Park battle through to last eight of national cup

3:35pm Tuesday 15th January 2008

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BIRKENHEAD Park are through to the last eight of the countrywide EDF Energy Intermediate Cup - but they had to pull out all the stops to beat Luctonians 10-6 to book a place in the quarter-finals.

It was an engrossing contest at the Upper Park, where the hosts came under severe pressure at times, but held their line intact with a gutsy all-round team effort.

Luctonians are high up Midlands One League and have the best defensive record in the country - but twice Park found a way through.

Jon Brennand crossed early in the second period after a blind side move from a scrum started by skipper Dave Ibbotson and continued by scrum-half Steve Lowry.

The visitors led at the break 3-0 and regained the lead with a second effort near the end of the third quarter and, at 5-6, it was anybody's tie.

Strong home pressure was rewarded with a 75th minute push over try from a line-out for Christian Jones. It was his 28th of the season and he is the leading try scorer in the country.

Park had to repel a dogged fight-back by Luctonians before dominating in 10 minutes of injury time.

Caldy enjoyed a vital 27-18 success at Morley in National Three North League and it gives them breathing space ahead of the relegation pack.

They had won at the same ground in the National Cup two months previously.

It was not pretty in the heavy conditions, but Caldy, after trailing 8-15 at the interval, commanded most of the second period and gained a five points return.

Craig Ross, Richard Bradshaw, Sean Woof and Matt Pennington crossed for Caldy. Simon Mason added two of the conversions and a penalty.

Hoylake saw off Aspull 36-5 in South Lancashire and Cheshire One, thanks to tries from Chris Whiteley, 2, Dan Gleeson, Dan Baldock and Steve Young, who landed four conversions and a penalty.

Wirral went under 10-13 at home to Burnage. Dan Harvey hit a penalty and converted a try by Alistair Baker, but Wirral wasted other scoring opportunities.

There is a full league programme of local rugby this Saturday.

Caldy have Fylde as visitors, with Birkenhead Park at home to LSH and New Brighton away to Sandbach.

Other games include a Hoylake v Anselmians derby', Wirral at Sale, Wallasey at Southport, Oldershaw at Oswestry, Prenton v St Edwards, Parkonians v Trentham and Port Sunlight v Merseyside Police.