Trafford end Hawcoat Park's winning home run

HAWCOAT Park could not build on their recent home form, as Trafford deservedly took the points on a disappointing day for the Maroon and Whites.

It was a seasonal double for the Manchester side, following their 17-7 home win in October, leaving Park facing a tough task to escape the bottom-three relegation zone.

They face three tough away games in succession, and must be wishing they could play this one again, having been reduced to 14 men early in the day.

The game started evenly, as the teams tested each other out.

In the opening minutes, Hawcoat fly-half James Howden took the opportunity to put over a fine 40-metre penalty, but it was to be their only lead of the afternoon.

Trafford were a powerful, well-organised, workmanlike team, and proved difficult to break down. They soon levelled with a penalty of their own, and 15 minutes in took the lead with another.

The game-changing event occurred midway through the first half, when Hawcoat second-rower Ryan Milner was spotted throwing a punch in retaliation and was shown a straight red card.

Down to 14 men for the remainder of the game, it was always going to be a difficult task against a solid side like Trafford.

Centre Chris Burns showed up well in attack and defence, while full-back Blain Marwood always looked dangerous with ball in hand, and newcomer James Dallimore made some good runs down the wing.

The close arm-wrestle was to continue right up to half-time, with the score remaining 6-3.

The first 15 minutes of the second half were played in the Trafford half.

With Grady Slater running strongly, and impact forward Danny White joining the play, this was the period when the 14 men had to get the scoreboard moving.

But White had to leave the field soon after when a cut to his chin sustained the previous week opened up again, and Hawcoat met a well-organised Trafford defence who did what had they done in the reverse fixture, and made it difficult to get over their try line.

A certain amount of desperation came in to Park's play as they started to fatigue, with the enthusiastic Trafford side ready to pounce on any errors.

From a fly-hack after a dropped ball, the powerful Trafford left winger was quick to get his hands on the ball and force his way over out wide, the conversion making it 13-3.

Soon after, the same winger made good ground down his wing for the man from the opposite flank to overlap on his outside to touch down in the corner.

Almost immediately from another kick through, the Trafford centre was to added a further a converted try.

In the blink of an eye the game had gone for Hawcoat, who trailed 25-3.

They kept going to the end, and 10 minutes before the final whistle, hard-working back row Callum Ramsay ran onto a short ball to cross for a try.

Right at the end Trafford went go over for a bonus point-earning fourth try, with the conversion sailing between the sticks.