NORTHWICH seconds are continuing to adjust after being promoted and could not protect a slender interval advantage against their Birkenhead Park counterparts at the weekend.

A 27-18 reverse still included plenty of promise, including a debut try for new recruit Regan Stirk before the break.

However the visitors trailed when a period of pressure, during which their hosts’ fly-half kicked cleverly with the wind to pin Blacks back, ended in a try out wide.

Antony Keller’s penalty reduced the Moss Farm men’s arrears, only for Park to reply with a second try after turning over possession on the halfway line.

Northwich notched a first score of their own when wing Sam Kania sprinted to the other end of the field from his own 22-metre line.

However they were punished for a knock-on from the restart, and trailed 15-8 after Park touched down a third try.

The ebb and flow continued, and Stirk crossed in the corner after an attacking scrum gained ground towards the hosts’ line.

Blacks then established an interval lead when an overlap created by their forwards gave Keller a clear run to the whitewash and a simple score.

A stalemate followed the interval, although it ended on the hour mark when Park’s full-back made forward progress before off-loading to a teammate who dotted down between the posts.

A conversion followed, and Birkenhead mad sure of their victory when they went over again in the corner late on.

Northwich thirds went down 41-10 at their Crewe & Nantwich counterparts in Division Four South.

Results

North West Intermediate League

Week Two

Saturday, September 9

Division One: Birkenhead Park 2nd 27-18 Northwich 2nd; Broughton Park 2nd 18-18 Warrington 2nd; Fylde 3rd 55-15 Blackburn 2nd; Kirkby Lonsdale 2nd 29-14 Kendal 2nd; Liverpool Collegiate 2nd 32-14 Crewe & Nantwich 2nd; Sedgley Park 3rd 64-12 Burnage 2nd

Division Four South: Crewe & Nantwich 3rd 41-10 Northwich 3rd; Knutsford 45-24 Bowdon 3rd; Lymm 4th 62-0 Whitchurch 3rd; Macclesfield 4th 32-5 Oswestry 2nd; Sandbach 3rd 58-5 Linley 2nd; Winnington Park 3rd 55-0 Marple 2nd

Fixtures for Saturday (3pm unless stated)

Division One, inc: Northwich 2nd v Warrington 2nd

Division Four South, inc: Northwich 3rd v Sandbach 3rd