BLUES BACK IN TITLE HUNT!

NEW Brighton bounced back to winning ways in the Thwaites League North Division One with an emphatic victory over Manchester's Broughton Park at Reeds Lane on Saturday.

The Blues did not disappoint in this 'must win' game, serving up some excellent festive rugby to overwhelm their visitors and restore a Wirral challenge for promotion to the National League.

Wade Dooley, returning to the line-up after a four week lay off, added a power and presence which clearly lifted the Blues' confidence. From the whistle, New Brighton took the game to their visitors to edge the early exchanges, but a break from Park's powerful centre, Graham Higginbottom, left no-one in any doubt that the Manchester side were also looking to win this one.

On 18 minutes, Hefin O'Hare created space to launch Andy Whalley on a penetrating run which saw him cut in field to link with supporting runners. The move stretched right across the field in a crisp interplay which put Steve Hancock in to score in the corner. Guest failed with the conversion at 5-0.

Guest increased New Brighton's lead to 8-0 on 35 minutes with a well struck penalty. At this point the Blues looked on course for a comfortable win until Higginbottom again stormed through the defence to put Glover in to score. Daldry added the conversion and Broughton Park were within one point at 8-7.

New Brighton applied immediate pressure from the resumption to pin Park deep in their own half. Prop Andy O'Grady was injured after a powerful Blues drive and left the field to be replaced by Geoff Kendall. New Brighton, now in determined mood, forced home their advantage with relentless pressure which ended when Jez Lamb linked a clever pass to the speeding Andy Whalley, who burst through to score. Guest added the conversion to stretch the Blues into a 15-7 lead nine minutes into the second-half.

New Brighton again seized the initiative and following a further period Simon Wright broke from the base of a scrum to run in a stylish score on the hour for 20-7.

Coach Lawrie Connnor brought Chris Bentley into the second row for Carl Turley and replaced an injured Richard Hughes with Sion O'Hare in the centre. Broughton Park continued to compete well, but were never able to break the Blues' hold on the match.

And when Jez Lamb broke from a scrum to release Simon Wright on a dazzling run which set Kennedy up for a spectacular score under the posts, the game was effectively ended as a competition. Guest added the conversion for 27-7.

Connor was able to use the opportunity to bring Hywel Williams and Phil Gazzola on for the impressive Simon Wright and Steve Dorrington, further demonstrating New Brighton's strength in depth. Whalley rounded off a fine game for him and the Blues with a score right on full time. Guest failed with the conversion.

Wright, Kennedy and the pacey Whalley were candidates for 'Man of the Match', but the adjudicator eventually decided that big Wade Dooley deserved to lift the tankard following his vintage performance at lock.

Yorkshire referee Chris Sharp said after the game: "New Brighton's attacking drives into the channels from the breakdowns was good, but I feel they could have shown more variety at times." In the modern game he is not wrong and Blues strategists would do well to note his point.

New Brighton: I. Kennedy, A. Whalley, H. O'Hare, R. Hughes, S. Wright, A. Guest, M. Dorrington, S. Dorrington, K. Davis, C. Turley, W. Dooley, C. Bentley, G. Jones, J. Lamb, K. Brookman (Capt.), H. Williams, L. Connor, P. Gazzola, B. Hern.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.