KIRKBY Lonsdale RUFC came through their toughest test this season to record a narrow 24-21 win at Northwich on Saturday, inflicting their hosts first league defeat in more than a year in the process.

Kirkby kicked off to start the game but it was Northwich who applied the early pressure going ahead 5-0 with an unconverted try after eight minutes following a scrum in the left corner from which their forwards eventually drove over. Kirkby were settling though and hit back with a spell of pressure in the home half of the field but were unable to put points on the board, missing a kickable penalty in the process.

Kirkby kept the pressure on from the restart and Northwich yielded another penalty which was put into touch near the right corner flag. A clean catch put the forwards in business and they drove over only to be deemed held up but from the five metre scrum moved the ball in field where stand off Dave Barton had the strength to power over and score, full back Ryan Terry adding the conversion to put Kirkby 7-5 ahead.

Kirkby second row David Cooper-Dunn then picked up a yellow card, Northwich kicked the penalty to lead again at 8-7 and tried to take advantage of the extra man with a period of pressure in Kirkby’s half, but they were turned over. There was nobody at home in the Northwich defence and Kirkby centre Jack Akrigg put a long raking kick down the left side of the field. The chase was on and it was won by Kirkby full back Ryan Terry who successfully hacked the ball over the line but with his pace over ran it slightly and was adjudged to have nudged it forward as he applied the downward pressure.

Kirkby had the best of the of the second quarter but were still behind at half time with the further misfortune of having prop Cameron Rouse yellow carded as the Kirkby forwards hammered the Northwich line as the whistle went.

Down to fourteen men for the first ten minutes the second half didn’t start well for Kirkby. Northwich kicked a penalty to extend their lead to 11-7 and then scored an excellent try behind the posts, the conversion taking them to 18-7.

Things swung their way when the Northwich number four was yellow carded for throwing a huge straight arm tackle, now Kirkby had the man advantage and second row Matt Hughes charged over the Northwich line, no conversion but the gap had narrowed to 18-12 and Kirkby had the momentum. The forwards were beginning to dominate a tiring home pack and following an attacking scrum the pressure near the Northwich line opened up a gap in the defence through which Kirkby skipper and scrum half Ben Walker flew in under the posts. The conversion taking Kirkby into the lead at 18- 19 with around ten minutes to play.

Agonisingly Kirkby were penalised in front of their posts, the easy kick restoring the home side's lead at 21-19 as the clock ran down but this Kirkby side never say die. From the restart they pinned Northwich down in their own half and eventually gained possession, moving the ball at speed down the line to right wing Harry Ralston who scored by diving in low near the flag for the winning and bonus-point fourth try. There was time for Northwich to restart but Kirkby contained them and as the ref called time Walker booted the ball off the pitch to end the match at 21-24.

Northwich won a losing bonus point and they were well worth that but they lost their unbeaten record against a Kirkby side which showed tremendous character and fighting spirit on the day. The bonus-point win maintains their 100 per cent record and keeps them top, one point ahead of Birkenhead Park, now the only other unbeaten side in the league.