Hoylake 1st XV v's Tyldesley

Hoylake 37
Tyldesley 5

What a difference a week makes. Hoylake turned up the heat on a warm day at Melrose Avenue following last week's flop on the road at Ruskin Park. Skipper, Matt O'Neill and Coach, Gareth John, read the riot act prior to the match and the players didn't disappoint.

Despite having several key players on the injured and unavailable list, the hosts started in confident mood. It was the mobility of the Hoylake back row, backed up by tenacious hooker, Jake Woods, that were the difference in the opening exchanges. Number 8, Matt O'Hanlon (pictured) was causing problems with his pace off the base and he and Woods were acting as magnets to the ball in the loose. It was the latter who followed up an excellent break by Will Dow to open the scoring. With Hoylake firmly in the ascendancy, it was the impressive Matt MacLaren who put the hosts further ahead. Firstly with an excellent converted try, following a chip over the top, then with a well-struck penalty.

As the game approached half-time, the only threat to Hoylake's lead, was the high penalty count resulting from their inability to adapt to the referee's interpretation of the laws at the breakdown. In fact, after just 5 minutes of the second period, leading 18-0, the hosts were down to 13 men following technical infringements by O'Hanlon and fellow back rower Guy Byatt, in fairly non-threatening positions.

Having used the interchanges well, the hosts weathered the storm and only conceded one try, when Tyldesley exploited an inevitable overlap and their pacey fullback rounded off a well-worked move. However, with a huge effort from the 6 Hoylake forwards, MacLaren was given the opportunity to take a welcome 3 points before his team were back to full strength. From that point, it was one way traffic. Tyldesley continued to tackle well but Mike Kearney was pulling the strings at 10, with an excellent display of kicking and passing.

With Hoylake finding some excellent positions, step up Matt O'Hanlon. He scored two tries in quick succession from the base of the scrum before repeating the trick, but timing an outstanding pass to veteran, Dan Baldock, who cut an undefendable line, to score Hoylake's fifth and final try. The final score was 37-5, a well-earned bonus point victory and welcome tonic after last weeks' hugely disappointing result.

There were outstanding performances from one to eighteen. Hoylake's back row of Byatt, Pell and O'Hanlon were excellent. The front 5 (or 7 including the subs) dominated in the set pieces and worked tirelessly in the loose. The backs looked threatening, particularly with Joe Lavin's pace at fullback, and it was good to see Richard Young return to form after his long injury lay off. Special mention also to Gary Hummerstone, a 2nd XV regular who was rock solid on the wing for 80 minutes. O'Hanlon just about pipped Woods and MacLaren to the MoM award, but it was a day when nobody put in a bad performance.

More of the same next week hopefully, on the road to newly promoted Sefton.