Wirral 20 Lymm 14  

HAVING lost at Lymm earlier in the season when suffering a number of injuries during the game, Wirral were keen to reverse the result when the two sides met at the Memorial Ground on Saturday.

Lymm, for their part, are seeking the runners up position and the match lived up to the billing with the result in doubt until the final whistle.

Lymm had the advantage of the wind in the first-half although it was Wirral who started the stronger containing play in midfield.

Lymm missed a penalty, which hit the post and Wirral recovered.

The home team were playing the better rugby until a wild pass was collected by Lymm and from 64-metres out spread the ball to their backs who with controlled passing saw full back Cormac Nolan score in the corner, the conversion was missed.

Another Lymm attack was thwarted when Paul Lewis intercepted 45m out and made ground before passing to Mark Gidman who crossed in the corner. 

A great conversion from the touchline by James Annetts gave Wirral a 7-5 lead.

A further exchange of penalties by Nolan and Annetts left the score 10-8 at half-time.

Soon after the break, Lymm retook the lead with a penalty from Nolan.

Annetts just failed with an attempt from the half way line before slotting a penalty over from 40m to give Wirral a 13-11 lead after 49 minutes.

Lymm were applying pressure with grubber kicks behind the Wirral defence giving them territory in the home 20m area and were rewarded with another penalty from Nolan to allow Lymm to retake the lead 13-14 after 64 minutes.

The next 10 minutes saw Wirral exert pressure on Lymm, who were not able to clear the ball any distance as they were kicking into the wind.

Wirral continued to progress with good ball control and, after a number of passes close to the Lymm line, number eight Keith Mahon collected and forced his way over the try line, despite a couple of would-be tacklers in attendance, and another superb conversion from James Annetts gave Wirral a 20-14 lead.

Wirral took play again down to the Lymm 20m area and looked to play out time only to find some 10 minutes of injury time!

Eventually Lymm broke out and worked their way down to the Wirral 20m area.

Lymm continued to pressure the home side but the home defence held out these continuous attacks until a loose ball was dived on by a Wirral player.

The ball was cleared to touch to end the game which was a credit to both sides.