Winnington Park 10 Sandbach 15

12:50pm Wednesday 14th November 2007

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PARK were denied at the death in a scrappy encounter.

Rob Garbett seemed set to bag the winning score only to be felled by a match-winning tackle close to the line by Sandbach's full back.

"It was a crucial two points lost," said skipper Mark Patterson afterwards.

"I think it was a game we needed to win but there were so many missed kicks and tackles that it made for a messy match."

The pair had not met in a competitive match for more than a decade, but it was the south Cheshire side that racked up their fifth win of the season.

Playing into a strong wind during the opening period Park found it tough to clear their lines and for the most part Sandbach played all the rugby, racing into a 10-0 lead.

Mark Warr's men responded well with veteran hooker Matt Dodds returning to the lineout to provide good service for Ben Elliot and Mark Patterson to build their best attacking moves.

The home side scored the try of the game after one such take from the lineout and, following four phases of play, the ball was moved wide to Neil Archer and then support runner Ian Moriarty who stretched out for a super score.

Elliot converted to make it 7-10 at the break, but Park never got going in the second half as sloppy play and dropped passes meant pressure was rarely put on the opposition.

Sandbach scored the only try despite hints of a knock-on in the build up before a well-taken penalty by Elliot reduced Park's arrears once more.

Garbett almost grabbed glory, but it wasn't to be.

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PARK: Sant, Dodds, Burgess, Carl Patterson, Moriarty, Cross, Dennett, Stubbs, Barton, Elliot, Garbett, Mark Patterson, Welsh, Shaw, Archer
Subs: McKibbon, Robbins, Warr
This weekend: no fixture