Considering it was two weeks since their previous game, Orrell quickly moved through the gears to dispose of a decimated Oswentry side and maintain their challenge at the top end of Lancs/Cheshire Division Two.

The visitors started brightly enough with some solid defence in the middle of the field and forward charges but as soon as Wilbur Harris opened the score after twelve minutes, off the back of possession secured close to the visitors' line, the floodgates opened.

Craig Thomas grabbed a spectacular score three minutes later, rounding his opposite, bouncing past two defenders then stepping into the clear, all from eighty metres.

Matty Johnson also found his scoring touch, grabbing four of Orrell's eleven tries. The first two were sandwiched either side of a Jack Granby effort which came in support of a well-timed pass from skipper Dan Huxley and with Thomas adding four conversions, the try bonus point had already been wrapped up by half-time with Orrell 33-0 to the good.

A spirited opening to the second half delayed Orrell with James Ratcliffe crafting the third try for Johnson with a kick to the left. Oswestry kept plugging away and enjoyed their best spell, but a sin-binning was followed by three Orrell tries as the hosts found their groove.

Josh Grant dived over and was quickly followed to the line by Adam Glover and Johnson for his fourth. The rain tumbled down but Orrell controlled possession well heading into the final five minutes when Huxley claimed a try before Tom Halsall finished a good passing move for Thomas to kick his eighth goal for a personal tally of 21 points which confirmed the 71-0 success.

Match Day Reporter: Dave Parkinson

Photographs: Courtesy of Bryan Fowler