Northwich 2nd 21-41 Bowdon 2nd

NORTHWICH seconds struggled to keep up with promotion-chasing opponents who opened the scoring from the first play of the game at Moss Farm last weekend.

Blacks rarely troubled Bowdon’s defence for the remainder of a first-half that saw them concede 17 more unanswered points before the break.

They rallied after the turnaround though and broke though from a well-executed backs-led move that ended with Richard Hart slipping a pass to Ian Lamb who sped to the line.

Harry Naylor added the extras, and the same trio combined for the home team’s second try to reduce their arrears further.

However a series of lapses in defence allowed the away side to keep the scoreboard ticking over.

Northwich at least had the final say when Hart completed a hat-trick of assists, this time inviting Aaron Collins to go over from close-range before Naylor kicked another successful conversion.

After three defeats on the spin, Northwich sit seventh in the North West Intermediate League’s Division Two South table.

And with Widnes seconds up next, their schedule isn’t getting easier.

Meanwhile Northwich thirds lost 25-7 away to Oswestry seconds last Saturday in Division Four South.