Cheshire RFU Cup Quarter final
Northwich 18 Altrincham Kersal 6

NORTHWICH raised the curtain on the new campaign by beating last year’s league champions Altrincham.

Player coach Josh Cammiss told the Guardian that the game could not have gone any better for his new-look team at the start of his tenure.

“It was a perfect result,” he said.

“I wanted to treat the game as a yardstick as to where we are in terms of our development and I was happy with what I saw.

“We’re the lowest-ranked team in the competition so we’re realistic about our chances of winning it, but it’s still a big bonus to have beaten a team that were our rivals last season.”

His team looked sharper than at the same stage last season, preventing Altrincham from scoring a try with a robust defensive display that has become their trademark.

Blacks, who handed debuts to prop Lawrence Cray, centre Grant Hallam and full back Ben Coulbeck in addition to Cammiss himself, were clinical at the other end too.

Another returnee, winger Chris Dale, burst through a gap to score in the corner on the half hour.

Hallam, a new signing from Longton, could not convert but he made amends from a penalty kick before the break.

Kersal’s Rob Holloway replied with a three-pointer of his own early in the second half, a score cancelled out by another Hallam penalty soon afterwards.

Holloway was successful again with the boot to close the gap to five points, but Altrincham’s hopes were extinguished when Cass Walding charged down a kick before touching down between the sticks.

Hallam converted with ease to complete the scoring.

The visitors spent most of the final quarter in Blacks’ half, but without success as Northwich set up a semi finals clash later in the year.

Caldy, Chester and Lymm complete the last four.

Northwich Cairns, James, Cray (Cartman 78), Smith, Cammiss, McKibbin, Naylor (Farley 57), Robinson, Gallimore, Walding, Chris Dale (Chubb 31), Campbell, Hallam, Barber, Coulbeck
Tries Chris Dale, Walding
Conversion Hallam
Penalties Hallam (2)