Preston Grasshoppers 3rd 10 Lymm 2nd 30

WHILE every other game in the Cotton Traders Championship was postponed, Preston’s artificial surface allowed Lymm’s seconds to continue along their merry way at the top of the table.

The visitors’ victory allowed them to stretch their lead over second-placed Vale of Lune to six points.

Will Baldwin, Grant Sneddon, Reece Forrest and Luke Richards all crossed the whitewash for the Crouchley Lane side, with Tom Shard adding a conversion and two penalties to the total.

Lymm dominated territory and possession in the early stages and, eventually, their pressure told as Shard booted over a brace of penalties.

That took them into a six-point lead, but their first try was not long in coming when, after a good drive from James Lewis, play was switched and Baldwin crashed over in the corner, with Shard adding the extras.

No further points were scored in the first half, but Preston came out firing after the break and crossed for an unconverted try to narrow the deficit.

However, that only served to spur Lymm into action Rhys Jones released Sneddon on a 40-metre run to the line, handing off two tacklers on his way.

Forrest then rounded three defenders to score as the visitors stretched away, before Richards showed excellent footwork and pace to add his name to the scoresheet.

Preston did have the last laugh, however, with an unconverted try but it was Lymm’s day. They host Rossendale’s seconds on Saturday.

Lymm: James Robinson, Sam Fisher, Josh Davies, Grant Sneddon, Jake Davies; Rhys Jones, Tom Shard; Will Baldwin, James Lewis, Alex Stewart, James Yates, Zak Lythgoe, Jordan Widdrington, James Pitcher, Olly Brown. Subs: Jorge Reynolds, Reece Forrest, Luke Richards.

Lymm Senior Colts 31 Chester Senior Colts 20

THE decision to switch this game to Southport paid dividends for Lymm’s senior colts as they made progress in the National Cup.

They ran five tries past Chester in their third-round tie and now move on to the regional final, to be played at Crouchley Lane on March 25.

Lymm: W Buckley, R Price, D Grogan, J Rooney, W Caldwell; G Hughes, H Stainton; C Nikou, J Johnson, J Hadland, J Murphy, E Vickery, R Lilly, O Holmes, J Porteous. Subs: H Ratcliffe, N Llewellyn, M Broadbent, A Whitehead, A Kahn, M Ure, A Simpson.