It was unlucky number 13 for Liverpool St Helens as their unbeaten run came to an end in the thirteenth game of the South Lancashire/Cheshire League season at Winnington Park. Completely outplayed in the second half the Moss Laners had no answer to the swift and no-nonsense running of their hosts bringing them six second half tries.

An even first half in which both sides scored a try apiece, had given no indication of the carnage that was to come immediately after the break.

A Greg Smith penalty in the third minute, was followed by a sequence of play where both sides had chances until LSH went further ahead after 33 minutes with a try from Matt Cunliffe, following up his own kick ahead to touch down.

Winnington Park then pressured LSH in the run up to the break and got their reward with a try in the left hand corner on the half time whistle.

Whatever was said in the home team’s huddle at half time certainly worked as Park took the game by the scruff of the neck and ran in four tries in the next fifteen minutes.

The first came from a nice switch move leading to a try, again in the left hand corner; the second saw LSH caught unawares waiting for a penalty which never came; the third came from a turnover in midfield; and the fourth was a 50 yard interception to make it 29-8.

A defensive error gifted Park their next try after 66 minutes before LSH hit back with a try from distance run in by Matt Cunliffe.

Now well in the ascendancy, a neat Park move saw their fly half scoot unopposed under the posts and convert his own try to make it 43-13 before Greg Smith did the same, just before the end, after following up his own kick.

And so LSH were unable to make it 13 from 13. Although not at their best they were blown away by a second half blitz. They have one more game before the Christmas break, away at Manchester Medics, to get back on track what has been an otherwise excellent first half of the season.