Holmes Chapel 20-27 Capenhurst

HOLMES Chapel could not prevent visiting Capenhurst from recording a first victory of the campaign.

The away side adapted better to testing conditions at Station Road, where they dominated at the scrum.

A ball made slippery by the rain led to Chapel’s players making handling errors, but they persevered with backs Harry Snape and Mike Lightfoot combining effectively from set-pieces.

And the hosts almost edged ahead when Jim Moss released Joe Baskerville, only for a dropped catch to halt their progress.

Capenhurst kicked a penalty to lead, only for Joe Foulkes to crash over the line from close range to notch a reply.

Stu Butters landed a three-pointer, and the visitors added another of their own, to complete the first-half scoring.

A disrupted pattern continued in the second period, and Capenhurst notched a breakaway score to put themselves in front.

Butters slotted a penalty from long-range, although a penalty-try for the away side put them out of Chapel’s reach even after Mark McEnaney had dotted down between the posts.

Butters added a conversion too, but his teammates ran out of time to close the gap further.

It leaves them eighth in North West Intermediate League Division Two South after four matches.

However they are not back in action again until a trip to Bowdon’s seconds on October 21.

Holmes Chapel’s seconds conceded their scheduled Division Five South encounter with their Helsby counterparts.

They are due at Tyldesley thirds on Saturday, kick-off 3pm.