LIVERPOOL St Helens were put to the sword by a resolute and determined Birkenhead Park in a one sided cross rover derby at a wild and windy Upper Park.

The Wirral outfit produced an 11- try showing for their sixteenth success of the season in North One West League with the final margin of 73-7 by no means flattering.

It was certainly an afternoon to forget for LSH who managed a consolation score in the final quarter but had their misery compounded by the late sending off of one of their prop forwards for violent conduct.

It was a wet and windy with the players and indeed the hardy spectators at one stage having to contend with driving hail stones.

Park faced the elements in the opening period but it took them just four minutes to open their account as Greg Hughes nipped in following forward pressure and by the half way stage it was virtually game over at 40-0.

Hughes raced away from the half way line for his second touch down as he capitalised on a knock-on by the visitors after 13 minutes. Both goals by skipper Dave Hall made it 14-0.

Gavin Scott was sent to the sin bin by referee Tim Brown but Park made light of their reduced number as firstly Laurence Cowan went over after an initial kick through by Hughes on 28 minutes followed by a well worked score for Billy Woof three minutes later.

Scott returned to the action after his enforced spell on the sidelines to cross on 38 minutes and there was still time for Stu Brown to go over after a line-out.

Hall missed only one first-half conversion and he soon added to his points tally two minutes into the second-half this time with a blind side try after his pack took a scrum against the put in, Laurence Thomas got in on the try act five minutes on before LSH gained their one touch down through Rob Dyer as Brown served time in the sin bin.

Greg Smith added the goal but Park were quickly right back at the bewildered opposition.

Danny Rich forced his way over and then the influential Dave Ibbotson helped himself to a brace of tries.

Hall added the kicks and it was a relief to the visitors when the main official signalled the end with the clock short of the 40-minute mark.

Park used their three substitutes in the second-half.

Amongst them making his debut on the wing was an Israel international Ori Abutbul who could prove a useful acquisition.

The Upper Park side remain second in the division behind local rivals Wirral who beat Widnes 17-3 but the margin of the Wirral lead was cut by a point to just two by way of a Birkenhead bonus tally.

Several games were victims of the weather including Caldy’s National Two North clash away to Luctonians which was started but could not finish due to a waterlogged pitch and will have to be re-staged.

Winnington Park v Hoylake in South Lancashire/Cheshire One and Buxton v Prenton in Division Three did not begin.

New Brighton slogged it out against Sefton at a wet and wild Hartsfield to take another step to the South Lancashire / Cheshire One title and promotion with a 17-5 success.

They have a twenty points cushion at the head of the table.

A try and conversion by Anthony Birley gave the Blues an early advantage. Sefton hit back with their own touch down before Jack Charlesworth got in before the break for Brighton.

It looked ominous with Sefton turning round to have the elements in their favour but it developed into a tough midfield battle and the home side made sure of success as Phil Bucklet added the third try late on.

Alan Hesketh on his 200th appearance for Brighton led out the side.