WINNINGTON put up their second creditable display on the Wirral in a week but again returned without reward.

Caldy, riding high at the top of North Two West, knew that they were in for a hard afternoon after Park's determined display at New Brighton. What's more, Park had beaten Caldy at home in the opening fixture of the season.

In the first half, both sides were evenly matched, with Caldy basing much of their play around Tongan No8 Loa Tupoa. But Park kept him shackled through Mark Warr's harrying and the tackling of Richard Smith, Jon Piggot and Andy Barnes in the back row.

Both sides were running the ball at every opportunity and Caldy's back line always looked threatening. In contrast, Park's back line never really got going and Caldy scored the only points of the first half when winger Jimmy Close outstripped the Park defence to score in the corner.

The second half got off to a disastrous start as Warr's high-risk reverse pass was intercepted by Caldy for Sam Dickinson to score. Marcus Coast converted.

Caldy stretched the lead to 19-0 through another Dickinson try, again converted by Coast.

Park rallied and the forwards began to get on top of the home pack. Matt Dodd scored from a driving maul and Ben Barton converted. Shortly after, Piggot rounded a good Winnington try. Mark Taylor had gone on a bullish run and Smith made the extra yards to feed Piggot, who closed the gap to 19-12.

It was Caldy's turn to hit back and they gave themselves a cushion through Peter Walton and another Coast goal.

Resilient if nothing else this season, Park came back again and Richard Smith barged over the line with Barton's kick the final score.

Hoylake 36 Northwich 11: Northwich were unable to complete the double against their Wirral hosts on Saturday.

Without second-rowers Chris Heywood and Jonathan Simpson, they suffered a further late setback when Chas Wood and Ian Bartlett cried off.

It was the perfect time for the present stalwarts to stand up and be counted, but Northwich looked beaten from the start.

The men in black put up a little resistance in the first period and kept the difference to two tries from Rob Kirton and Ben Flint. Chris Dale kept Northwich in the chase with two penalties and at 10-6, Northwich had everything to play for in the second half.

Things went badly wrong when North-wich full-back Adam Brown broke his arm in a tackle and then shortly after, Jan Cartman departed with a leg injury.

At this stage Hoylake had already scored further tries through James Massey and Rob Kirton.

Northwich showed how they should have played when Chris James finished off a good forwards play. Chris Dale failed with the conversion and the whole team could not repeat that small period of pressure.

Hoylake scored two further tries from Mike Young and a second from Massey. Steve Young converted three of the four second-half tries and put Northwich to the sword with a flattering scoreline

Northwich are still not completely safe and need to beat at least Warrington and Southport before the season comes to a close.