NORTHWICH Rugby Club's second and third strings both won their Papa Johns competition semi finals on Saturday.

Success by either or both teams in the finals this weekend would round off a very eventful year for the Moss Farm Club.

In a season which saw their clubhouse torched in an arson attack back in October and the first XV maintaining their Regional One level five status, the successful runs in the knockout competitions is bringing some much needed cheer at the business end of the campaign.

The second XV development squad, under the captaincy of Harry Naylor and head coach Matt Purbrick, will be looking to cement winning the league title by lifting the knockout silverware after travelling to Birkenhead and beating Prenton 53-12 in the Papa Johns Bowl semi-final.

It was an impressive performance by the Blacks second string, who beat the same team that drew with a very strong Winnington Park second XV the previous week.

Northwich third XV travelled to Wirral and beat Hoylake second XV 42-17 to progress to the final of the Papa Johns Shield.

Both finals take place this weekend but details of their respective opponents and venues are not known at the time of going to press.