Winnington Park 0 Vale of Lune 3

(match abandoned after 40 minutes)

RFU North Two West

Saturday, September 22

WINNINGTON'S first home league game of the season became an anti-climax when referee David Jackson pulled a calf muscle and called the game off at half-time.

League rules insist that a society referee should be in charge of the game and, in the absence of a replacement, the game was abandoned, becoming null and void.

However, the result could still stand because the game will only be replayed if, at the end of the season, either team requires the points to achieve promotion or avoid relegation.

Winnington won't feel too hard done-by, however, as they failed to impress during a hard-fought first half, while the Lancaster team failed to make the most of some good opportunities and positions.

The pattern of the first 40 minutes saw both place kickers, Park's Gary Bell and Vale's Neil Latham, miss two penalties each, before Latham secured a three-point advantage for the visitors with a kick in front of the posts.

Winnington had looked occasionally lethargic and relied on some good work from the half back pairing of Mark Warr and Phil Beswick.

Vale, on the other hand, enjoyed a number of openings which they failed to capitalise on through a combination of fumbles, good defensive work and the decision by Bennett to try a drop goal from almost under Park's crossbar.

However, Winnington also had their moments and should have made more of a dummy scissors move by Beswick which took them close to Vale's line, and a powerful run up the centre by Matthew Dodd which came to nothing.

In the end both teams probably felt that the match was there for the taking, but were denied by the bizarre finish to the game.

This Saturday Winnington visit Caldy in the league.