Birkenhead Park 5, Lymm 14

HAVING played the first and third placed teams in the previous two week’s Birkenhead Park welcomed second place Lymm to the Upper Park on Saturday.

Yet again Park competed well and there was little to choose between the sides from opposite ends of the table but Park were unluckily left with nothing to show for their efforts.

Defences dominated throughout the first half with both sides probing without either gaining territorial dominance.

Park certainly had the edge in the scrum but line outs proved to be scrappy affairs.

The solitary score of the half came from a Cormack Nolan penalty for the visitors two minutes before half time.

Nolan added a second penalty ten minutes after the restart and then a good run down the wing saw the full back outpace the Park defence to put Lymm 11-0 up.

Park responded well and when flanker Sean Mooney touched down after a driving maul there was still everything to play for with fifteen minutes remaining.

Another Nolan penalty completed the scoring as Park just fell short again.

Park have showed much improved form but they are still well adrift from safety in the league table.

Sean Mooney took the man of the match award but yet again it was a good all round team effort.

Full back Dave Hall, who is Park's record points scorer, made his 302nd appearance against Lymm, a magnificent achievement while back row man Dave Ibbotson is now just one short of his triple century.

This Saturday Park travel to old rivals Morley who like Park are battling relegation but have showed considerable improvement in their recent games.

It promises to be a hard fought encounter at Scatcherd Lane with both clubs desperate for points.