Birkenhead clock up the points for cup success

Dec 17 2007 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

BIRKENHEAD turned on the style to book a place in the last 16 of the EDF Energy Intermediate Cup.

The re-arranged game was given priority over a scheduled North One clash between the sides, which in the event would have been called off due to a frozen Moorend pitch.

Fly-half Tony Handley master-minded the victory with some astute kicking, but it was a terrific all-round team performance which won the day against a Cleckheaton side which had run Park to 12-6 in a league match on the same ground a few weeks previously.

It was even for much of the opening period but a somewhat fortuitous try put Park in the driving seat. A Dave Hall penalty was fielded by the visiting full-back who mistakenly called for a mark. He was tackled in possession and when the ball ran free Gareth Lunt was the first to re-act for the touch-down.

The home side went on to dominate in the second period. Good back play paved the way for a Christian Jones try after 50 minutes. Then Jones crossed again from a driving maul to stretch the lead to 15-0.

Jon Sewell was next to go in after David Blythe won good line-out ball and Hall added the goal.

Forward pressure brought the final touch-down for Njike Tchakoute.

Cleckheaton should have scored a consolation try at the end but their player lost possession in trying to touch down and it summed up their afternoon.

Jones was always busy for Park. Blythe and Paul Hellier produced some solid line-out work and Sewell was prominent in the back-row.

Luctonians, from Midlands One, will be the next opponents for Park in mid-January.