Caldy forced to dig deep before claiming vital win

Nov 12 2007 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

A FOURTH National Three North League victory was very welcome for Caldy, although they made heavy weather of it against a dogged West Park at Paton Field.

Winger Ian Murray played a key role with tries early in each half, but it was the visitors who were applying most of the late pressure in a vain attempt to salvage some return. It finished 18-13 to the home outfit.

Park were never commanding with their line-out play and they too often gave ground and, on one occasion a try, away through their own mistakes. The St Helens side did very well to contain Caldy when they had two players in the sin bin approaching half-time and, indeed, scored points themselves through a penalty. But as soon as they were back to a full complement after the break they conceded a try.

Caldy generally did well up front with Jake Lyon prominent and they had the better cohesion behind. Liam McLoughlin and Craig Smithson worked hard in the Park eight and Stephen Briers did his best in the centre, but they were not incisive enough against some stout home defending.

Murray kicked through and regained possession for the first touch-down after three minutes with Simon Mason converting.

Park clawed their way back with penalties from Andrew Soutar after seven and 37 minutes. Caldy, with the diagonal wind in their favour, were quick to strike after the break with Murray in at the corner after Park made a hash of clearing their own line.

Mason could not convert but penalties in the 50th minute and at the start of the last quarter put them 18-6 to the good.

Park lacked nothing in spirit and determination and grabbed a lifeline on 68 minutes. The ball ran free from a Caldy scrum and Darren Wilson was quickest to react for a try goaled by Soutar.

It was then a tense finale before the visitors lost for the sixth time and dropped into the bottom three in the table.