Broughton Park 44pts v 9pts Hoylake

For the first 10 mins of the game very little happened, in fact it seemed that both teams had sized each other up and had decided that a 0 - 0 draw on a bright mid November Saturday afternoon would be a good result. However, Broughton Park's captain, the irrepressible, Andy O'Grady, had other ideas and crashed over the Hoylake line to open the scoring. ( Andy asked me in the bar after the game to give his try a big write up, so for you Andy here goes. After a peal round the front of the 5m scrum Andy O'Grady, the evergreen captain of Broughton Park, latched onto a ball and galloped the length of the pitch, side stepping and dummying his way to a most wonderful try.) Two minutes later Broughton Park went further ahead when the forwards, whom at times looked irrepressible, secured good ball and the backs conjured a try for Ronan O'Brien to score in the corner.

The score was further advanced when Tom Mapp finished off a move when both wings, Hodkinson and Sutcliffe were both involved and the try was scored. Once again Simon Verbickas approached his conversion with confidence and once again failed to strike the ball sweetly but managed to strike the post. The Hoylake touch judge, out of pity, awarded the conversion but he was over ruled and Simon remained pointless. In the 28th minute Verbickas finally got on the score sheet after Tom Foden split the Hoylake defence setting up a rampaging Mark Poole, he fed Verbickas who unselfishly drew his man to send Ronan O'Brien in for his second try. Verbickas made no mistake with the conversion and Park led 22pts to 0.

To the credit of Hoylake, they continued to try and play rugby and succeed in forcing Park to concede a number of penalties. From one, in the final minute of the half, they scored their first points, making the score 22pts to 3 at half time.

Playing into a setting sun Park opened the second half brightly(!) and extended their lead. Verbickas hit the post, again, with a penalty but from the ensuing scrum Hoylake conceded a penalty and Simon Verbickas, who does not miss penalties in front of the post, duly converted.

For the next 10 minutes Hoylake lifted their game and scored a penalty which was immediately replied to when the Park forwards secured a line out ball and Tom Kellaway, who had a fine game at hooker, dotted down. Hoylake continued to press and were rewarded with 3 more points when their number 10 dropped a goal.

The final 10 minutes of the game belonged to Park, as first, substitute prop, Geoff Kendell, with his first touch of the ball crashed over and winger, Dave Sutcliffe, finished off a move with a try. Credit to the whole team as the try was a result Park showing patience and good handling skills to finally carve out an opening which Dave accepted diving over in the corner. The last two tries were both converted, with aplomb, by Tom Mapp.

A satisfactory result which consolidates Parks 2nd position in the league. However to sustain and to improve upon weekly performances Park have to strive to continue to advance. There is room for degrees of improvement to sustain the momentum for promotion. Let us, as members, friends and spectators of Park, believe that that improvement will continually be sought for, so we, at Park, can begin to climb back up the leagues to national level.