Northern Division - South Lancs & Cheshire Division 2

Winnington Park 24

Oswestry 5

Oswestry were on the back foot from the start as they took only 17 men to league leaders Winnington Park – but still gave a good account of themselves.

Winnington started with ferocity and attacked the Eagles’ lines, but Oswestry held firm with superb defence, the pack driving back their hosts.

Skipper Andy Smith led by example, urging his men on in the front row with the returning Guy Roberts, back in after a long spell out, and the massive Mike Keaveny stopping Winnington in their tracks.

The patched-up Oswestry side were giving as a good as they were getting and drove three times at the Winnington try line, but each time the ref deemed they had been held up.

The Eagles couldn’t quite convert their pressure into points and were soon punished.

The first try of the match came from Winnington with a well-worked move making the score 7-0.

The coaching staff pushed their side to attack more, but the Eagles made the side look very ordinary and not the team beating sides at home by 30 or 40 points and more.

The second half continued with Oswestry being pushed back but were still able to show outstanding play in defence and attack.

However, the home team started to show their class to put three quick tries past Oswestry, with the visitors complaining about one.

But in the dying minutes of the game, Luca Owen-Youens ran through the defence to score Oswestry’s try, but not converting, to make it 24-5.

Coach Kev Whitehead was delighted with their efforts, giving the man-of-the-match awarded to all 17, and skipper Smith praised the team for their total commitment to this tough game.

On Saturday, the Eagles are playing Veseyans from the Midlands in the North Mids Shield, at home, for a 2.15pm start.

Meanwhile, the Second XV lost out to their Marple counterparts 15-25 in the Halbro North West League (Division 4 South). On Saturday, they are without a game.