First for Ashton

Ashton-on-Mersey held on for their first Daily Mail win, beating theirCheshire rivals Bankfield 17-12 in a see-saw game which was in the balanceuntil the final minutes.

Edward Kennewell and Harry Guthrie scored theAshton tries with Guthrie converting both and putting over a penalty.

Buttheir man-of-the-match was lively scrum half Tom Cibson.

It was close atHartford too where the Grange edged home 13-0 against Rydal Penrhos.

DavidPlatt opened the scoring with a penalty, Tom Woodger finished off a goodteam move for the first try and William Gidman rounded off the scoringwith a fine individual try from full back.

St Ambrose set up a second roundmeeting with old rivals Sale Grammar with a 57-7 win over Sandbach.

Thebacks scored nine tries in an expansive performance but the forwards werejust as impressive laying the foundations.