PROMOTED Winnington Park rode their luck to record a first victory at a higher level.
They led 11-10 entering the final 60 seconds of a close contest last Saturday when the home team were awarded a penalty.
However the kick was off-target, and the visitors breathed a sigh of relief.
As expected, Hoylake were better than they had been during a one-sided Cheshire RFU Bowl semi-final a fortnight earlier.
Matt Farr’s men started brightly though, and only the final part of a sequence was missing on two occasions during the early exchanges.
They fell behind though when Joe Lavin converted a penalty awarded for offside.
Both sides traded missed attempts at three-pointers as the opening period unfolded, leaving them separated by one score at the interval.
Winnington improved at the start of the second-half, and wing Jimmy Moran touched down in the corner following a spell of sustained pressure by the away team’s pack close to their hosts’ line.
Park reshuffled, Farr sending on Jack Williams at scrum-half and moving Matt Cross to the flank.
Cameron Flanagan slotted a penalty shortly afterwards to make it 8-3.
Tim Baglole, promoted from the second team to play in the front-row, then made way for Dan Snowden.
However the visitors’ were ill-disciplined, only for Hoylake to fail to capitalise when they fluffed two penalty attempts.
Flanagan remained accurate though, edging them further in front with another successful kick.
The hosts applied pressure during the final quarter, and earned a reward when Matt O’Hanlon punished poor tackling to dot down.
Lavin’s extras then closed the Wirral outfit to within a point of their opponents.
A tense conclusion followed, and Hoylake failed to hold their nerve when they missed that late penalty to pinch victory.
Park will have to improve when Bowdon arrive at Burrows Hill on Saturday, kick-off 3pm.
Park | Baglole, Robins, Eaves, Dave Cross, Hallworth, Glendinning, Dykes, Danny Williams, Matt Cross, Flanagan, Pugh, Brookes, Johnson, Moran, Sheppard Replacements Treacy, Jack Williams, Snowden Try Moran Pens Flanagan (2)
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