Burnage 10 Lymm 40

LYMM consolidated their mid-table position in National League Three North with a win at Burnage on Saturday.

Rob Makin and Callum Harris made their first-team bows, meaning seven of last season's under 18s team have now featured in the league for Lymm.

Lymm were on the scoreboard after three minutes, the Bray brothers effected a turnover from a loose Burnage pass and followed it up to set Tom Bray free to run in from 40 metres. Richard McEvoy slotted a difficult conversion.

After 15 minutes though, Lymm’s serene progress was jolted when from a scrum the Burnage centre burst through for a try.

Lymm got back on the horse on 21 minutes when an Ollie Higginson break supported by Tom Bray set up an attacking platform for Richard Halford to join the line and make the necessary yards and stretch out his long arms to score.

Lymm enjoyed a period of dominance, exerting continual pressure on the Burnage defence - Lancaster almost intercepting; Tom Bray and Harris both coming agonisingly close - which eventually, on 36 minutes, following a powerful surge from a 10-metre lineout, led to flanker Jack Harper crossing the whitewash.

The second-half followed the pattern of the first.

Possession was broadly shared equally between the teams but Lymm’s defence was much more capable of snuffing out any attacking enterprise from Burnage - which in the main came from their centres Simmonds and replacement Chappell. Lymm looked purposeful in attack, were tenacious at the breakdown and made those turnovers count.

On 50 minutes Halford added his second, running an excellent line, after Lymm had turned-over the ball, to break the first line of the Burnage defence and gallop in from 60 metres.

Not to be outdone, 15 minutes later Tom Bray added his second – an outrageous score, when having taken the ball into contact with three Burnage defenders, he emerged on the other side of the maul to break free and outpace the floundering defenders from 50 metres.

Lymm then scored the try of the game when, with five minutes left on the clock, from deep inside his own half Halford ghosted into some space, linked with Adam Bray who, following a showing of impressive pace, delivered an inch perfect pass off the wrong hand into the path of as speedster McEvoy who ran in unopposed.

Lymm host Hull on Saturday, kick off 2.15pm.

Team: 1) Jordan Widdrington, 2) Dan Horton, 3) Mike Auden, 4) Adam Bray ©, 5) Zak Lythgoe, 6), Jake Ashall,7) Jack Harper, 8) Ollie Higginson, 9) Tom Baker, 10) Oli Lancaster, 11) Richard McEvoy, 12) Tom Bray, 13) Callum Harris, 14) Mark Wells, 15) Richard Halford, 16) Rob Makin, 17) Aaron Rasheed, 18)

Jack Worton scored Lymm seconds' only try as they lost 15-5 at home to Preston Grasshoppers in the North West Intermediate League top flight.

Preston kicked off into the wind and Lymm started the game by retaining possession through a number of phases ending with a kickable penalty 22 metres out.

However a decision was made to go for a lineout to the corner and the opportunity was lost when Preston stole the ball.

Preston then showed good ball retention skills to keep possession and kept Lymm under pressure for most of the half, only being driven back by the odd clearance kick downfield.

It was no surprise when Preston took the lead with an unconverted try in the corner after good handling along the line.

Lymm had it all to do playing into the strong wind and would have to up their game if they wanted to compete.

Five minutes into the half with Preston attacking close to the Lymm line, good defensive pressure resulted in a dropped ball, which Lymm kicked to the halfway line.

The chasing Jack Worton scooped the ball up with one hand without breaking stride and out-sprinted the chasing Preston backs to score a magnificent try.

Lymm increased their intensity in both attack and defence but were hampered by making too many mistakes when in possession and Preston capitalised on these by scoring two unconverted tries.

In the forwards Adam Halford, Matt Hill and Kieron Williams tackled and competed well and at full back Jack Worton was outstanding.

Team: 15) J Worton, 14) R Forrest, 13) J Boden, 12) S Gough, 11) C Owens, 10) R Jones, 9) G Boden, 8) M Hill, 7) K Williams, 6) O McCormack, 5) O Thornton, 4) A Halford (C), 3) K Broadbent, 2) M Gough, 1) K O’Callaghan, Replacement: O Askew

The thirds were 38-22 winners against their Firwood Waterloo counterparts, while Lymm's fourth team lost 42-17 to Trafford seconds.

The senior colts beat Firwood 10-3, while the junior colts ran out 43-15 winners at Sandbach.