Helsby 36Merseyside Police 5
A STRONG first-half performance enabled Helsby to get back to winning ways on Saturday.
The hosts built a 24-0 lead at the break, opening the scoring when scrum-half Jimmy Booth took a quick tap penalty and put flanker Mark Tittershall clear to score his first try for the club. Kev Ryder converted.
Tittershall was involved again when a big tackle on the opponents’ scrum-half resulted in possession being turned over. From the ensuing scrum, the Helsby backs showed sweet handling to put Stewart Dowling over in the corner.
Line out ball was quickly fed down the backs for winger Dowling to cut back inside and give centre Phil Arkell the simplest of touch downs. Ryder added the extras to make it 19-0.
Star man Dowling then crossed for his second try to put the hosts firmly in control at the break.
Police came out fighting in the second half and kept Helsby penned back. They were rewarded with a try in the corner, but Helsby hit back when John Williams scored under the posts, giving Ryder a simple conversion.
Helsby saved the best try of the game. No8 Jim Gray set off down the blindside of a scrum and fed winger Dowling, who flicked an exquisite ball back inside to Tom Gregory to score.
