Crewe & Nantwich - 8 St Edwards Old Boys - 21

ST Edwards Old Boys showed at Willaston last Saturday why they are firm favourites, even at this early stage of the season, to top the league and gain the single promotion place.

Crewe took the battle to St Edwards straight from the start with both sets of forwards trying to establish supremacy resulting in rather messy scrums. Penalties were awarded to both sides but unfortunately Crewe missed with the visitors succeeding with two attempts counteracted by a neat Simon Robertson dropped goal. However with the score 6-3 St Edwards struck with 2 quality tries one from a line-out and the other starting from well inside their own half with McCann well to the fore in both.

Being 18-3 down at the turn-round Crewe faced the prospect of a severe drubbing but they stuck to their task well. In fact they came within an ace of a couple of push-over tries and were rewarded in the end for their efforts when Ian Murray won the ball in the line out and an ensuing drive saw Neil Tilley over the St Edwards line with the ball beneath him to break Crewe's worrying try-drought. St Edwards landed a late penalty but Crewe took some heart in winning the second half!

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