Caldy come a cropper (From Wirral Globe)

Caldy come a cropper

3:00pm Tuesday 31st January 2012 in Sport By Andrew Stratton

CALDY came a 17-57 cropper at the hands of a talented Loughborough Students side in their latest outing in National Two North League in a game marred by serious injury to centre Sam Russell.

Sam fractured a neck bone and was detained in Leicester Hospital. Everyone will wish him a speedy recovery.

The students have won all but three of their matches this season to head the table by a dozen points and the Caldy defence simply could not cope with their power and pace.

Adam Aigbokhae and Peter Doolan crossed for Caldy with Andrew Soutar landing the conversions and a penalty but Loughborough scored nine tries in all to ensure the extra bonus point.

Caldy on 64 points are now down to fourth in the table with Westoe just above them on 68 points.

Huddersfield in second place have 71 points and they and the Students each have a game in hand.

Birkenhead Park were involved in a dramatic finish for the second week running in National Three North League.

After leading 14-0 against visiting Altrincham Kersal at the Upper Park they found themselves 14-19 behind passing the hour mark.

The visitors then had a couple of penalty chances to go clear but they were missed and Park in the very last move of the game drove over for a touch down by Dave Ibbotson.

It was then down to Dave Hall to try to make the winning conversion with the last kick but his effort from wide out shaved the wrong side of an upright.

But 19-19 was probably a fair outcome. Certainly it would have been tough on the East Cheshire side had they been defeated.

Sean Ingram and Greg Hughes gained the early tries for Park both goaled by Hall.

The visitors managed touch downs via John Singleton before half-time and Nathan Bailey and Dean Harris later with Chris Stewart converting twice.

It was tough for Anselmians and Wirral in North One.

Anselmians let a 19-7 interval lead against Liverpool St Helens slip away and eventually went under 19-39.

Paul Kay grabbed their only try and Simon Mason the conversion and four penalties.

Wirral were beaten 10-37 away to Vale of Lune. Dan Harvey scored a try and Craig Harvey a penalty and a conversion but Vale breached the visiting defence on six occasions for a convincing success.

The two local clubs in South Lancashire/Cheshire One posted good victories.

Hoylake saw off visiting Ormskirk 16-9 and New Brighton came away 29-5 to the good from Tyldesley to boost their promotion hopes.

Kati Tuipulotu registered his 138th try for the Blues.

Alan Hesketh twice and Adam Pitt also crossed and Stephen Dean kept the scoreboard ticking with three of the conversions and a penalty.

It was a solid all round display by the Hartsfield outfit against high riding opponents and they are now third in the table a point behind Bowdon who have a game in hand. Sale are clear at the top.

Oldershaw put up a bold showing in the Isle of Man before missing out 24-28 in an entertaining Division Two encounter against Ramsey.

Ellesmere Port managed a consolation try in a 5-51 reverse at Oswestry.

Wallasey maintained their one hundred per cent winning record in Division Three with a 25-0 derby win at the expense of Prenton at Cross Lane.

It was their fifteenth successive victory in the Division in which they are twenty five points clear at the top with a plus 390 points ratio.

There was not much between the sides in a first-half which finished at 5-0 but Wallasey went on to impose their superiority later.

Keith Mahon registered a try hat-trick. Liam Wharton also went over and Paul Lewis succeeded with one conversion and a penalty.

Promotion-chasing Parkonians lost ground in a defence dominated affair at Buxton where they managed one successful kick in a 3-10 conclusion.

Port Sunlight were happy with a 20-14 win away to Holmes Chapel.

Caldy have the luxury of this coming weekend off.

They are on schedule with their fixtures and this Saturday was listed as a reserve date. All the other local clubs will be in league action.

Birkenhead Park head for Beverley whilst there are interesting home fixtures for Anselmians against Widnes and Wirral against Liverpool St Helens.

Other games include New Brighton v West Park, Hoylake at Warrington, Oldershaw v Marple, Ellesmere Port v Dukinfield, Parkonians v Knutsford, Prenton v Helsby and a Port Sunlight v Wallasey derby.