Vale of Lune 7 v 41 Broughton Park

After their disappointment of leaving the Intermediate Cup at the semi final stage 'Park travelled to Vale of Lune with a different mission to achieve and that was to win and win well and to get back on the track where we left off before the Cup semi final.

Vale is always a beautiful location to play rugby when the sun is shining and Saturday was no exception and although the match got off to a slow start 'Park gradually got in to their stride and put good pressure on the Vale defence causing them to commit a defensive error to give fullback Ronan O'Brien an easy kick to put 'Park ahead by 3pts to nil.

Despite 'Park's pressure Vale's young forwards tried their best to break out and run the ball through their backs with their number 10 giving good distribution down the line, however, 'Park's strong tackling soon broke up their pattern of play and deep in their own half where pulled up for a knock-on giving 'Park the put-in to the scrum, a solid scrum allowed No 8 John Clifford to pick up from the base, break the tackle of Vale's No10 and score between the posts. Ronan O'Brien stepped up to add the conversion given'Park a lead of 10pts to nil.

In the 34th minute of the game Vale of Lune scored a very good try by driving the ball up 'Park's blind side and releasing their hooker to escape to score in the corner the conversion was successful and 'Park had a slight lead of 10pts to 7pts, as the first half wore on 'Park should have had at least four more tries but through bad handling errors it was not to be and the match turned around at half time with'Park holding on to there narrow lead.

Director of Rugby (Kevin O'Brien's) half time talk (which cannot be printed) obviously did the trick and 'Park began the second half at a very high Tempo and Vale found it very difficult to live with the pressure and from a great move which saw the ball go through many sets of hands 'Park's Pete MacMahon popped up to score an excellent try with Ronan O'Brien slotting the conversion between the posts to give 'Park a 17-7 lead. With the Vale forwards now being totally out scrummaged by 'Park they lost four against the head and it was from one of these that 'Park broke free to allow second row Jon Knight to score a very good try giving Ronan O'Brien another easy conversion attempt at goal 'Park were now starting to move the game well away from Vale with a 22-7 lead, and it was not long before, once again good forward power play saw 'Park's No5 Sam Fuller score his first 1st Team try and Ronan added the conversion giving'Park a 29-7 lead.

Park made two replacements Jake Smith on for skipper Andy O'Grady (who had once again had given an excellent demonstration of how to get amongst opposition tight heads) and Ben O'Brien for Joe Kennedy on the wing with a good move down the left wing we saw winger Marlon Miller split and out pace the Vale winger to score between the posts, Ronan O'Brien adding the conversion points to take 'Park in to a 36-7 lead.

In the dying minutes Full Back Ronan O'Brien pick up a loose ball in 'Park's twenty two that had been kicked ahead by Vale and virtually danced his way through the whole of the Vale defence. He looked for the winger Marlon Miller first on the right and then on the left, with Marlon always on the opposite side to where Ronan was looking. All this confused the Vale of Lune defence so much, that he ran in unopposed to score the last try of this excellent second half. The conversion was missed giving'Park a well deserved win of 41-7.

'Park look forward to their last home game against Tyldesley on Sat 14th April at 3-00pm. Should 'Park win this and Liverpool St Helens beat Lymm then 'Park will go through to the play off on the 28th April against Sheffield Tigers at Sheffield.

A plea from skipper (Tank) Andy O'Grady. Please make it a massive turnout and cheer the lads on to a good end to an excellent season. John O'Grady