Birkenhead Park RFC

Sat 11 Mar 2023

Birkenhead Park

36 - 19

(HT 0-0)

Vale of Lune

Birkenhead Park

Vale of Lune

It was a wet and blustery day at the Upper Park for the last home game of the season against Vale of Lune. A minutes silence was held and immaculately observed by players and the crowd for the young Vale player Zak Elderton. Park started the game brightly and despite the conditions were moving the ball quite freely. They progressed after a mistake by Vale kicking the ball dead leading to a scrum on half way. An inside pass from Roberts to Wellington found space behind the Vale defence and after a couple of carries from the forwards gave the opportunity for Ashcroft to pick up and dive over for the first score, Hall converting 7-0. Vale had some ball but were unable to breach the Park defence and a great steal from Doolan allowed Park to clear. Vale came back though assisted by errors from Park due to the conditions. A big kick from Hall put Park just outside the 22 when the ball was moved a neat break by Chidley caught Vale napping and he made good yards and caught the Vale defence offside. The kick to the corner set up a 5m lineout which was driven over at a fair rate of knots for Cross to score at the back, Hall converting 14-0. From the restart Park were quickly back on the attack with Vale being caught offside. From the lineout Ashcroft was found and fed the a ball off the top with Chidley hitting Wellington in the centre. Instead of taking the contact he fed the rampaging South African Rhino Witte just inside the Vale half and he outpaced the scrambling defence to slide over for the score after a 40m gallop, 19-0. The conditions were worsening and handling was key, a deft kick by Hall put the ball into the Vale 22. When the winger tried to clear he was charged down by the towering giraffe like Ashcroft, the ball bounced kindly for Park with Morgan picking up and going in unopposed, Hall converting 26-0. Vale could quite easily have given up but they showed some great tenacity not letting up and had a spell of pressure in the Park 22 but were unable to break the Park defence. Park managed to clear their lines but unfortunately found the Vale fly half who performed some feat of magic to chip once over the Park defence, regather the ball and chip again and then kicking the ball on to outstrip the Park defence to score, try converted 26-7. Vale were rejuvenated by this and had a continuous period of pressure keeping Park in their own half. There was no way through in the forwards and Vale took the opportunity to run the ball wide after a dropped pass and they found the winger who slid in from 10m out to score, converted 26-14. This was the last play of the half.

The weather had been consistently poor with continuous rain and although the pitch was holding up well the ball was like the proverbial bar of soap. It was difficult for either side to have possession for long periods and build phases before making an error. Even the usually reliable Park scrum was having difficulties losing the odd ball to Vale. The game was being played between the two 22m lines with neither side being able to break this deadlock in the 2^nd half. A great break by Majoribanks put Park inside the Vale 22 and a quick tap caught them not 10. With no scores happening Park opted to take an easy 3 to move the scoreboard to beyond two scores difference, Hall converting 29-14. Vale moved into the Park half from the restart and kept up the pressure. When the ball was in the ruck 25m out a little chip from the scrum half was gathered by the Vale winger’s inside pass found a supporting forward to crash over to score, converted 29-19. Lineouts had become a lottery as the ball was so greasy and hands were freezing. Teams were opting to kick expecting the opposition to make a mistake. When the ball came through to Majoribanks not in at 15 he fired a beautiful spiral which took park to the Vale 5m line with a 50-22. Park kept the ball in the Vale 22 and a couple of good carries from hooker Witte kept up the pressure. When Vale were caught offside at the breakdown a quick tap from Chidley fed Doolan who crashed over like a charging buffalo from 5m out to score, Hall converting 36-19.

A difficult game in terrible conditions, cold, wet, wind and mud combined to make handling difficult and sometimes a lottery. It could have been a runaway for Park but Vale stuck at it and made it a tough game for Park. Park now look forward to the last league game at Broughton Park to round off the season before the cup games start.