WHAT looked on paper to be just a stroll for Caldy turned out to be anything but at Paton Field as bottom-of-the-table Stockport produced a determined and spirited display to keep the outcome in the balance until the dying minutes.

Caldy in the end came from well behind for a third successive home victory in National Two North League which lifts them into fifth place in the table.

The scoreline closed at 40-30 but the home faithful were certainly biting their finger nails as the Wirral club trailed 11-27 in the third quarter.

Class eventually came to the fore and there was not even the consolation of a losing bonus point for the East Cheshre side.

They were given an opportunity of moving to a bonus point situation when awarded a penalty late on but opted to kick to the corner to create an attacking position. It proved costly as the move went unrewarded.

Centre Gavin Roberts was the key for the winners. Resuming, after an injury break, he grabbed two touch downs inside the last ten minutes to break the Stockport hearts.

Mark Edwards landed an early penalty for the visitors before home scrum-half Ben Jones went clear in the blind side for a try from inside his own territory.

Edwards and Richard Vasey exchanged penalties before two excellent Stockport tries. Caldy had the last say of the opening period with a drop goal by Jon Broxson making it 11-20.

An opportunist touch down from Stockport five minutes to the second-half served as a wake up call for Caldy.

Replacement Andy Soutar converted his own try and added a penalty. Then a Nyle Davidson touch down from a drive after a line left Stockport with a slender 26-27 advantage.

A long range penalty stretched the advantage to four points but then it was down to Roberts and two kicks by Soutar to make the scoreline somewhat cruel on the losers.

Wirral went to town at lowly Westoe in National Three North League to record a 56-18 win. They scored eight tries in all including one from James Annetts who completed a great afternoon with all eight conversions.

Alistair Baker (2), James Green,Matt Brown and Rob Pearl crossed in the first period.

Baker completed his hat-trick of touch downs after the break. Pearl also got his seond try.

Westoe made the scoreline a little more respectable with two late unconverted tries to add to a third quarter touch down and a first-half penalty.

Wirral now have three sides below them in the table in a tough division.

Birkenhead Park stayed marginally top of North One West with a 24-7 victory at Wilmslow but it was not so good for New Brighton as they lost a tight encounter 11-16 at home to Warrington.

The Park victory was marred by serious injury to one of the Wilmslow forwards. There was a thirty minute delay and it meant the match was cut to 35 minutes each way which possibly denied Birkenhead the chance of a bonus point.

Dave Ibbotson and Jack Ashcroft ganed first-half tries for Park both converted by Dave Hall who also added a penalty.

Wilmslow finally broke the Park resistence with a converted touch down midway through the second period but the visitors responded immediately with Lawrence Thomas getting over and Hall adding the extras.

Rob Doolan in the back-row was Man of the Match for the winners.

The Blues at least had the satisfaction of a losing bonus point but find themselves third bottom in the table.

A penalty and a try from Joe Silcock had Brighton level at 8-8 at the interval but Warrington dominated territorially later. They stretched to 16-8 before a late Silcock kick cut the deficit to a bonus earning five points.

Anselmians fell 13-48 at Altrincham Kersal in South Lancashire/Cheshire One and it was no better for Hoylake who were on the wrong side of a 53-12 finish at Northwich.

There were Division Two defeats for Port Sunlight 8-31 at Marple and Prenton 25-38 at home to Tyldesley.

Wallasey crushed Helsby 64-0 in Division Three. Ellesmere Port sent Knutsford packing 66-21 but it was not good in the Isle of Man for Oxton Parkonians as they went under 20-57 at the hands of Ramsey.

Oldershaw did not have a fixture.

Caldy will need to be on good form this Saturday when they visit table toppers Ampthill and District. Recent results suggest they will not be without a chance.

Stockport beat Huddersfield two weeks ago and Huddersfield in their latest match held Ampthill to a draw.

Wirral also face a tough examination in their division at home to high flying Firwood Waterloo.

Birkenhead Park welcome Bolton but New Brighton are on the road to Altrincham Kersal.

Anselmians face an interesting home clash with cross river rivals LSH and Hoylake entertain Ruskin Park.

There is a Port Sunlight v Prenton derby but South Lancashire / Cheshire Three clubs do not have league engagements this weekend.