It was clear to see that Oldershaw had decided, at the outset, to play a forwards game by keeping the ball close and attempting to rumble up the middle. To a certain extent this frustrated the Park team and with the stop start nature of the game, 33 penalties were awarded by the referee, did not suit Park's type of play. However, Park emerged victorious and continued their drive for promotion.

Within the first 5 mins of the game, Grahame Booker, Park's right wing, had to be replaced by Dave Sutcliffe, as he tore a ham string attempting to get on the end of a promising move. Park allowed themselves to become involved in a forwards battle and the game became slow and predictable.

After 20 mins Oldershaw opened the scoring when they scored a try under the posts. To the spectators from Park the try seemed dubious as the ball had looked to have been knocked on and the Oldershaw player, who scored, seemed to be off side. No matter, it is the referee who counts and Oldershaw went into a 7 - 0 lead.

By the end of the first half Park had overturned the lead with two tries of their own. First, Alan Hodkinson scored in the corner after a good scrummage from the Park pack which gave the No. 8, John Clifford, time to pick up and feed Hodkinson the ball on the blind side. The second try also came from a set piece as once again Park scrummaged well close to the Oldershaw line. This time Shaun Stirrup fed Simon Verbickas who created the space for Tom Mapp to crash through the Oldershaw defence and score.

In the first 20 minutes of the second half the game continued as it had started with a great number of stoppages. In that period of time the score progressed by penalties and as Oldershaw were awarded more penalties than Park they closed the gap to 2 points, 18 - 16.

In the final 15mins. Park finally got on top of a tiring Oldershaw team. From a line out on the Oldershaw 5m line John Clifford collected and set up a driving maul and that man, Mark Poole, emerged clutching the ball from under a pile of players to score his 12th league try of the season.

The best was saved to the end when Park showed their ability and scored a try which was sublime. Mark Poole collected a ball deep in his own 22 and created a ruck, Shaun Stirrup fed Simon Verbickas and with everyone expecting the ball to be punted up field, Verbickas looked up and saw that the Oldershaw defence was not fully in position. He passed to Tom Mapp who gave the ball to Tom Foden in the outside centre position. Foden streaked to the half way line and fed Ronan O'Brien on his inside. The full back then passed to Verbickas and with the Oldershaw cover defence about to smother him, Verbickas cleverly slipped the ball to O'Brien, who had carried on his run, to score in the corner.

30 pts to 16 was the final score and the 2 league points gained keeps Park firmly in pole position at the top of the league. Next weeks game is the Lancashire Trophy semi final against Rossendale which gives Park the chance to progress to the final and maybe the league and cup double could be on!

Dave Walsh 1st team manager.