Solid Performance Nets Another Five Points

Wigton showed clear intent about which tactics they were likely to adopt when they started from kickoff with a thirty yard driven maul, something which had worked so well last week. On this occasion pressure from the defence led to a hurried pass going into touch. For the next quarter of an hour the away team looked very threatening, handling slickly with good interplay between backs and forwards, frequently offloading in heavy traffic whilst trying to avoid the suffocating grip of the Wigton mauling forwards.

Park got on the scoreboard following a penalty conceded by Wigton after a ball was fumbled at the back of a scrum. A quick tap was taken and the defence briefly looked at sixes and sevens. Wigton were again penalised near the tryline, this time for not rolling away from the tackle. Broughton Park kicked the ball into the corner for a lineout. Receiving the ball from his forwards, scrum half Steve Elliot made a lateral run across the face of the defenders, some of whom felt they were impeded by referee Mr Spengler, and he then gave his stand off, Brammer, a short pass, enabling him to cross fro the first try, which was converted for an early 7-0 lead for the visitors.

Wigton again looked to hit back with a driving maul. Robert Marrs fielded a poor kick and a maul coagulated around Andrew Bell and Matthew Atkinson. Impressive ground was made, but when the ball was passed out it was mishandled and the danger passed. Throughout the afternoon Wigton felt that the referee had a very liberal interpretation of the way the mauls were defended. Broughton Park's backs were looking lively and were trying to avoid breakdowns. At this stage, Wigton were not quite clicking with precision.

Gregg Smith got Wigton going forward when a switch pass gave him the chance to make good ground with the defenders eventually conceding a penalty. The ball was planted in the corner for a lineout. Last week Wigton had scored from similar positions. However, skipper Andrew Brown could only knock on a wayward ball and Park had a scrum to give them the chance to clear their lines. Eager defence by Wigton pressured Park into a knock on round the base of the scrum. On the Wigton put in, Atkinson picked up and offloaded to flanker Stuart Creighton. Further good work came from Bell and Deans, carrying the ball dynamically. When the backs were given possession, Will Miller, coming off his wing, made a half break drawing defenders to him. The ball was quickly recycled, leaving the defenders short of numbers on the left. Centre Gregg Smith took the chance well, crossing for Wigton's first try. He was unable to add the conversion, but the score was now 5-7.

Wigton got back on the attack again following a lineout in their own half. Under pressure from his opposite number, Atkinson tapped down to his scrum half, Fergus Ledingham who sent a long pass to David Hanabury at fly half. He took the high pass and jinked inside, setting off on a break. As Wigton moved on recycled possession, they were awarded a penalty for a high tackle on Smith. He was unable to kick the penalty, but the 22 dropout was charged down and the turnover won by Marrs. Deans and Smith performed more approach work and Wigton managed to get a driving maul moving towards the Park line, crossing for a second try. When the dust cleared it could be seen that the scorer was Lindsay Walker, just reward for a player who has looked increasingly confident in the loose head prop position so far this season. This time Smith made no mistake, adding the extras to give Wigton a 12-7 lead.

From the kick off Wigton took play straight back to the visitors' 22. This time the credit went to full back Callum Studholme who made an impressive break as he enjoyed one of his best games in a green jersey before heading off for Australia for a year.

Wigton mounted several attacks, whilst also starting to exert pressure on the visitors' scrum. The game then saw a rash of knock ons and dropped balls as each side took it in turn to cough up possession. It was to Wigton's advantage that these events took place in the Broughton Park half. Hanabury almost fashioned a try for himself as he regathered his own chip in the 22, but was crowded out by defenders. Finally, Wigton had a scrum about thirty five yards out. Atkinson picked up and linked with Ledingham. He, in turn, passed to Miller who ran thirty yards to score, outpacing the back row and doing just enough to get the ball down through the desperate tackle of the Park full back Breddeln. Smith again added the extras, producing a comfortable half time score of 19-7.

Wigton continued strongly after the break. A penalty for pulling down the jumper enabled Wigton to again set up a lineout a few yards out. Wigton tried to get the maul going, bu Park's second row, Williams, was able to disrupt by coming right through the middle of the maul. The game now went through a slack period as Broughton Park strove in vain tore capture their fluency of the first quarter. They enjoyed some territorial advantage but the Green curtain was in no mood to compromise. Scrum half Elliot made a break but he found himself wrapped up by John Story and possession was conceded after a choke tackle, another Wigton speciality. Wigton were disrupted by injuries to Marrs and Ledingham, Studholme moving up to scrum half.

Broughton Park won a lineout on the Wigton throw, just inside their own half. However, at the ruck, determined work by Story saw him get a disrupting foot to the ball. He chased his own kick thirty yards, gathered the ball and then had the strength to hold off two defenders to score. The try was a just reward for Story's hard work and effort, week in, week out, which makes him one of the unsung heroes of the pack. Smith converted and Wigton, at 26-7, had a bonus point for a fourth try.

A fine kick by Hanabury took Wigton again deep into Park territory. He nearly conjured up a try for Tom Gardner, but a well weighted chip just beat the big winger into touch in goal. However, the referee brought play back for an earlier offence, with Smith taking the three points for a 29-7 lead.

Park tried to quickly open up play from the kick off, with full back Breddeln making a break. As he started to run out of room, he and his winger tried to execute a switch move, but the ball was passed into the arms of Smith. He, increasingly influential this season, kicked the ball down the touchline and out pacing the defence for another popular try. He was unable to convert, but at 34-7, it was all but over.

Park tried desperately to finish with a flourish, but were frustrated by the determined defence. They finished the game on the attack but Wigton were able to clear their lines.

This win will have given coach Brown a lot of satisfaction. Looking forward to next week he will be sorry to see the in form Callum Studholme leave on his travels. There will also be concerns over the fitness of Marrs and Ledingham ahead of next week's trip to Widnes.