Ormskirk RUFC record an impressive win at Dukinfield

Mar 19 2009 by Our Correspondent, Ormskirk Advertiser

Ormskirk RUFC record an impressive win at Dukinfield

ORMSKIRK returned to winning ways with a convincing 45-8 win away at Dukinfield on Saturday.

An impressive second half performance which included five tries sealed victory in what was a foul tempered affair.

15 points for John Armstrong and two tries for John Curley were the performances of the day while Mark Essex, Ray Doolan, Luke Parker and Andy Wroe also crossed the try line.

Ormskirk started strongly as Doolan broke through Dukinfield’s defence in the first play of the game. The dynamic inside centre was brought down 10 metres from the line and after Kirk’s pack recycled the ball, Armstrong had the space to jink his way in for an early score.

Mark Essex doubled the away side’s lead minutes later following another break from the impressive Doolan. Essex, playing at scrum-half, side-stepped his way over the line from close range after good support play from Andy Wilson and Glyn Roberts.

Dukinfield responded well to going 12 points down within the first 10 minutes and their forward pack started to make inroads into the Ormskirk half.

The home side’s effort was awarded with a try as Kirk’s lack of discipline allowed the Dukinfield fly-half to kick his side into Ormskirk’s 22. A drive from the resulting lineout gave the home side their only try of the game.

A further Dukinfield penalty made it 12-8 at half time.

Aided by a strong wind in the second half, Ormskirk’s pacy backline soon took the game beyond the home side. John Curley cut his way through the defensive line with relative ease, capturing both his tries early in the second period.

Wingers, Luke Parker and Andy Wroe, then showed their class by rounding their opposite numbers and sprinting in from 50 metres out as Dukinfield’s defence had no answer when Ormskirk got the ball out wide.

Doolan then capped a superb performance with a try of his own, bulldozing his way over the line after Gareth Little had joined the line from full-back.

In the final ten minutes, Dukinfield’s frustration with their performance boiled over meaning the match became a scrappy affair. The referee was forced to show three yellow cards as both sides finished with less than 15 men but Ormskirk had sealed victory long before the final whistle.

Ormskirk’s 2nd XV lost 31-16 at home to Fylde despite tries from Richard Gregg and Adam Ainscough. The 3rd XV lost 41-0 against Warrington.

This Saturday, Ormskirk travel to the Isle of Man for their re-arranged league fixture against Vagabonds.