THE going was tough for the latest round of rugby union league matches with the players having to contend with wet and miserable weather.

Birkenhead Park in National Three North made light of conditions to record an excellent 41-13 success away to Ilkley.

Their forwards laid the foundations to success and in the end a six-two try count summed up the visitors supremecy.

Jack Ashcroft started and finished the first-half scores with tries on eight and 37 minutes.

In between Dave Ibbotson also touched down and there was a penalty and a conversion via Dave Hall.

Ilkley showed their potential with two well taken touch downs by Sam Magee and a Rowntree penalty which made it 13-20 at the break.

Lawrence Thomas was next in for Park nine minutes into the seond period.

There was also a penalty try before Sam Chidley had the last say on 75 minutes.

Hall converted three more times and it was a happy journey home for the Upper Park squad.

In the same division Wirral found Sheffield too strong and suffered one of their heaviest reverses for some time 3-38.

The horrible conditions did not suit the visitors and a string of injuries also made life difficult.

In the end, they had to settle for just a Dan Harvey penalty and Sheffield with five tries in all and half a dozen successful kicks were just too strong.

Caldy in National Two North were involved in a real dog fight at Sandal.

Defences dominated with no tries.

The scoring was retricted to just three kicks with two of them via a penalty and a drop goal by Greg Wood to edge the verdict 6-3 for the Yorkshire outfit.

Caldy will feel they should have done better than just a losing bonus point but all credit to the Sandal rearguard for holding them at bay, often under severe pressure.

New Brighton in South Lancashre / Cheshire One put up a determined show in the cross river derby at high riding LSH and collected a deserved bonus point from a 13-19 defeat.

Hoylake, bottom of the division, battled bravely at top of the table West Park before losing 10-31.

Anselmians were well satisfied as they came away 18-14 winners from Wigan.

Wallasey did well in Merseyside West to restrict high riding Southport to a 19-0 margin at a soggy Cross Lane.

Oldershaw secured the only try of the afternoon at Liverpool University for an 11-6 success.

Prenton went under 12-31 at Birchfield whilst Ellesmere Port got the better of Oxton Parkonians for a 38-17 victory.

There is another full league programme this Saturday with the vast majority of Wirral clubs having home engagements and hoping for improved weather.

Fixtures include Caldy against Harrogate, Birkenhead Park against Sheffield, Wirral against Cleckheaton, Anselmians v Winnington Park, Hoylake desperate for thier first win against Collegiate at Melrose Avenue, New Brighton v Manchester, Oldershaw v Mossley Hill, Oxton Parkonians v Liverpool University and Port Sunlight v Ellesmere Port.

Wallasey are the only real travellers on the road to Newton-le-Willows.