IT WAS business as usual for Kirkby as they dispatched their Manchester-based opponents with relative ease.

The Underley Park side squared up to Broughton Park in a fixture delayed by the weather in previous weeks and ran out convincing 27-47 winners.

Kirkby did not have it all their own way however and found themselves behind in the first few minutes.

After conceding a string of penalties for being in front of the kicker it allowed Broughton Park to take the lead with a kick to make it 3-0 early on.

This score was extended to 8-0 when Broughton went over the line near the right hand corner.

The try was not converted but there was much debate as to whether it should have stood at all as many spectators howled in derision following what looked like a clear knock-on from the Broughton player.

Despite the shaky start, Kirkby settled and soon began to take control of the game.

The away team strung some good passages of play together and it was no surprise when, on 16 minutes, stand off Dave Barton burst through to score.

Tom Pickthall added the conversion to take Kirkby to within a point of their hosts.

The famous Kirkby scrum pressure told when, near the Broughton line, it gained them a penalty try.

This was converted with ease by Pickthall to take Kirkby into an 8-14 point lead at the end of the first quarter - a lead they were never to relinquish.

As half time approached, Barton and scrum half Ben Walker set right winger Harry Ralston free in the corner and he powered over the line with ease.

Pickthall was again on hand to convert and extend the Kirkby lead to 8-21.

There proved to still be time for full back Chad Spence to score the fourth try after slick handling and running from Pickthall and winger David Bird created the chance for him to power over, just as well since winger Ralston was unmarked on the outside.

The flawless Pickthall converted and once again Kirkby had the bonus point in the bag when the half time whistle went with the score at 8 – 33.

Broughton went in at half time scratching their heads as they had not played badly but found themselves now chasing a seemingly unassailable lead.

Park came out fighting and reduced the deficit to 15 - 33 after 14 minutes of the second half with a converted try but moments later Kirkby hooker Jonas Thorsen restored the lead once more with a powerful run at the line.

He broke through several tackles to score and Pickthall’s conversion made it 15 – 40 as the game went into the final quarter.

Kirkby dropped their intensity and Park found some space and ran in from distance to score a converted try to make it 22 – 40.

Barton extinguished any hope of a comeback when he chipped the ball over the defence and re-gathered to score by the posts.

Pickthall’s conversion was a formality and it was 22 – 47.

Near the death, Broughton scored their fourth try which was converted to make the final score 27 – 47.

It was a convincing win for Kirkby with seven tries to four making it Park’s heaviest home defeat this season.

Team

1 Ryan Holmes

2 Jonas Thorsen

3 Pablo Kwiczor

4 Matt Hughes ©

5 Nick Edney

6 David Cooper-Dunne

7 Stuart Storey

8 Craig Galbraith

9 Ben Walker

10 Dave Barton

11 David Bird

12 Jack Akrigg

13 Tom Pickthall

14 Harry Ralston

15 Chad Spence

Bench

John Law

Tim Groves

Josh Pewsey