Fleetwood 34 Hawcoat Park 24

HAWCOAT Park saw a 17-6 lead evaporate as they left Fleetwood without even a losing bonus point.

Park had worked hard to get themselves into a position of control in the first half, and led at the break, but a strong second half from the hosts saw them take all the North Lancs/Cumbria League points on offer.

From the kick-off, the visitors were on the wrong side of the referee’s penalty count – a situation that continued throughout, and something that needs to be corrected in a tough division.

Three quick penalties enabled Fleetwood to make ground, with the third slotted over from 30 metres for a 3-0 lead inside five minutes.

Park fly-half James Howden made good use of the wind advantage and ensured play took place in the Fleetwood half.

Ten minutes in, centre Will Coles took on the kicking duties and slotted over a 40-metre penalty goal that was still rising as it went between the posts.

The game struggled to get going for the next 20 minutes, with both defences strong.

Fleetwood regained the lead with one penalty, but Coles kicked two to put the visitors 9-6 up.

With second-rowers Ash Mowat and Callum Ramsay particularly strong, Hawcoat finished the half strongly.

After hooker Adam Grainger and scrum half Jonny Burrows both went close, another forward drive enabled skipper Brad Morrow to get his hands on the ball and force his way over. Coles just missed the conversion, and was unlucky with a long penalty kick right on the half-time whistle that smacked the upright, leaving the gap at 14-6.

Fleetwood started the second half strongly, and Park had to work hard to keep them at bay.

Back-rower Alfie White, on his first start, was all over the pitch grafting hard, and against the run of play Coles managed to stretch the lead with another penalty.

From a position of control, the next 20 minutes were all Fleetwood.

They camped in the visiting 22 and, despite hard work in defence to keep them out, the pressure inevitably told. With big forwards hammering away at the line from close range, it was no surprise that two similar tries were scored in the left corner to move them within a point at 17-16.

The hosts were more confident in their play, stretching the ball over the park. Hawcoat were flat and only one team looked likely to score.

Two further Fleetwood tries were added, the first when a strong-running centre sliced through, the second as quick thinking taking a quick line-out from a penalty freed up the space for the other centre to touch down. They led 28-17.

Park bounced back into action and had a good spell.

Jason Priss and John Donnan set the platform up front, before the outstanding Mowat took it upon himself to force his way over for a try which Coles converted, 28-24.

If the game had finished at this point, Hawcoat would have picked up a deserved losing bonus point.

However, in the last five minutes the Fleetwood number eight booted over two further penalties to stretch the score to 34-24.

It was disappointing day for the Barrow side, who will have to regroup and prepare well for an important home game against promoted Keswick, who have started the season well with a free-flowing well-drilled style of rugby.