PICTURES: West Park lose at Winnington Park (From St Helens Star)

PICTURES: West Park lose at Winnington Park

9:35am Friday 15th March 2013 in Sport

A scrappy game in which neither side got to grips with the adverse conditions resulted in a shock defeat for West Park who, with a little more composure and better decision making could well have come away with another maximum points return.

Both teams fell foul of the idiosyncrasies of an overly fussy referee, who obviously had little feel for the game or the conditions, and managed to issue six yellow cards across the teams for barely apparent technical infringements.

An early try by Dyson after a 15 metre concerted push by the visitors pack cancelled out the home side’s earlier try scored after an interception and 30 metre dash by the winger, neither try being converted.

Winnington Park took advantage of field position gained after a series of baffling penalties awarded against the visitors, and scored a further try under the posts which was easily converted to take the lead.

On the stroke of half time the home side added another try, as a poor defensive kick was returned, and a mix up by the fielding players saw the ball squirt away from the catcher to present a gift to the following wingman, giving the home side a 12pt margin at half time.

In the second half neither side was allowed to field a full side due to the proliferation of yellow cards, and the visitors were further hampered by injuries to centre Warburton and flanker Dyson. Despite that West Park were next to score as a speculative kick by Chris Fortune was gathered by winger Warren Hunt at speed to touch down in the corner , though it proved too difficult to add the conversion .

Though not at their best the visitors plugged away at the home side’s defence and were rewarded with fine try from a maul, from prop forward McGarvey, one which Hunt converted to tie the scores at 17 pts apiece . Chances went begging for both teams as the game drew to a close, and inevitably it was the referee who had the last say awarding the home side a penalty in front of the posts which was duly converted to win the game .

Next week West Park entertain league leaders Warrington at Red Rocks in a re-arranged game, kick off 3 pm.