De La Salle 31 Hawcoat Park 18

HAWCOAT Park are still seeking a first away win of the season, as it proved elusive once more at De La Salle.

Despite the result, it was another committed performance from an under-strength squad, appreciated by the followers who made the trip to Salford.

The first 10 minutes were even, as the teams tested each other out.

Good work from John Donnan and Callum Ramsay had Park in strong position, but it was the hosts who scored first as their lively scrum half broke down the blind side and linked with his centre to send their winger in. The conversion mad it 7-0.

De Le Salle cranked up the pressure, testing the Hawcoat in all areas, and they added a second try midway through the half, their centre crashing through to score between the posts.

The Barrow side regrouped and had our a spell in the home half, with Alfie White charging down a clearance kick and George Smith booting the penalty for 14-3.

More points followed as front-rowers Paul Woodburn, Brad Morrow and Andy Kent earned another penalty, which Smith slotted over from 32 metres out.

Just as Hawcoat looked to be in the game, everything changed before half-time.

Lapses in concentration proved costly in defence as De La Salle turned the screw with two soft tries from their strong-running number eight and scrum half. Both were converted for a 28-6 lead.

It looked bleak for the visitors, but on half-time they scored a try of their own as hard-working second row Ashley Mowat took a clean lineout catch and from the driving maul centre Smith got his hands on the ball to touch down and make it 28-11 at the break.

With the words of coaches Paul Burns and Scott Kaigha ringing in their ears, Hawcoat upped their game and put in a great second-half performance.

The young back row of White, Joe Rea and Ramsay worked superbly against the experienced home pack, while Woodburn and Donnan continued to run strongly, allowing half-backs Jonny Burrows and James Howden to put them on the front foot.

Chris Burns and White both went close to scoring, and the pack pressed close to the line, but the De La Salle defence was proving a difficult nut to crack.

The only try of the half came 25 minutes in as Howden moved the ball out wide, and Smith fed Lewis Sayle, who beat three would-be tacklers to finish off an individual effort well. Smith added the conversion for 28-18.

Soon after, Smith missed a long-distance penalty which would have earned a losing bonus-point.

Hawcoat could not find that crucial score, and the hosts put over a penalty on full-time, their only points of the half, to make the game safe.

Hawcoat Park A's home match against Sedgley Park was cancelled as the visitors could not raise a team.