Ellesmere Port 43 Port Sunlight 14

PROMOTION hopefuls Ellesmere Port racked up their ninth consecutive victory in South Lancs/Cheshire Three on Saturday, defeating local rivals Port Sunlight as they continued their excellent recent form.

A blistering first half saw the division’s in-form team race into a 31-0 lead – leaving no way back for the visitors.

The muddy conditions suited the hosts’ style of play, as they exerted early pressure on Port Sunlight.

Their dominant start was rewarded on seven minutes, as veteran flanker Jerry Philip charged down an attempted clearance before diving on the ball over the line, with Paul Millington – making his return from injury – converting the try.

It took just five minutes for the hosts to extend their lead, as the ball was fed wide to fullback Ant Jones, who outpaced the Sunlight cover to put his side 12-0 up.

However, Sunlight rallied and errors by Ellesmere Port presented the visitors with a series of lineouts and scrums in good positions, but their defence weathered the pressure, with scrum-half Dan Burns instrumental in disrupting play.

The play swung Ellesmere Port’s way again, as they pushed up the field and forced a line-out in the Sunlight 22. From the lineout, the forwards drove to release the backs, and good passing provided the opportunity for Jones to cross for his second try, which Millington converted to make it 19-0.

Ellesmere Port’s pressure continued with further scrums and line-outs in the Sunlight 22, leading to veteran prop Ian Morris driving over in a rolling maul, with Millington converting to make it 26-0, and securing a much-needed bonus point.

The home side ended the first half in predictable fashion, as winger Andy Tranter capitalised on possession to score on the wide left, giving them a 31-0 half-time lead.

Port started the second half how they had ended the first, with James Callaghan scoring from a well-worked penalty move within five minutes of the restart.

A series of substitutions from Ellesmere Port then saw Sunlight capitalise on a succession of errors to score two converted tries of their own to reduce the arrears.

The final action saw Jones complete his second hat-trick of the season on 76 minutes, with Burns converting to give Ellesmere Port a convincing victory.

Port, who lie third in the table, host fourth-placed Knutsford this Saturday.

A weakened Ellesmere Port 2nd XV were beaten 71-0 away to Prenton, while an equally under-strength U15s side lost 48-0 at home to Wirral.