Hoylake 1st XV v Ruskin Park

Hoylake 30
Ruskin Park 6

Hoylake halted their run of 3 defeats (which had seen them fall from 3rd in the league to 6th) with a hard fought victory over a plucky Ruskin Park side. Earlier in the season, Hoylake took the spoils with a last-gasp victory but with both sides fielding very different sides due to injuries and unavailability, it was again Hoylake who took the points, but in slightly more comfortable fashion this time.

The hosts came out of the blocks reasonably well and were the first on the score board following a penalty by Matt MacLaren. Ruskin Park then found their form and dominated proceedings for the next 20 minutes. All credit to them, they controlled possession very well and frustrated the hosts, but without really threatening the line, despite having a couple of quick, dangerous looking backs.

The Hoylake defence worked well but conceded a couple of penalties which were well taken by the Park 13, who gave them a narrow lead. Despite an injury on the back row after half an hour, Hoylake reorganised and worked their way up into a couple of dangerous positions. With the visitors on the back foot, they conceded a couple of penalties. MacLaren was in form with the boot, giving the hosts a narrow lead going into half time, 9-6.

Despite being very much second place in terms of territory and possession, the Hoylake team were confident that once they secured the ball, their backs had the speed and guile to take the opportunity.

Early in the second half, the experienced Hoylake pack started to get the upper hand on their younger counterparts, even without work horse, Guy Byatt. Holes started to appear in the Ruskin Park defence and James McLaughlin exploited this as he offloaded to Matt Maclaren who exploded into a gap and his pace took him home from half way. He convered his own try to give Hoylake a bit of breathing space.

Not long after, another period of concerted pressure resulted in an overlap on the right in the vistors' 22. Back row dynamo, Matt O'Hanlon dummied to supportinmg winger Liam Rushworth and effectively secured the win for Hoylake by scoring his 6th try of the campaign. MacLaren converted again, taking his personal tally to 18 for the day and giving Hoylake a seemingly unassailable lead of 23-6.

With just 10 minutes remaining and the Hoylake backs finding gaps in the tiring Ruskin defence, the hosts sensed that the bonus point was on. After a series of drives by the forwards, scrum half Tom Selby-Milic just about squeezed through from short-range under the posts. The try was converted by Steve Young and there was still time to get another.

Despite Hoylake's best efforts, the Ruskin park defence held firm. It was a hard fought victory and after the difficulties with injuries and unavailability over the past few weeks, it was just a relief to break the losing run. Credit must go to the likes of Jason Pell, Darren Agnew, Martin Williams and Steve Butterworth who have answered the call to fill in the gaps in the Hoylake pack in recent weeks. Pell and Agnew in particular have made a statement to the rest of the club that the 2nd XV have players who are more than capable of making the step up. Another huge positive has been the return of former club captain and points machine, Steve Young, who has made his long awaited return to the team. He played half an hour in each of the last two matches, following the serious injury that he sustained over 12 months ago against Sale FC. Hopefully, this will add to competition for places in the New Year, with the return of forwards Rob Shaw and Jake Woods on the horizon.

Man of the Match was shared by back rowers O'Hanlon and Pell. In fariness, it could have gone to any of the forwards with veterans Andy Fielding, Phil James, Mark Wylie and Butterworth putting in decent shifts, ably marshalled by skipper Matt O'Neill.

Hoylake face a difficult start to 2013 with a trip to Tyldesley on the 5th January before welcoming runaway league leaders, Warrington, to Melrose Avenue the following week.