Culcheth 36

Parr Hare

& Hounds 21 HOUNDS can take heart from an encouraging turn-out and a spirited second-half fightback.

They started well enough and should have had more to show for their early dominanace than a drop goal by scrum-half Mark McMillan and a penalty by hooker Paul Martin.

But when Culcheth took the lead against the run of play with a converted try Hounds seemed to lose their way and the home side quickly raced into a 24-3 interval advantage with three further six-pointers.

After the break Hounds made a couple of positional and personnel changes and they had the better of the second half with tries by Barry Dearden (2), Wayne Ashcroft and Stuart Weir, plus a goal by McMillan, narrowing the deficit.

Two further converted tries ensured Culcheth took the points but Hounds finished the stronger and on the evidence of this display they can look foward to a more successful season than last.

Strong-running second row Mick Burke was outstanding for Hounds and there were good efforts also from Dearden, Weir, Ashcroft, full-back Ian Sherwood and substitute Alan Haunch.