Liverpool St Helen’s FC powered past lowly Ormskirk to win 81-10 in the ADM Championship.
On a sunny day in St Helen’s, Liverpool stamped their authority on their opponents from the get-go as they scored tries through Jake Dickinson (5) , Dave Cuncliffe (2), Connor Thompson (2), George Gates (2), Matty Johnson, and John Romano.
Ormskirk scored two tries of their own through Harry Hewitt and Alex Gaughan.
However, they were emphatically beaten by a side who remains fourth in the championship, but closes the gap to third placed West Park (St Helen’s) to just five points, albeit having played once more.
Ormskirk remain battling it out for 8th place.
A sweltering day in rural St Helen’s welcomed a healthy crowd to Moss Lane to see Liverpool St Helen’s take on opponents Ormskirk.
Ormskirk, on the back of back-to-back wins, would have been confident going into this game after St Helen’s only just limped past 9th place Eccles in their previous game.
However, there confident may have been misplaced.
FIRST-HALF
Within the first five minutes of the game, the tone was set.
Steady possession from the home side left Jake Davidson one-on-one with a single defender, leaving him with an easy try.
Unfortunately, Matty Wood missed the resulting conversion from inside the 22-yard line.
Just minutes later, the home side capitalised on some poor defence from Ormskirk.
A gap in their defence gave Dave Cunliffe a chance to run through them, which he did with aplomb, and set Matty Johnson up to score the second try of the game.
This time, Wood scored the conversion to make it 12-0 to St Helen’s.
By the 11th minute, Liverpool had decided the outcome of the game.
Once again, St Helen’s exploited the deficiencies in the Ormskirk defence as they played the ball wide which left Dave Cunliffe to score under heavy pressure and make it 17-0.
Wood converted to make it 19-0.
Perhaps the play of the first half followed in the 23rd minute.
A quick release from the home side’s scrum caught the opposing team off guard, resulting in an easy try for substitute George Gates.
Wood made it 3/4 for 26-0.
After a period of equal play, Liverpool extended their advantage before the half-time whistle.
Dickinson scored his second try of the game, completely uncontested, but more impressively, Wood scored a tough conversion from right of field for a 33-0 lead.
Nice wing play from St Helen’s flanker Connor Thompson left an ample opportunity to cap a perfect first-half for the home side
An opportunity which he took as he battled his way through Ormskirk’s centre to make it 38-0.
Wood made it an even better as he scored for 40-0 before the half.
SECOND-HALF
As the second half began, St Helen’s may have been thinking how many more they could score in the sunshine at Moss Lane.
Perhaps they let their guard down as against the run of play, Ormskirk scored.
An inspired run from Ormskirk’s number 13 Alex Gaughan, marauding through an almost surprised Liverpool defence, pulled back the deficit to 45-5.
Unfortunately, Gaughan’s resulting conversion went wide and the score remained unmoved.
The away side’s try sparked the home team back into life.
Perhaps with vengeance, as Wood powered his way through the Ormskirk defence before being tackled at the last minute.
The ball ricocheted onto the floor, and fortuitously, it was gathered by Thompson who scored easily.
The score stayed 45-5 as Wood missed the conversion.
Shortly after, Dickinson’s lung-busting run down the right side of the pitch lead to a simple try as he added to his tally.
45-5 it remained as Wood missed again.
Against the run of play, and to their credit, Ormskirk scored another try.
Good passing play lead substitute Harry Hewitt to score a try under pressure for some consolation for the away side.
Gaughan’s woeful conversion kick meant the score was unmoved at 45-10.
Dickinson will be hoping to play Ormskirk every week as in the 64th minute he avoided three tackles to score on the wide touchline for his fourth try.
Unfortunately again, Wood missed his third consecutive conversion so it stayed 55-10.
Minutes later, a bursting run from scrum-half Alex McClurg lead to a handoff to Cunliffe who, after almost comically falling over when uncontested, managed to bundle the ball over the line.
Wood converted to make it 62-10.
As the game lingered toward the end, St Helen’s showed no mercy.
After another smart play from the scrum, it left Gates facing the opposing touchline with the last Ormskirk defender no chance to stop as Gates made it 67-10.
Wood made it 69-10.
Soon after, impressive ball movement from St Helen’s, moving right to left, presented John Romano with a good chance to try which he converted.
Wood’s conversion made the score 76-10.
As the heat took its toll on the players from both sides, there was one last opportunity to add to the score line.
Of course, Dickinson took this chance.
From inside his own half, the St Helen’s winger covered more than half of the pitch as he avoided several tackles to score a try in the dying minutes.
Although Woods missed the last kick of the match, the score line still read an outstanding 81-10 to Liverpool St Helen’s.
St Helen’s will be looking to build on this result as they chase the teams at the top of the table. Their next game is at home to Fleetwood on Saturday April 2nd.
Ormskirk’s next game will be at home against high-flying, unbeaten Didsbury Toc H on the same weekend.
After the game, Liverpool St Helen’s FC head coach Andy Northey spoke to Merseysportlive about the result.
