West Park 34 - 22 Hoylake

Earlier in the season Hoylake just managed to secure a win against West Park 15 – 14 and with both teams knowing each other styles of play well, we knew a tight contest would follow and game management would be an import factor. West Park kept to their game plan well, Hoylake did not.

Due to injuries and absences Hoylake had to make several changes. Skipper Matt O’Neill had picked up a rare injury in training but due to lack of front row availability, took his spot on the bench. Phil James making the move forward into the front row. With Mike Russell now looking like he is ruled out for the season with Knee ligament damage, Andy Fielding was called up to fill into the 2nd row. Young Matt Evans came into 6 with the absence of Rich Young. In the backs there is only one change to previous weeks, Dan Lewis is preferred to Conor Bradshaw on the wing.

Hoylake came into the match with a clear game plan of keeping it away from the dangerous West Park backline who thrive in open play and target their pack, a plan which had worked for Hoylake in previous encounters. West Park had other plans and wanted to keep the ball in the hands and move the ball wide as soon as possible.

Park kicked off with the wind favouring Hoylake. Within 5 minutes Hoylake were on the board. As expected the pack dominated the set piece and from a second scrum on the Park's 5 metre line scrum-half Tom Selby goes over the line to score untouched after good work from Matt O’Hanlon at the base of the scrum. A perfect start for them men in green but joy is short lived as Hoylake concede a couple of penalties in their 22, the second of which is taken quickly and Park score under the sticks.

Hoylake's pack continued to push Park all over the place but aimless kicks out of hand kept giving Park the possession in broken play they thrive upon. Although Hoylake's gameplan was starting to go off-piste, the back line still had plenty of ball and looked dangerous when they managed to group phases together.

From another failure to find touch from a penalty, Park gathered the ball and simply ran straight through at the hoylake defence, several missed tackles and West Park had scored a simple try. Sadly fly-half, James McLaughlin, was injured in the build up to the score, rupturing his Achilles which requires an operation to corrected. We wish him a speedy recovery.

With no backs on the bench, Hoylake had to reorganise quickly. The versatile Matt O’Hanlon moved to 15 enabling Joe Lavin to step into 10 and Rob Kurton came on at 8.

Hoylake battled on and from a line out within Park's 22, Tom Corkhill's dominance in the line out comes to fruition, an impressive move saw Tom feed the ball to the workhorse Jake Woods, who evaded the touchline and Park's retreating defence to score out wide.

Hoylake continued to battle to win turnover after turnover, however instead of keeping the ball in hand, Hoylake persisted in kicking away aimlessly to the dangerous West Park back division. On one rare occasion when the ball was kept in hand, the Hoylake backline looked dangerous and managed to create an opening for Matt O’Hanlon. Matt took the chance well and looked certain to score with no defenders in-between him and the tryline, only for the ref to stop play for a mass brawl which erupted after a late hit on the Hoylake winger Mike Webster.

The referee decided to sin bin Liam Rushworth who wasn't involved and Park's blind-side flanker for the altercation. Hoylake do end the half with the score they should have had when, after a couple of phases the ball is spread through the backs to reach Matt O'Hanlon coming into the line at pace to score and give Hoylake a 15 – 12 lead.

A encouraging team talk was given with the focus being on keeping the ball in hand however instead of refocussing, and moving back to their game plan, Hoylake fell asleep for the next 10 minutes. Hoylake kicked off and are quickly awarded a penalty. However, not for the first time, the kick failed to find touch, Park gathered the ball and scored with more missed tackles. Just to prove lightening can strike twice, Hoylake kicked off again and Park gathered again and unbelievably scored again. Numerous missed tackles occurred which surely must be addressed if Hoylake are going to make the great escape from a situation they only have their self to blame for. Park score their 3rd try in 5 minutes and now lead 15 -29 following another poor kick and even worse kick chase.

Thankfully Hoylake managed to survive their next kick off and after Park were penalised for the umpteenth time in their 22, their centre , who had been a handful all game was sin binned. As the third quarter came to an end Joe Lavin elected to run down the blind side of the scrum and then switched back to the open side and somehow evaded every attempted tackle to score Hoylake's bonus point try under the posts enabling him to convert his own try. At 22 – 29 there was only one score in it and everything to play for. Unfortunately failed to find 2nd gear and it was Park who took advantage in the final quarter.

As the match drew to its conclusion, Park elected to go for goal when awarded a penalty This would have put any losing bonus point out of touch but the Park 15 missed. With a sigh of relief, and the possibility of 2 bonus points Hoylake took the 22, again unbelievably, this was gathered by Park who ran through a tiring defence to score the final try of the day.e. Game over 22 -34.

However with our Neighbours Anselmians denying Manchester Medics of any points, despite losing, we are now only 2 points from safety rather than 3. With The Douglas game now confirmed by the RFU for the 25th April. Hoylake have two final chances to stay in this league. Its now or never for the boys in red white and green

Next week sees Hoylake host old foe Winnington Park, Hoylake will have to be at their very best in order to get a result which could see them stay up with a game to spare as Medics are away at AK who will hopefully want to win the league on a high. Either way its going right down to the wire