Northwich leave it late to see off relegation-threatened Bowdon during close encounter at Moss Farm

JOEL Barber’s late try secured for Northwich a fifth successive home win on Saturday, when they struggled to subdue relegation-threatened opponents.

He finished Blacks’ best move of the match, a sequence involving Richard Dale, Michael Gallimore, Richard Lloyd and Rick Smith, with time running out.

Dale’s subsequent conversion settled a close contest his team’s way.

This performance was far from the one coach Alan Jack hailed as their best of the season in the return match at Clay Lane, which they won 50-17 before Christmas.

The visitors touched down first inside five minutes, creating an overlap out wide after their number eight had picked up the ball at a scrum.

Northwich replied when Antony Keller created a ruck from which the ball was moved to Gallimore and then Jack Watts.

His break proved decisive, ending with Robin Houghton crossing the whitewash after offering support to his teammate.

Dale’s extras followed.

Bowdon moved ahead a second time shortly afterwards, this time claiming a neat score on the blind-side following a maul.

An opportunistic try from Chris James, who stole the ball at a lineout in the away team’s 22, gave Blacks momentum going into the break.

Dale’s conversion made it 14-10.

Undeterred Bowdon took the lead for a third time when they punished Northwich’s sloppiness in possession, pouncing on a loose ball to score close to the posts.

They added extras too.

A pattern from the first half was repeated when the hosts replied, Dale bursting forward to start a move that involved John Brotherton and Sione Tangi before replacement Richard Lloyd touched down.

Dale’s conversion made it 21-17, only for Bowdon to reply with a converted try of their own.

Barber’s score followed in the nick of time, ensuring that Northwich banked a bonus point.

They travel to Anselmians, who still have a chance of finishing inside the table’s top four, for their final fixture this Saturday, kick off 3pm. 

Northwich Thompson, Brotherton, Tangi, Smith, Harrison, James, Collins, Watts, Houghton, Dale, Davies, Barber, Jones, Keller, Gallimore Replacements Cartman, Purbrick, Lloyd Tries Houghton, James, Lloyd, Barber Cons Dale (4)