Rugby Union round-up (From Wirral Globe)

Rugby Union round-up

9:47am Wednesday 20th March 2013 in Sport

Despite reports to the contrary Caldy just missed out against visiting Otley in their latest National Two North encounter, writes Andrew Stratton.

It finished 13-15 at Paton Field with the only conversion of the day by James Twomay for the Yorkshire outfit tipping the balance.

It was a scrappy affair in difficult wet conditions. Touch downs by Christian Jones and J.J.Dickinson gave the local side a 10-3 interval advantage. Otley who had landed a penalty drew level with a converted penalty try awarded in the third quarter after a scrum collapse.

A Richard Vasey penalty on 64 minutes made it 13-10 but Otley scored a crucial second touch down in the 71st minute.

Back-row man Harry Broadbent took the Player of the Match award for Caldy.

The result was wrongly listed as Caldy 15, Otley 13 in several quarters.

There was controversy at the Upper Park where Birkenhead Park found themselves idle at the eleventh hour.

Sandal arrived for a re-arranged National Three North League clash but claimed the pitch was too heavy in places and declined to fulfil the engagement.

Birkenhead wanted to play and the referee also considered conditions acceptable. The matter will now be referred to the league committee but a new date later in the season will almost certainly be set.

Wirral returned to winning ways as they proved too strong for Anselmians in the North One West derby 31-14 at Clatterbridge.

Anselmians battled bravely and were rewarded with two tries via Ian Gill and Felli Mafi plus both conversions by Simon Mason.

Bur Wirral always had the upper hand leaving their neighbours with a mountain to climb to escape from bottom three New Brighton greatly enhanced third place hopes in South Lancashire/Cheshire One with a 27-18 victory at Crewe and Nantwich. West Park just above them lost and the gap is now down to two points with the Blues having a game in hand.

Wallasey and Oldershaw did not have a fixture in Division Two but in Division Three there were wins for Ellesmere Port 24-10 against Capenhurst and Oxton Parkonians 25-10 at Linley.

The Prenton v Knutsford game was a weather victim. Title chasing Port Sunlight were not engaged.

Caldy journey to Hull Ionians for their next league match on Saturday whilst Birkenhead Park head for Bradford and Bingley who are just above them in their division.

On a full league Saturday other fixtures involving local sides show Wirral at Vale of Lune, Anselmians v Leigh, a tasty Hoylake v New Brighton derby at Melrose Avenue, Wallasey at Ormskirk, Oldershaw at Dukinfield, Prenton at Capenhurst, Port Sunlight at Congleton and Ellesmere Port v Oxton Parkonians.

Rugby suffered a sad loss last week with the passing of Bob Smith.

Bob began his playing career at Calday School. He later featured for Old Caldeians, New Brighton and Cheshire before returning to round of his second-row days with the Caldy Vets.

He was a member of the Caldy 1971 county cup winning team which also included Andy Maxwell who died recently.

Bob was a popular figure who was involved in the car maintainance business for most of his life.

The funeral will take place on March 27.