FOLLOWING their two-week break from fixtures, Lymm showed signs of early ring rust in a well-contested clash with Manchester.

Adam Fletcher’s men were ahead by just three points when the visitors scored their second try of the first half, but their response was emphatic.

The Beechwood men scored 30 unanswered points to secure a 43-10 victory and remain hot on the heels of league leaders Blackburn.

Fletcher’s side ran in three tries after the break as Nathan Beesley, Sam Dickenson and Cal Morris all touched down.

Ali Sutherland and James Pitcher scored tries in the first half while full-back Cormac Nolan celebrated his 200th first-team appearance for the club by booting 18 points, which included three try conversions and four first-half penalties.

Fletcher expressed his delight for how his team handled being disadvantaged by the breezy conditions after the break but revealed a sour note to their sixth consecutive win.

“I thought we were a little rusty in the first half, probably down to having no game the previous week but we built up our score with well taken penalties and kept them at arms’ length,” he said.

“In the second half against the wind, I was really happy with how we played. We kept the ball really well and scored three excellent tries.

“On a sad note we lost Steve Pilkington, who was kept in hospital overnight with what looks to be a broken arm.”

Lymm remain two points behind table-topping Blackburn ahead of Saturday’s trip to third-placed Rossendale.

Team: Gavin Woods, Rob Makin, Matty Hand, Ali Sutherland, Sam Dickenson, James Pitcher, Ed Morris, Rhys Lilly; Ben Simpson, Tom Shard; Paddy Jennings, Scott Redfern, Steve Pilkington, Nathan Beesley, Cormac Nolan. Subs: Harry Martin, Cal Morris, Nick Ashton

Meanwhile, Lymm’s thirds picked up their eighth victory in a row by winning 19-10 against Liverpool University Medics.

Toby Phillips scored a try and a conversion for the visitors, who were kept scoreless in the first half but produced a strong second period.

Kieran Williams and Simon Beards also touched down, with George Anderson also kicking a conversion.

Team: Quinn Peers, Matt Grellier, Soheil Kahai, Aldin Zillic, Ben Stroud, Joe Dowdswell, Kieran Williams, Nat Johnstone; Chris Kinsey, George Anderson; Josh Keefe, Simon Beards, Rob Griffiths, Oli Larkin, Toby Phillips. Subs: Jim France, David Coon

Warrington RUFC’s return to action did not quite go to plan as they were beaten at neighbours Widnes.

It was a game of missed chances for the Stockton Lane outfit, who went down 17-11 in the ‘derby’ match.

Stuart Beeley’s side have now lost three of their past four matches but remain third in the table ahead of Saturday’s hosting of second-placed Didsbury Toc H.

Warrington started brightly and after missing with an early penalty, Matt Beeley converted his second attempt from the tee to put his side ahead.

Widnes soon levelled matters with a penalty of their own and a few minutes later, crisp movement in the backs division led to the hosts scoring the game’s first try.

The visitors then got back onto the front foot and put the Widnes scrum under intense pressure, with a sequence of penalties eventually resulting in Josh Riley crashing over to cut the home side’s lead to two points.

After the break, Beeley fell just short with a long-range penalty attempt and despite Widnes finding themselves two players down, they could not make their numerical advantage count.

When the visitors then went a man down before losing Kieran Hughes to injury, Widnes took advantage to score their second converted try.

The game was gone by Warrington did at least leave with something as Beeley’s last-play penalty ensured a losing bonus point.

Team: T Green, C White, S Bennett, G Percival, J Maskery, J Evans, A Kellett, J Riley; J Rigby, M Beeley; L Turner, K Hughes, J Stride, M Caldwell, J Abram. Subs: M Tierney, S Rehill, D Griffiths