A BONUS point did little to soften the blow of this narrow defeat, as Winnington Park will walk away from the result feeling that they could have done more to grab the win.

Coach Warr knows that his team team will need to show more guile if they are to maintain their formidable home form, as they prepare to face fifth-placed Ashton-on-Mersey on Saturday, kick off 2.15pm, who currently sit one place behind them.

Park suffered from two sin binnings, dropped passes and missed chances but had the opportunity to win the game had they converted more than one of the three tries they scored.

A heavy pitch played into the hands of the home side, as they used their forwards to gain yards and frustrate Park, who lost Will Armstrong and Harry Stubbs to silly indiscretions and played 10 minutes with 13 men.

The visitors lost their shape with the loss of personnel and conceded two quick tries and a penalty despite the battling performances of captain Burgess and stand off Allmark.

Heptinstall finished off a fine move to provide Park with their first points and with Elliot missing the conversion, they trailed 13-5 at the break.

The home side sniffed the chance to grab only their second win of the season and were probing the Park line.

They added to their total with a converted try that put them 20-5 in front.

Winnington rallied as Elliot scored a nice individual effort from a scrum, but was again off-target with the kick.

Rob Garbett scored another try for the visitors off the back of good work from Stubbs and Moriarty and Elliot this time landed the kick to hand Park the bonus point.