Round-up of every try, tackle and scrum from all the rugby teams across Wirral

Dec 17 2008 by James Maloney, Birkenhead News

Round-up of every try, tackle and scrum from all the rugby teams across Wirral

IT WAS a mud bath at the Upper Park as Birkenhead Park and New Brighton slogged it out for a place in the final of the Lees Cheshire Cup.

Holders Birkenhead eventually prevailed 23-11 in extra time but it was a magnificent effort by the Blues, who came within a few minutes of creating an upset.

The conditions were a great leveller and the players were soon unrecognisable in the conditions.

Brighton had the better of the opening period to lead 11-3. Stephen Dean and Dave Hall exchanged penalties in the first quarter before Dean regained the advantage with a 23rd-minute kick.

Then after an all-too-rare backs move Dean went in for a try on 35 minutes. Hall made it 11-6 towards the end of the third quarter before winger Anthony Molloy burst through for an equalising try on 75 minutes after sustained forward pressure.

Molloy gave Park the lead for the first time with his second well-taken try early in the first extra period.

Gavin Scott wrapped it up late on as he touched down after a forward melee with Hall goaling for good measure.

Both scrum-halves – Alan Hesketh for the Blues and Park’s Steve Lowry – were excellent on a day when all the players deserved maximum credit for the effort put in.

Birkenhead will again meet Macclesfield in the final on a new year date to be finalised.

Meanwhile, Hoylake crashed out of the EDF Senior Vase after losing 9-18 to Widnes at Melrose Avenue.

Within five minutes of the kick off, left winger Leadbetter left the Hoylake defence in his wake before off-loading to supporting fullback, Riley. He rounded off a well-worked try despite Leadbetter missing the conversion. The Wirral side began to control some possession midway through the half, mostly thanks to the work in the lineout of returning skipper, Andy Fielding and second rower, Tom Corkhill.

Hoylake’s danger man Stephen Young eventually slotted a penalty before the Widnes No.8, Wilcox, raced 40 metres for a score under the posts. Leadbetter converted to give Widnes a 12-3 half time lead.

Although Hoylake upped their game in the second half, the scoring in the second half was limited to two penalties from each side, converted by Young for Hoylake and by Leadbetter for the visitors, making the final score 18-9 to Widnes. Next week, Hoylake welcome Ormskirk to Melrose in a return to league action.

In a very wet Yorkshire last Saturday, Oldershaw maintained this season’s superb winning run when they celebrated a 9-12 victory over West Leeds.

They registered their 14th consecutive victory by beating West Leeds in the fifth round of the EDF Energy Junior Vase.

On their first ever visit to the West Leeds club and playing on a very heavy pitch, the result was in doubt until the final whistle. A pushover try, just on the stroke of the half time whistle by No.8 Mike Chapman and a second try deep in the second half by scrum half Mike Warren, converted by Mark Hallam, proved to be decisive.

West Leeds’ reply came from three penalties and with only 67 points conceded this season, Oldershaw can be proud of their defensive record and look forward to this week’s sixth round draw.