Northwich 32 Winnington Park 10 

NORTHWICH protected a perfect start to the calendar year when recording an eighth successive victory, completing a season double over neighbours Winnington Park on Saturday.

The home side settled the outcome of this latest derby duel before the break, touching down five tries without reply.

Their guests outscored them in the second half, but they did not truly threaten a comeback during a final half an hour dominated by defenders.

Blacks have now played Park in four league encounters, winning three and drawing the other.

After starting this current campaign with a dramatic defeat in extra time during a Cheshire RFU Vase tie at Burrows Hill, they can lay claim to bragging rights after bettering Winnington in both meetings since.

Chris Dale was the hosts’ outstanding performer, helping himself to a hat-trick of tries on an afternoon when usually reliable kicker Chris Dutoy was successful with only a single conversion.

Northwich broke through after quarter of an hour when full back Dorian Simes slipped a tackle before passing to wide man Andrew Chubb.

His neat inside pass sent in Richard Dale to score.

A second try followed midway through the opening period; Chris Dale bursting through a gap in Park’s defence after his teammates had recycled the ball at a lineout.

The visitors, victors in two of their previous three matches, resisted after that until fine handling presented an opportunity to Chubb who crossed the whitewash.

Dutoy could not add any extras, a contrast to Sam Brookes converting a penalty for Park to make it 15-3 after their hosts had been punished for failing to release the ball.

From the restart, former Winnington man Ryan McKibbin led a charge that ended with Chubb – an extra man on the overlap – doubling his personal tally.

When Chris Dale copied that trick, this time with Dutoy kicking successfully between the sticks, Blacks led 27-3 at the interval.

Winnington applied more pressure in the second half, though they were punished for spilling the ball while attacking and a Northwich counter raid led to Chris Dale completing his treble.

Northwich did not score again.

Park pushed forward, forcing a series of penalty concessions before Danny Williams claimed a deserved score.

Brookes’ conversion offered his side a glimmer of hope at 32-10, though they could not breach Blacks’ defence again.

Northwich Cartman, Thompson, Kingi, Heywood, Smith, Chris Dale, McKibbin, Williams, Davies, Dutoy, Naylor, Richard Dale, Chubb, Houghton, Simes. Replacements Campbell, Heath, Underhill. Tries Chris Dale (3), Chubb (2), Richard Dale. Con Dutoy.

Park Underdown, Robins, Sanson, Gately, Heale, Dykes, Danny Williams, Stubbs, Jones, Jack Williams, Owen, Brookes, Allmark, Lamb, Heptinstall. Replacements Wharton, Bannister, Billington. Try Danny Williams. Con Brookes. Pen Brookes.