Ormskirk beat battling Wigan by slender four points

Jan 29 2009 by James Illingworth, Ormskirk Advertiser

Ormskirk beat battling Wigan by slender four points

Wigan...21

Ormskirk...25

FOR the second time this season there were only four points between these two sides in a game that went down to the final minute.

Luke Parker claimed two tries, including a spectacular 70-yard sprint, while Andrew Healey and Mark Webster also crossed the try line.

Just like the week before against Wirral, Ormskirk made a flying start and raced into a 17-0 lead. Healey captured the opening score in the first five minutes as the scrum-half crashed his way over the line following an outside break from hooker, Andy Wilson.

The home side responded well to going behind and controlled possession until a speculative cross field kick fell into the arms of Parker in his own 22.

The left-winger darted through the oncoming Wigan defence and once clear the covering defenders had no chance against Parker’s blistering pace.

Ormskirk extended their lead soon after as the home side continued to struggle with the speed of Parker and John Curley out wide. A long miss-pass from John Armstrong found Curley inside his own half who jinked his way through the defensive line.

Curley took the ball inside Wigan’s 22 and after drawing the Full-Back popped the ball inside to Parker who had an easy run to the line. Armstrong added the conversion.

For the remainder of the half, Ormskirk squandered several chances to put the game beyond Wigan and the score remained 17-0 at half-time.

In the first period of the second half, Ormskirk’s indiscipline at the breakdown cost them dearly as their captain, Cliff Kirby, was sin-binned. Wigan took advantage of their extra man and crossed to take the score to 17-7.

After his ten minutes off the pitch, Kirby’s re-introduction to the game galvanised the away side and Webster, who had come on in the first half for the injured Glyn Roberts, scored in the corner.

A cross-field kick from Armstrong was missed by Wigan’s winger and Webster pounced after the ball was hacked through by Andy Wilson. A further Armstrong penalty took the score to 25-7 and Ormskirk looked to have taken the match beyond Wigan.

But the home side fought their way back into contention in the final 20 minutes as further poor discipline by Ormskirk allowed Wigan to take control of the game.

As the contest entered its final minute, the home side scored under the posts to take them within one score of winning but Ormskirk held on.

Ormskirk 2nd XV lost 32-20 at home against Wirral, the 3rd XV lost 7-5 against Caldy and the 4th XV lost 37-5 away at Fylde.

This week Ormskirk face second-placed promotion chasers Widnes at Green Lane.