WINNINGTON Park put some space between themselves and the bottom two with a 35-11 home win over Crewe & Nantwich in rugby union Region 2 North West.
Park produced a great team performance and showed another big improvement from previous weeks.
They never trailed and led 12-0 within seven minutes, giving themselves a platform to build on for the rest of the game to secure a result that took them out of the bottom two and gave them six points ahead of the inhabitants of the Northwich cellar.
With just three minutes on the clock, Gary Dykes saw an opportunity with no guards around the ruck and collected the ball to score the first try, with Cameron Flanagan adding the conversion.
Flanker Phil Lynch made a couple of tackles and scored the second try inside seven minutes.
Shortly after, Park’s indiscipline resulted in a penalty and Crewe took the points for 12-3.
The game calmed down with Park in charge and creating chances.
One part of their game was struggling, and that was their scrum, which C&N took advantage of in the 23rd minute with a scrum penalty to narrow the gap to 12-6.
Then a yellow card for Tom King reduced Park to 14 men, but those on the pitch rallied and kept C&N out during this period with solid defending and excellent counter-ricking.
The final points of the first half came from the boot of Flanagan from the penalty spot.
Ten minutes into the second half, Park threw a maul which crashed five yards out and Ross Morrin took over to make it 20-6.
Five minutes later, C&N were awarded a penalty during a scrum which resulted in a yellow card for Hanre Coetzee, leaving Park with a one-man disadvantage again.
From the back of the scrum, Crewe headed down the short side and scored their first and only try in the corner.
When Dan Williams was tackled high and won a penalty, he kicked quickly and showed his strength to take over and score his team’s fourth try with a bonus point which was converted by Flanagan who extended the lead further. advances in the 71st minute with a penalty.
The final try came when Tom King lured his defender and sent Chris Twigg over the line.
Winnington: Will Du Randt, Chris Twigg, Jack O’Neill, Jack Williams, Jack Fenner, Cameron Flanagan, Richard Hart, Dan Williams (captain), Phil Lynch, Gary Dykes, Josh Gledhill, Anthony Hopley, Hanre Coetzee, Tom King, Ross Morrin, Jacob Halstein, Tom Dodson, Bruce McGrogan