WIRRAL 19 LYMM 11

THIS was Wirral's derby game against county neighbours, Lymm with both teams starting with 50% records.

It was Lymm who started the stronger and within two minutes had taken the lead through Cormac Nolan with a long distance penalty.

Gradually, the home side worked their way into the game with both teams looking to kick long for territorial advantage as both teams were having handling difficulties.

As the game wore on Wirral dominated possession and territory and from a scrum 20m out the pack pushed Lymm back before releasing the backs and after the ball passed through the backs, winger Ben Brookes had the formality of touching down in the corner, the try was not converted. 5-3 (23 minutes).

Three minutes before half-time Lymm briefly took the lead with another penalty through Nolan before the Wirral pack rumbled the Lymm pack backwards over the whitewash where Jack Yarker was on hand to touch down, converted from the touchline by James Annetts to give Wirral a 12-6 half-time lead.

Wirral continued the second half with territorial advantage and under pressure in their 20m area gave away a number of penalties which resulted in prop, Gavin Woods being sin-binned.

Down to seven men in the pack, Wirral had three scrums under the Lymm posts before from open play, James Reeve crashed over under the posts to give James Annetts an easy conversion. 19-6.

Much as Wirral tried they could not clinch that all important bonus point try despite having opportunities. In the final two minutes of the game a poor clearance from Wirral gave Lymm possession in the Wirral half and the away side took advantage of a disorganised defence to score through Richard McEvoy in the corner, the conversion was missed.

The win enables Wirral to climb to sixth in the table as they prepare for the visit to Harrogate next week, who currently lie fifth in the table.