Six try away day romp closes gap at top

While head coach Lee Maddison's men ran home six tries to defeat Alcester, title favourites Old Yards came undone against Harbury meaning only six points separate the top five teams.

And with current leaders Coventrians yet to have tackled Park or Old Yards - the picture at the top of the table could become clearer in the weeks to come.

Alcester has not been a happy hunting ground for Manor in recent years, however the tide did begin to turn last season with a narrow Park victory.

Shorn of last season's player of the year Sam Haslam and top points scorer Dan Joyce with long term injuries, and top try scorer Aaron Willis joining Simon Tunnicliffe, Lee Walker, Cameron Forryan all out injured - there was a might selection headache.

Throw in unavailabilities with Jim Aaron, Dean Abell, Adam Lawrence and the previous week's starring debutant James Dobbins - the excuses were ready made for Park to limp back home bemoaning their 'hard luck'.

Scrum-half Sean Haughey was re-installed to the starting XV following Andy Redman's return to Atherstone, and he marshalled the pack with authority as they pulled their opponents apart.

It was from a precise line out from close range where Park started a rolling maul which ended with Chris Goode emerging from beneath a pile of bodies with a customary smile on his face having scored a try.
Lewis Brightmore added the extra two points.

Having impressed without scoring in Park's victory over Warwickians, winger Joe Reynolds was next to power over the line opting to turn down a simple run in to the corner to step inside and bust a number of tacklers and score.

Park's third score arrived before half-time when Goode again finished off a powerful forwards' move from close range.

The hosts registered their first score with an unconverted try against the run of play, but Brightmore opened the gap between the sides once more with a drop goal before half time.

After the interval Park's irresistible set piece was laying the platform to build on their lead, but keeping it close was proving effective as Goode sensationally registered his hat-trick try which was assisted by all his fellow pack partners.

Hooker Lee Critchlow's tendency to hang out wide yielded a score when Maddison broke from outside the 22 before feeding Critchlow from five metres out to finish off the move.

Alcester again hit back with a try but Michael Kemp latched onto a Maddison pass after Brightmore sparked another attack to prevent the home side from building any post-score momentum.

Brightmore knocked over a penalty to take his game's tally to 10, and Rich Andrews proved age was no barrier producing a shuddering try scoring tackle to keep the lead a comfortable one.

Winger Arron Owen was forced off with injury prompting a switch at scrum-half as Gary Lakin took over the role, with Haughey moving onto the wing.

But with 40 points in the bag and a bonus point secured, Park could forget any excuses and instead can now look ahead to a massive double header of fixtures against Coventrians and Atherstone which could make or break their promotion credentials.