THERE were mixed fortunes for the leading Wirral rugby union clubs at the start of the New Year.

Wirral and Birkenhead Park posted sound victories but there were defeats for Caldy and New Brighton.

Apart from collecting a bonus point little went right for Caldy at Paton Field as they succumbed 12-19 in National Two North League to an efficient but sometimes edgy Harrogate.

It ended a run of four successive victories as the Yorkshire club stepped over them into third place in the table.

It was a fifth win in a row for Harrogate who were completing a double.

They dominated the first period but Caldy managed to go in at the break only 7-14 behind and were very much in contention until a crucial second Harrogate try in the 73rd minute.

The local side looked to choose the wrong options early on and instead of leading found themselves nine points adrift as Joe Rowntree hit a trio of penalties for the visitors.

A corner try from a tap penalty added to the lead but Caldy replied with a Nick Royle touch down as he outpaced the opposition after a kick through. Gavin Roberts added the extras with an excellent kick.

Some contraversial refereeing decisions including yellow cards upset the bystanders but it was game on when Craig Smithson forced his way over for Caldy after a close range scrum on 48 minutes. Roberts was unlucky this time to hit a post with the difficult goal attempt.

The odds now seemed to favour Caldy and when a Rowntree penalty attempt deflected wide off an upright on 68 minutes it appeared they might snatch an unlikely win.

Harrogate however dug deep to camp in the home 22 for a spell and were rewarded for the pressure spell with a well taken try with seven minutes remaining. Caldy rallied in vain and would be the first to admit they never showed their true potential on the day.

Wirral put up a improved showing away to Huddersfield YM in National Three North to register an important and overdue 24-8 success.

Birkenhead Park stayed top of North One West as they despatched Vale of Lune 52-14 at the Upper Park.

They had ensured a bonus point with four tries inside the opening half hour and in the end breached the Vale rearguard on eight occasions.

Vale never threw in the towel and gained a couple of converted tries in the second period.

Dave Ibbotson and Rob Doolan each registered a brace for touch downs for the winners.

Matt Wall, Dave Morgan, Jack Ashcroft and sub Elliott Madgin also went in and Dave Hall kept the scoreboard moving with six of the conversions.

New Brighton put up a good fight at Penrith to collect a losing bonus point from a 10-15 finish. It leaves them in the danger zone but success should come their way this Saturday.

In South Lancashire/Cheshire One Anselmians saw off the Sefton challenge 43-7 at Malone Field but Hoylake went under 10-17 at Douglas and remain bottom of the table.

Prenton fell 13-21 at Ashton on Mersey in Division Two and there was also a narrow defeat for Port Sunlight 14-17 at Moore.

There were no fixtures for Division Three.

Caldy journey to Cleckheaton this coming Saturday. There are also away trips for Birkenhead Park at Broughton Park and New Brighton at Wigton but Wirral will have home advantage against Morley.

Other fixtures on a full league Saturday include Hoylake v Bowdon, Anselmians at West Park, Port Sunlight v Ashton on Mersey, Prenton v Vagabonds, Wallasey at Capenhurst, Ellesmere Port v Ramsey, Oxton Parkonians at Helsby and Oldershaw at Knutsford.

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