West Park pay late penalty

Nov 5 2007 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

WEST PARK saw their chances of victory slip through their fingers in the closing minutes of an entertaining National Three North game.

Leading by just a couple of points, the Merseysiders almost scored in the corner when winger Kalan Warburton was forced into touch. Skipper Stephen Briers had also been denied a touchdown but dropped the ball over the line.

Harrogate won a vital lineout that launched a move the length of the field to snatch the winning try.

The Yorkshire side, on their first visit to Red Rocks, got the ideal start when scoring and converting an early try. Park responded with a try when man of the match number eight Craig Smithson forced his way over for Andy Soutar to add the extras.

Park grabbed the lead following a break from scrum half Darren Wilson, with former Orrell flanker Danny Higham going over for Soutar to convert. Early in the second period Harrogate reduced the margin with a try and then made the home side pay for an indiscretion with a penalty before Soutar cancelled it out.