Prenton 3 Ellesmere Port 5
PORT stretched their South Lancs/Cheshire Division Three winning run to seven matches as they became only the second side this season to beat the long-term leaders.
The Whitby Sports & Social Club side are now unbeaten in the league since they went down to Prenton in early October.
The Wirral outfit’s defeat means they slip to second in the standings behind a Crewe & Nantwich team who head to third-placed Port this coming Saturday for a mouthwatering clash (2.15pm).
If Port can overcome their Cheshire rivals the title race will be well and truly open.
And they will be confident of achieving their objective after they won a war of attrition at a wet and windy Prenton.
After a finely-balanced opening period, the hosts took a three-point into the break that would have been greater had they not passed up an excellent opportunity to touch down late in the half.
Port fly-half Chris Carbutt missed several penalties but he and his team-mates regained their composure after the restart.
Driven on by hooker and man of the match Craig Jones, and aided by Prenton’s indiscipline, the visitors scored what proved to be the winning try when a quick tap penalty led to scrum-half Danny Burns playing in James Callaghan to barge past three tacklers and crash over.
Port had Ant Jones red-carded late on but they held on for what could be a vital victory.
Ellesmere Port Under 9s lost 8-5 and drew 4-4 to West Park.
The U11s beat Liverpool St Helens 24-0 and went down 7-0 to West Park, while the U12s thrashed Northwich 63-0 to progress to the semi-finals of the Cheshire Plate.
The U14s were beaten 45-17 by Hoylake as the U15s crashed out of the Cheshire Plate after losing 44-0 to Altrincham Kersal.
Ellesmere Port have a new website www.pitchero.com/clubs/ellesmereport
