KIRKBY Lonsdale RUFC put eight tries past fourth-placed Northwich to move 17 points clear at the top of the North One West division.

Tyran Fagan and substitute Joe Faumui both went over twice as Kirkby ran out comfortable 46-19 winners to notch their 19th successive victory this season.

It did not take long for Kirkby to take lead. The home side forced an early lineout from which they won the ball and drove prop Fagan over for the first try. Full back Ryan Terry added the two and Kirkby led 7-0.

Northwich did then enjoy a brief spell in the Kirkby half but a knock on put Kirkby back in possession and a flowing move up field saw inside centre Tom Pickthall turn the defence inside out to score the second try. It was unconverted but extended the lead to 12-0.

Northwich did then turn on some of their style with a move creating space for their classy full back Barber to score a try, with the conversion closing the gap at 12-7. Back on the attack Dave Barton swapped passes with his inside centre Pickthall as they ran into the Northwich half, the move ending with Barton scoring the third try, and Terry’s conversion making it 19-7.

There was a lapse in Kirkby’s concentration when they conceded a penalty, the ball rebounded off the post and it was Northwich who were quicker to react gathering and scoring a soft try by the posts, converted to narrow the gap to 19-14. A Terry penalty extended Kirkby’s lead to 22-14 which is how the score remained at the break.

Faumui came off the bench at the start of the second half and had an immediate impact. Kirkby were pressing the Northwich line and the visitors were penalised. Faumui took a quick tap and go five metres out and was unstoppable as he scored the fourth and bonus point try. Terry’s conversion provided Kirkby with a hold on the game at 29-14.

The visitors then had probably their best spell of the match with sustained possession in the Kirkby half and it was their full back Barber again who did the damage, a clever run taking him through Kirkby to score. The conversion left the score 29-19.

Dan Armistead came off the bench with around half an hour to play as Kirkby began to control the game and Faumui extended the lead with his second and Kirkby’s fifth try from close range to make it 34-19.

Northwich hardly had time to draw breath before the sixth try came and it was Fagan’s second, rounding off a terrific performance from the prop. The conversion moved Kirkby out to 41-19 and they were in total control as the match drew to a close. The final act being an unconverted try by number eight Craig Galbraith to make the final score 46-19 and seven tries to three.

Kirkby's win and another surprise defeat for second-placed Birkenhead Park opened up a seventeen-point margin at the top of the table with seven games remaining, with Kirkby's next game a tough encounter away at St Benedicts.