The Birkenhead News and Wirral General Advertiser. — 1920-03-31 (Birkenhead, Merseyside, England)

REX." Birkenhead Park's very fine performance at 'Cereal, where they detested a powerful M.aester team, 36 one a the loading events; 'of the season. A writer in a London "daily" commenting on the piospeots of the game alluded to the Manchester olub as the ohampions of North football. 1 wonder what he now thinlos Some apology or excuse may be forthcoming, but the result sirs, is the test of comparison, and here it is: Birkenhead Park 13 points, Manchester 12 points. . • •  And it was a fine tussle. Manchester have probably more players to draw upon than any club in the Provinces. They deplored the loss of Cullen, the Irishman, but they fielded a great forward side, and with Conway, the Cantab and England forward in the van they reckoned on a large margin of points in their favour. Well, the Park forwards were not the equal of their opponents. They have seldom held the master hand in the pack this season, but the rear division, as with England in the Scotland game, were pi the top of their form and with a good defence they broke up the Manchester rear, and won a clever victory. It takes a good team hi hold up a side whose forwards are on the rampage but on this occasion ot any rate the mastery was on the side of the Park halves, and three-quarters with Locke, Lay and Floyd always dangerous, Pain hustling here and hustling there. ,and Lorry, the great, putting his steadily gained experience into his work.  •• • G  Some there are who think Pemberton W 45 not up to his usual game, but the veteran kept going the whole game through. • Folds his vis-a-vis tackled Lowry on two occasions but he only saw him v.-hen he went in with his tries. The second one was a "nailer." A run from his own half slick behind the posts and of course, Lay kicked a goal. Manchester sandwiched what to them was a winning score and the last minute had come. Pain it was who settled the issue. The oil North half-back had not seen too much of the ball. That is as far as loving it concerned, but on this occasion he gays it the bunny-hug, was tackled, recovered and made the try. Only the goal-kick was possible, and the referee whistled "no side," which Manchester deftly admitted was suicide—to them.  . • • • Well all praise to the Park for their notable victory. Bloor's reappearance in the team after so long an absence was of great service. Against Manchester's superior forwards he checked repeatedly and broke up their rushes time and again. Lay looked out for the other part of the programme and he found it. The ooising backs expected him to kick, intend of which he got up amongst them— and against them. Sutcliffe and Entwistle were worried to breaking point, and the Lowry episodes wrecked them. Then in chipped Locke and Floyd end Pain's final flourish.  • • • 4nd who was Park's best forward? On this occasion Lee—Morris was the terrier of the team and his prominence amused Ae spectators immensely. Many voted for Morris, of the red socks brigade, but the little man only did his best which was great withal. Wall, Shaw and Cheshire were topping. The skipper was all out for it and anxious as were the moments, especially in the first quarter-hour of the second half. Wall held his colleagues of the scrum with desperate earnestness and in the end the triumph was as much his as the backs.  The Park "A" team at the tipper Park, had a similar result. Manchester "A" were a hard lot in their play but by a sturdy plod the Park "A" won by 11 points to 10. To a large extent E. K. Marsh, the Park fullback was reoponsible for the victory, and the Senior team has a good reserve man coming on in the Old Dirkonian, W. G. Davies was among the scorers. and I am glad to see the Liverpool 'Varsity man coming back to his form. The side, however, nearly gave the game away in midstream, but Banner—a la Pain in the Seniors match—pulled the tussle out of the fire in the final minutes. The Park teams therefore are very happy just now. The closing matches on the Park card are as follows:  April-7ifi\th o! Ireland away. „ la—Bradford - away. .. 17—Leicester hcaae. G. B. Davey, of Liverpool, who, of °ours°, is a irember of the Park, will assist in the Irial match and I hear that B. A. Lloyd will play against Leicee.