THESE teams were rivals for a league title last season.

Both promoted, their contrasting start to a new campaign at a higher level was represented starkly during Saturday’s one-sided encounter.

There was little to choose between them for the opening half-hour, only for Northwich to punish their hosts’ ill-discipline before cantering to a fifth successive win in the second period.

Blacks ran in 10 tries, all converted by Nick Baldwin.

The fly half kicked to the corner early on for wing Bud Skinkis to catch and score after Joel Barber’s mazy run had taken him deep into West Park’s territory.

A penalty reduced the St Helens-based side’s arrears, although the contest only became uneven when they had a man sent needlessly to the sin bin.

Chris Heywood charged for the line from the resulting scrum before Sean Phillips barged over at the breakdown.

A third try followed before the break, when Chris James sent Sam Naylor over in the corner.

Northwich needed only three minutes after the interval to secure a bonus point, Jonny English dotting down after the visitors recaptured possession at a scrum.

Now in control, they went further ahead when Robin Houghton added his name to the score-sheet at the end of a move that also involved Skinkis, Baldwin and Naylor.

Skinkis ran in unopposed from Matthew Poste’s pass for a sixth try, then Baldwin’s kick behind West Park’s defence invited James Underhill to pounce and score.

Lee Rosney’s reply for the hosts was converted by John Pape, but it provided only brief respite.

A scrum close to the home team’s line was forced over before prop Joe Maddocks touched down, again converted by Baldwin.

Underhill completed a hat-trick by notching the other tries for Northwich.

First, he benefitted from James’ hand-off and subsequent dummy that set up a ruck. He darted through a gap to score.

And a convincing victory was complete with three minutes left when Barber gathered a kick before racing forward 60 metres.

Replacement Anthony Davies, making his first appearance of the campaign, recycled the ball for Underhill to cross the whitewash again.

Northwich | Phillips, James, Maddocks, Farley, Heywood, Naylor, Chris Dale, English, Poste, Baldwin, Underhill, Reilly, Skinkis, Houghton, Barber Replacements Smith, Thompson, Davies Tries Skinkis (2), Phillips, Naylor, English, Houghton, Underhill (3), Maddocks Cons Baldwin (10)

Match report by Steve Wood