KIRKBY Lonsdale recorded a comprehensive victory over Altrincham Kersal at Underley Park at the weekend, with captain Ben Walker scoring 4 tries and bagging the man of the match trophy.

The result means that Kirkby, according to the RFU website, is one of only six to have a 100% winning and bonus points record in English rugby.

Kersal took an early lead with a penalty which put them 0 – 3 up with only a few minutes on the clock but Kirkby went in front when the visitors were offside.

Walker put the penalty into touch and then dummied through from the lineout to score the first try by the posts, full back Ryan Terry adding the conversion to make it 3 – 7 after twelve minutes, a lead Kirkby were never to lose.

Kirkby’s front five were rampant in the loose driving deep into Kersal territory and forcing a scrum from which Walker chipped the ball over the defence for prop Cameron Rowse to gather and score the second try, Terry again adding the conversion for 3 – 14.

More forward pressure took play to the Kersal line and from another scrum stand off Siya Alam crossed only to be deemed held up but it was only temporary relief for Kersal.

From the five metre scrum Walker again sent Kersal the wrong way as he dummied through to score his second and Kirkby’s third try and with the Terry conversion the lead stretched to 21 – 3.

Kersal were in the game though and when Kirkby came in at the side of a ruck they kicked the penalty to reduce the deficit to 21 – 6 but normal service was resumed when Kirkby flanker Stuart Storey burst through and then fed winger Josh Maddock only for his try scoring pass to be called forward, marginal.

Kirkby prop Tyran Fagan was next on the score sheet when, from another solid scrum on the five metre line, number eight Craig Galbraith picked up and charged for the line feeding the ball back in the tackle for Fagan to power over for the fourth and bonus point try. The conversion on the whistle making it 28 – 6 at half time.

A half which started well for Kirkby when they drove Kersal off their own scrum and drove on and over only to be held up again, but again it was only temporary relief for Kersal. From the scrum five Kirkby had good possession and good movement put flanker Storey in space and he was over again for try five, the conversion bounced back off the post but Kirkby had extended their lead to 33 – 6.

Kirkby's pack were dominant in the scrum, centres Tom Pickthall and Harry Ralston were strong in defence and attack and there was pace and power out wide and winger Josh Maddock was next up when he shrugged off tackles to score try eight in the right corner, the conversion drifted by but Kirkby were approaching the England cricket score at 48 - 6.

They got closer still with another piece of magic from Walker, a kick through bounced awkwardly as he ran through at pace, the ball arcing back over his head but an athletic leap got fingertips to the ball and he was able to control it and score his third try and Kirkby’s ninth try, Alam converting and fifty points were up at 55 – 6.

Prop Fagan seemed unlucky to get a yellow card when he went for an intercept in no man's land near the half way line and knocked on and in the fading light and a sudden hail storm Kersal exploited the extra man to score their converted try, which they were well worth, but at 55 – 13 and in the conditions the faithful were wondering why the ref was keeping them out there.

It was because Walker hadn’t finished yet, a tap and go penalty from around twenty metres out saw him jink through and score his fourth and Kirkby’s tenth try.

The conversion racked up Kirkby’s highest score of the season at 62 – 13, a win which, because second placed Birkenhead Park’s away game at St Benedicts was called off, gives Kirkby a seven point advantage at the top as they travel to Birkenhead for the key fixture next Saturday.