WITH the exception of New Brighton, it was very much a low key Christmas period for local rugby union clubs.

Birkenhead Park did not have a scheduled match and games involving Hoylake, Oldershaw, Caldy, Wallasey and Anselmians0 were called off for one reason or another.

Wirral travelled to unbeaten Whitchurch and came out on the wrong side of a 21-47 scoreline. But they gained three tries through Nick Stott, John Morris and Simon Hignett, who also goaled three times.

Port Sunlight accounted for Sefton 41-15. Steve Stockford touched down twice and Pete Ashcroft, Simon Byrne, Robin Ward, Adam Metcalfe and Steve Cooke once each. Ashcroft landed a trio of conversions.

Prenton beat St Edward's 10-5. Peter Lewis scored the try converted by Gary Furlong, who also succeeded with a penalty.

Parkonians lost 0-20 at Ormskirk, while Anselmians 2nd XV beat Collegiate 12-5 at St Michael's.

Matches this Saturday include Birkenhead Park v Merseyside Police, Oldershaw v Ormskirk and, in South Lancashire/Cheshire League Division Three, Hoylake v Douglas (Isle of Man), Prenton v Halton, Helsby v Port Sunlight and Shell Stanlow v Collegiate.

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