Rugby Union: Westoe 32, Birkenhead Park 7

Feb 18 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

WITH key players absent, Birkenhead suffered their third successive North One reverse.

It was hardly the preparation they wanted for an important Intermediate Cup quarter final on Saturday.

At 24-0 at the half way stage it was virtually all over for Park but they showed plenty of spirit in the second period when Colin Campbell gained a try after forward pressure with Dave Hall converting.

Ken Wood went in after just four minutes for Westoe from a forward drive with Sam Rasch converting.

Two more forward orientated tries followed from Gareth Nesbitt and Wood again before scrum-half Martin Lithgoe stormed over from a tap penalty.

There was another Rasch conversion but Westoe in the second period were restricted to a penalty via Rasch and a breakaway try through Paul Alexander.

It is now a race against time for some of the Park injured before the long trek to Staines.