NOT conceding any points is always a good sign.

And on Saturday it meant Park, the lowest-scorers to date in Lancashire Cheshire/Division One, needed only a penalty courtesy of Cameron Flanagan to return to winning ways – important after the previous first league loss in 18 months.

READ: Park's unbeaten sequence ended by Bowdon

Winning by the narrowest margin possible is rare in rugby and highlights the effort both sides put into defence.

That was never in more evidence than at the start of the second half when Park's James Johnson was given a yellow card for a high tackle.

Fantastic work ensured Rochdale did not take advantage of the extra player.

Coach Matt Farr kept tired legs to a minimum as he swapped the back-row line of Gary Dykes, Danny Williams and Alex Glendinning, who were outstanding in the amount of tackles they put in to keep Rochdale off the scoresheet.

They had been put under pressure by a big pack from the start.

In the first 15 minutes a number of penalties were conceded with Rochdale opting to go for ground and kick for touch rather than take the points on offer.

They couldn't capitalise on those lineouts, decisions the hosts would come to regret.

Midway through the opening period a Rochdale prop was penalised for holding onto the ball on the ground which gave Park the opportunity to put points on the scoreboard.

Flanagan took the kick from near enough the sideline to score the only points of the contest.

Although the first-half continued end-to-end, and Rochdale enjoyed a spell with a one-man advantage, neither side looked likely to breach their opponents' defence.

Park | Underdown, Eaves, Robins, Hallworth, Dave Cross, Danny Williams, Dykes, Glendinning, Jack Williams, Flanagan, Brookes, Johnson, Moran, Ryan Williams, Twigg Replacements Pugh, Treacy Pen Flanagan