WINNINGTON Park were unable to capitalise on their interval lead as they fell to a 24-17 defeat at home to high flyers Bowdon.

Much-improved Park led 17-13 but conceded 11 points without reply to second-placed Bowdon in a tight second half – a week after achieving their first Regional 2 North West win of the season at Eccles.

With Bowdon having secured five wins from six in the league, a very tough and physical encounter was anticipated by Park.

The visitors took a 3-0 lead with a 10th-minute penalty but the first try came from Park.

From a penalty, Park took the ball in through the forwards and maintained possession through 15 phases of attack until quick hands on the short side allowed Chris Twigg to score a try which went unconverted.

Cameron Flanagan fielded a kick, found Twigg who kicked across field where the ball was taken into contact and then quickly recycled to captain Dan Williams who powered over to score for 10-3.

Park soaked up a period of Bowdon attacking until the 30-minute point when Bowdon had a scrum 30 metres out and went wide quickly to the left winger who kicked through and scored to level up the game.

Winnington continued to do the hard yards and worked hard to maintain the momentum, which was rewarded on 35 minutes.

Following a Bowdon scrum just outside the Park 22 a loose reverse pass from the visiting scrum half under pressure from Jack Williams was picked up by Lewis Pickering who kicked down field for Will Du Randt to chase and score a great try which was converted by Flanagan.

Bowdon added a penalty before the interval to keep the game very much in the balance.

The first 20 minutes of the second half was a very cagey affair.

Park then had a couple of opportunities, but a few errors stunted their attack and Bowdon capitalised on these on 60 and 63 minutes with a couple of penalties which gave them the lead 19-17.

Bowdon were enjoying the majority of field position and possession and on 72 minutes Bowdon secured a lineout and set up a maul which led to them driving for what proved to be the decisive score.

Despite the improved showing, Park slipped to the bottom of the table as a result of the loss.

Winnington: Chris Twigg, Jack O’Neill, Lewis Pickering, Will Du Randt, Jacob Halstein, Cameron Flanagan, Jack Williams, Tom King, Freddie Kenyon, Hanre Coetzee, Josh Gledhill, Joe Hickey, Matthew Treacy, Phil Lynch, Dan Williams, Gary Dykes, Anthony Hopley, Richard Hart.