HARRY Stubbs, Winnington Park’s captain, has admitted his team did not do themselves justice during Saturday’s derby defeat against Northwich.

He told the Guardian the men from Moss Farm had deserved to end their neighbours’ winning start to the season.

“We just froze,” said Stubbs.

“Derby days can do that to you – they’re not good for the nerves.

“I had a good feeling going into this one though because of the way things had gone in the build-up. We felt ready.

“I think Northwich wanted it more; you could tell that from the start.”

Despite spending most of the opening period on the back foot, Park’s solidity in defence – coupled with wayward kicking by their hosts – allowed them to pinch an interval lead.

Richard Dale then sliced through their defence at the start of the second half to tip the balance back Northwich’s way.

“We didn’t deserve to be in front but we’d dug deep,” said Stubbs.

“Richard is a brilliant player, one I have a huge respect for, and he knew how to expose a weakness.

“He spotted a gap, and went for it. It was a bad try to concede from our point of view because our tackling wasn’t what it should be.”

Stubbs himself was involved in one of the game’s most memorable moments when, with time running out, his path to an apparently certain score was blocked by Blacks’ Chris Heywood.

“He hit me with one of the best tackles I’ve ever been on the receiving end of,” said Park’s skipper.

“I’d never lost confidence that we would win even though lots of things we tried weren’t working out for us. I thought that was the moment we would nick it.

“It wasn’t to be and the challenge now is for us to regroup, starting next Saturday against Bowdon.”

To read a report on Saturday's match, click here: http://bit.ly/1vci2PL