De La Salle 2nd 12 Lymm 2nd 7

Mal Pritchard reports.

LYMM went to De La Salle with a young side and ended losing a game through being out muscled in the second half.

Lymm started brightly and recycled possession well to work their way down the pitch.

They were dominating possession and after good handling Jamie Plumb scored an excellent try in the corner with Rhys Jones converting excellently from the touchline.

It was at this stage De La Salle started to control possession using their forwards to drive up the pitch.

Then from a line out close to the Lymm line, De La Salle ceased on loose Lymm ball to crash over for unconverted try.

In the second half De La Salle dominated possession playing a limited but effective driving game which Lymm could not cope with and eventually after pounding the Lymm line they scored what turned out to be the winning converted try.

Lymm did break the stranglehold a couple of times but couldn't take the opportunities.

As the game progressed Lymm made more and more errors and in the end were well beaten.

Hopefully they have learnt a lesson and in the future adapt their game.

Team: J Cooper, D Horton, G Pymm, O Askew, J Cartwright, J Long, J Harper, M Sutton, J Worton, R Jones, S Ward, O Mabbut, J Plumb, J Lester, J Lawson, Ishmael.

This Saturday, April 5, we are holding our past players annual reunion from 1pm onwards.

Our visiting team is Nuneaton and as well as meeting former playing colleagues, an entertaining game of rugby is also in prospect.

A charge of £10 is payable on the day and this covers a pre-match buffet and admittance to the game.

All past players and friends are most welcome.

If you intend to come along and haven't already done so, then please contact Tony Wright on 07784 574398 or e-mail him on ajwright13@ntlworld.com.

Rossendale 2nd 17 Warrington 2nd 29 WARRINGTON’S second team are still firmly on the road to promotion after this win over Rossendale.

The league leaders Rochdale are just five points ahead of fourth-placed Warrington, with Broughton Park and Waterloo merely four points ahead – and Warrington have a game in hand over all three.

After their journey into the East Lancashire hinterland, Warrington were caught cold and Rossendale were first on the score sheet with a forwards try.

The visitors hit back when they put together a well-worked backs’ move which saw Matt Rockey sprinting 30 yards to finish off under the posts.

Andy Almond converted.

Luke Wood then benefited from the sterling work of his pack at a set scrum to skittle over before Craig Byrne claimed Warrington’s third try by bullocking under the posts to allow Andy Almond to make the half time score 19-5.

The result was essentially put out of Rossendale’s reach when Sean Hughes powered over from ten yards and Almond again converted but the home side never gave up and scored two tries, one converted to pull back to 26-17.

However, this was too little too late and Andy Almond finally finished off any hopes Rossendale may have had with a well-struck penalty.

“We lost a bit of concentration in the second period,” said skipper Andy Almond.

“But we had already done enough to win.

“Hopefully, we won’t be losing concentration in our three remaining games, especially against our close rivals De La Salle and Wirral.”

Warrington 3rd 37 Bowdon 3 HAVING been trounced 46-0 by Bowdon in November, Warrington’s third string showed how far they have developed by gaining a 36-3 revenge in this return fixture.

Although they can’t overhaul the league leaders, they can still claim the second promotion place, especially if they beat second-placed Firwood Waterloo, whom they play at home in the penultimate game of the season.

Warrington opened the scoring within five minutes of the kick-off, when full back Charlie McIlroy introduced himself into the line to split the defence and touch down in the corner.

The lead was increased when Shaun McDermott showed off his, by now, familiar Lee Briers impersonation and found Paul MacKay with a pinpoint cross-field kick which allowed the veteran winger to stroll over.

Matt Drinkwater converted.

Bowdon scored their only points with a penalty before prop Steve Tickle, showing uncharacteristic speed, charged down an attempted clearance on the opposition line.

Ben Hockenhull snapped up the loose ball and skipped over.

Drinkwater converted to make the half time score 19-3.

Shaun McDermott repeated his cross-field kicking expertise early in the second half and this time the lucky recipient was Charlie McIlroy, who took full advantage to score his second try.

Drinkwater converted.

The forwards then got onto the score sheet through the ample physique of Christian White who bullied over before the scoring was completed by two Drinkwater penalties.

“This was one of the most satisfying wins of the season,” said Skipper Shaun McDermott.

“We also suffered a heavy defeat by Waterloo back in September, so we are really looking forward to getting the kind of revenge we enjoyed today when we play them at home, in what will be our biggest test.”