Late penalty tips balance Medics' way as Northwich suffer fourth successive league defeat

NORTHWICH head into Saturday’s derby with Winnington Park on the back of four defeats.

Tries from Mark Thompson, Sam Naylor, Liam Gavin and Richard Dale were not enough to stop Blacks’ run of reverses on Saturday.

Medics’ scrum half asked questions from the start of the Northwich defence, who on nine minutes conceded a penalty for breaking the binding at the scrum.

The visitors established a three-point lead.

Blacks replied on 17 minutes when Chris Dutoy broke the line before feeding Thompson who carried the ball over for a try. 

Dutoy added the extras.

Northwich extended their lead when Dutoy’s pass allowed Naylor to break. The player-coach swapped passes with Dale before crossing for an unconverted score.

In added time before the interval the visitors were awarded a put-in 30 metres out and, when the scrum wheeled, a gap opened for their number nine to score.

Blacks found themselves behind nine minutes into the second period when, after failing to secure their own lineout, they allowed Medics to move the ball though hands and touched down out wide.

The Manchester men built on their lead following a well-driven scrum close to Blacks’ line, forcing Northwich to kick the ball out and concede a penalty try.

A conversion was added to leave the hosts a mountain to climb.

Northwich began an attempted recovery eight minutes from time when a penalty ensured an attacking lineout.

With the ball secured, Blacks’ their forwards drove for the line before releasing their backs to sending Gavin over.

Three minutes later Dorian Simes recovered a deep kick and fed Dale, who side-stepped two attempted tackles en route to a superb individual score.

But with the scores level Dutoy failed to convert, and Medics took full advantage when they slotted a penalty seven minutes into added time.

Northwich Cartman, Thompson, Cairns, Heywood, Gavin, Watts, Naylor, Smith, Houghton, Dutoy, Richard Dale, Barber, Jones, Elliott, Wilson Replacements Simes, Hulbert, Baker Tries Thompson, Naylor, Gavin, Richard Dale Con Dutoy