THE perfect blend of defence and attack.

That is what Wilmslow Wolves produced on Saturday in what was their most complete performance of the season to date.

They restricted a Firwood Waterloo side predicted to be among the promotion challengers to just two first-half penalties and ran in six unanswered tries at the other end.

Following their dominant 34-6 victory at the Memorial Ground, they continue apace at the top of the North One West table.

Their next league assignment? A mouth-watering trip to second-place Birkenhead Park on December 7.

It will be the toughest of tests, but Wilmslow will head to the Wirral brimming with confidence and belief.

For the first fifteen minutes of Saturday’s contest, however, the Wolves were second best.

Waterloo pushed them back and forced them into errors, one of which led to a Darragh O’Brien penalty and the game’s first points.

They continued to look dangerous until being penalised for crossing, allowing Wilmslow to get themselves going.

A Mark Jennings break led to the first of three tries for winger James Coulthurst and five minutes later, quick and clean ball from a scrum and some Bob MacCallum wizardry opened up a gap for Kieran O’Rourke.

The visitors were stunned and two minutes later, it got even better for the league leaders.

After turning the ball over in their own half, Wilmslow kicked long and the resulting chase ended with Coulthurst touching down again.

A yellow card for Sam Cutts stifled Wilmslow’s flow and O’Brien narrowed the deficit with another penalty, but it proved only a temporary reprieve for the visitors.

On the stroke of half time, a lineout won by Seb Pemberton preceded the ball being swept across the line to find Jennings, who put Coulthurst over for his hat-trick.

With their pride stinging from the first-half assault, Waterloo emerged re-energised for the second period but found the Wilmslow defence in unforgiving mood.

Despite spending plenty of time in attacking positions, the visitors were often let down by loose passes and errors.

When the time came for Wilmslow to attack again, they did so with gusto.

After a yellow card for Waterloo’s hooker, Wilmslow secured the ball from the lineout they opted for and a fizzing exchange between MacCallum and Coulthurst led to the former crossing.

The final try had its origins deep in the Wilmslow half, with forwards and backs involved in getting them up the field before hooker Connor McMurdock produced an outrageous sidestep to get himself a try between the posts.

Before their top-of-the-table showdown, the Wolves are in Cheshire Vase action on Friday evening.

They welcome Sandbach to the Memorial Ground for a fixture under the floodlights – kick off is at 7.30pm.