-Smith he made 40m before being brought down 5m short. A series of short forward drives kept the pressure on and when waterloo tried to get out of their 22 the Park defence held them up forcing the scrum to Park. Park were certainly in the ascendancy and kept Waterloo pinned in their half apart from a few clearing kicks which were always returned by park with interest. From one of these kicks the Waterloo defence was caught in possession and the ball turned over. Quick hands by the Park backs found its way to Amy-Smith who simply gassed the covering defenders to score his second, Roberts converting 30-16. Park never let up for the remaining last minutes of the game and ran out comfortable winners.

An excellent result from Park to upset the form book and the team must build on this in the weeks ahead to keep pressure on the league leaders.