Lymm 25 V Birkenhead Park 19 by Dave Fernyhough
LYMM crafted a much needed win against old rivals Birkenhead Park at Beechwood.
Park have been newly promoted back to National League 3 but brought a very tight controlled game that made them very much a challenge for Lymm.
Right from the kick off it was clear this would be a contest of very different styles. Lymm sought to throw the ball around at every opportunity, whether on their own 5 metre line or deep in the opposition half. Park looked for territory first and then engaged their heavyweight pack to set up a very effective rolling maul.
The visitors from Merseyside opened the scoring early on. Lymm had turned possession over to Park through a loose kick which trapped them in their own 22. Park’s very direct forward game set up a penalty in front of the posts. 0 v 3.
From the restart Lymm continued to struggle to advance beyond the halfway line, despite showing flashes of real flair. Too often though these breaks were scuppered by poor handling. Newcomer Chris Owens was building a nice understanding with his half back partner Olly Lancaster, and Giles Dugdale was making himself a threat in the centres, but at times it felt as if the rugby on show would be better if played 20 metres from the visitors post than their own. Winger Richard McEvoy would be the first to get Lymm across half way with a booming 50 metre clearance that saw Lymm deep in Park territory for the first time.
Lymm stole the Birkenhead line out, and despite being turned over were able to regain possession and make their expansive rugby pay dividends. Moving the ball first to the right wing and then to the left, with real pace and good angles of running they got the ball to Wells who finished well in the corner. 5 v 3. Mc Evoy converted from a difficult angle to put Lymm 7 v 3 ahead.
The breakdown was to be a bit of a thorn in Lymm’s side all day, with a number of penalties conceded at key moments. The next score was from one of these moments. Another attempt to run the ball from deep resulted in Lymm isolating themselves and being penalised for holding on in the ruck. Park used the opportunity to set up a line out maul and put Lymm under real pressure on their own line.The home side defended resolutely ( with Dugdale in particular making crucial hits) but Park were awarded another penalty which they chose to kick this time. 7 v 6.
Lymm had a penalty of their own to reward some fine pressure defence, but McEvoy was unable to add the 3 points to his tally. Three successive attacks were undone by Lymm handling errors and Park were starting to assert themselves more effectively in the middle of the pitch. However Lymm would score again,with another penalty by McEvoy, 10 v 6.
The number of penalties in this game reflects not on the referee (whose lack of fuss was a definite boost to the match) but on the exuberance of both teams. It would be a penalty direct from the restart that saw Park take the lead at the end of the first half. A breakdown infringement by Lymm allowed Birkenhead to set up another line out maul. This time the patience and control of their pack would prove too much for Lymm and they scored a well deserved try to go ahead 10 v 11 at half time.
Lock forward Zak Lythgoe was behind much of the good play with which Lymm opened the second half.A number of off loads in a sustained Lymm attack kept the threat alive and with Adam Bray making good yards an overlap was created on Park’s left wing. McEvoy was able to score a try to reward Lymm’s patience. The conversion was missed, 15 v 11.
The introduction of prop Mike Auden saw Lymm more effective at the ruck, and Auden made a couple of important turnovers to keep Park at bay as they repeatedly set up attacks in Lymm’s half. Inevitably Lymm gave away a penalty, which Park chose to kick to the corner rather than for goal. With the strength of their rolling maul wthis was probably wise but Lymm stole the line out on their own 5 metre line, and Tom Bray showed that Lymm can play conservatively when needed and made a fine kick to touch in the opposition half.
A scrappy period of play just inside Lymm territory followed with both teams beset by knock ons and penalties. One of the latter allowed McEvoy to kick yet another penalty goal and Lymm edged to a 18 v 11 lead.
Returning to their earlier fluidity Lymm were to score another exciting try when Joe Knowles took full advantage of yet another well worked overlap to score under the posts. McEvoy added the conversion and Lymm were now 25 v 11 ahead. At this point Lymm should have been able to relax but that is not the Lymm way !
Park began to slowly but effectively make ground in Lymm’s half, each phase taking them closer to a score. Burgess’ absence from the game was to blame for much, but Lymm could do little to prevent the well worked maul that Park created and another deserved try brought the visitors to within 9 points.
With Jake Ashall receiving a yellow card for a high tackle with 6 minutes left Park went in search of a losing bonus point, if not more. Lymm’s insistence on running from deep rather then just playing in Park’s half the closing stages of the match would be interesting. It would be Lymm’s determination in defence that would prove decisive in the end. With Auden again working well at the breakdown, and Kaihau marshalling the pack, Park had to make do with a penalty at the very end of the match for another yellow carded high tackle by Adam Bray.
The win saw Lymm leapfrog Birkenhead to go 7th in the table.
TEAM: Jordan Widdrington, Dan Horton, Nick Ashton, Alex Kaihau, Zak Lythgoe, Ross White, Jake Ashall, Adam Bray, Chris Owens, Ollie Lancaster, Mark Wells, Tom Bray, Giles Dugdale, Richard McEvoy, Joe Knowles,Sam Burgess, Mike Auden, Rick Halford, Aaron Rashed
