National League Three North: Wirral 61 Cleckheaton 12

CLECKHEATON travelled with an under-strength squad, with no less than seven regulars sidelined due to injury or unavailability, including Andy, Matt and Richard Piper, Ollie Depledge, Tom Austin, Jack Bickerdike and Josh Hall.

It did, however, present the opportunity to field a youthful-looking pack, with half of the starting eight of Jack Seddon, Luke Pearson, Brad Marsden and Niall Jackson being 21 or under.

Cleckheaton were caught cold from the outset and while shaking the 90-minute bus journey out of them, Wirral went in for two tries in the opening four minutes, both of which were converted by their man of the match James Annetts.

For the rest of the first half, honours were pretty much even, with Cleckheaton exerting a lot of pressure and holding plenty of possession in Wirral territory.

However, handling errors and ruck turnover plagued their efforts.

Jake Jagger went very close on his return to first-team action but just couldn't get the ball down as he was bundled into touch.

Then, against the run of play, Wirral broke Cleckheaton down in centrefield and went in for a long-range effort.

Trailing 21-0 at half-time, Cleckheaton did not see the task as beyond them due to the headway they made at times during the first half.

As it turned out though, this was not to be the case as Wirral went in for another six tries, with all but one of them being improved by Annetts.

Wirral play an expansive game and had the cushion to throw the ball about and offload at every opportunity.

Cleckheaton conceded some fairly soft tries but the ball did seem to bounce just right for the home team on a number of occasions.

The visitors did not capitulate though and, foll,owing a scrum five metres from Wirral's line, Ryan Piercy dived over for a try and Ronan Evans converted.

Wirral hit back but Cleckheaton went on the attack again and stretched the home defence from one side of the pitch to the other.

The ball was quickly moved back in the direction it originally came and Piercy drew the last man before passing to Brad Marsden for Cleckheaton's second try.

Wirral had the last say, however, and scored a couple more tries from deep in their own half.

This wasn't the result that Cleckheaton wanted but Wirral are a top-three side, and beating them on their own turf was always going to be a tough ask.

While Cleckheaton had a reduced squad, the 18 that did play put the effort in and didn't stop grafting.

Second-team regulars Matt Wood and Craig Blackburn relished their opportunity for some first-team action, and Mark Chivers walked away with the man of the match award for the second week in a row.

The next two games are crucial for Cleckheaton as they face teams below them in the table in Stockport (home) and Morley (away).