It meant that with just one game remaining – at Beverley a week on Saturday – they remain top of North One, two points ahead of Hull who sustained their challenge with a 13-5 win at West Hartlepool.

As the Shieldsmen also have a 38-point better scoring record, the odds are heavily in their favour to take the champions' crown and with it automatic elevation into the realms of national rugby.

But captain Gareth Nesbit declared: "We will not be taking any chances. We started our campaign by beating Beverley at home and we aim to finish it by beating them on their own ground."

Certainly, if they maintain their present form they should achieve that, for a strong and physical Birkenhead Park, in fourth top place, became yet another side to pound Westoe's fortress defence – which has been the bedrock of their success – and find it unyielding.

While overall this was a gritty, no-nonsense clash – not that a large and supportive crowd minded that – it was adorned with flashes of magic by right-winger Willy Moala, who found chinks in the visitors' own formidable rearguard to run in a hat-trick of tries.

It was he who gave his side the lead in the 10th minute when a well-worked forwards' attack down the right flank brought a scrum on the 22, from which the ball spun out to the Kiwi whose speed and guile saw him home.

And Dunes Adventure Island-sponsored Westoe went further ahead after 34 minutes with something of a carbon-copy try except that the ball came from a maul, and it was full-back Gavin Charlton who sliced through the backs to touch down.

In between, the Merseysiders had their best and most threatening period, but two stunning tackles in particular by the Haswell brothers, left-winger Graeme and centre David, brought gasps from spectators and personified the zeal with which their side protected their line

With the advantage of the bank and the breeze in the second half, Nesbit's men took control – and although the visitors still showed plenty of pluck and power, they never really looked like breaking through.

Then in the final quarter, Westoe's ascendancy paid dividends with a penalty by fly-half Ashley Moeke and two more Moala tries late on that took his league tally to a remarkable 28.

First, after a sustained attack on the Birkenhead line, No8 John Dye burst from a five-metre scrum to off-load to Moala, who spurted past a couple of hapless defenders.

Then in the last action of the match came the most spectacular moments.

The visitors put a penalty kick into touch inside the Westoe 22, but the over-long throw-in eluded the forwards and was grabbed by home team centre James Fitzpatrick, who passed to Moala and his 70-yard sprint ended under the posts.

Moeke's routine conversion was followed by the referee's whistle to end a game in which an arm injury to Graeme Haswell, which makes his fitness for the showdown game doubtful, alone blighted the Westoe scene.

Afterwards, Nesbit said: "It was a game we knew we had to win against a big, strong and physical team with nothing to lose, which can be a dangerous thing.

"But we were prepared for them, and while as a game it was more scrappy than flashy, we achieved what we set out to do and the scoreline was a pretty good return for our efforts."

And hard, effective tackling also played an important part in Northumberland League victories by Westoe's Third and Fourth XVs – the Second team being without a fixture.

The Thirds beat table-topping Morpeth 22-5 at Oakleigh Gardens with the fierce defensive work of flankers Jake Lilley and Olly Douthwaite being especially conspicuous.

Tries were scored by No8 John Gregg (two), hooker Bob Scorer and centre Peter Atherton, with fly-half Colin Gillespie kicking a conversion.

The Fourth team mostly contained Colts, and the young ones gave a spirited account of themselves in a 22-12 win at Seghill.

Prop Chad Reay notched a hat-trick of tries, and fly-half Stuart Woodhouse scored another and kicked a conversion.