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Ince Rose Bridge 24 North London Stags 14 - Pinford Street - Good starts to both halves proved to be just enough for Ince, who had two try Adam Dwyer to thank, as they held on for victory against the resilient Stags. With winger Jonny Dwyer in superb form with his long range clearing runs when his side were under pressure, the home side outscored their rivals by four touchdowns to three in a fine contest.
Full back Adam Dwyer gave them the perfect start with a try after only two minutes which Kenny Baker – who moved from stand off to loose forward – converted.
He added a penalty to make it 8-0 but the visitors hit back strongly as they found their feet.
They were galvanised by a thundering run from hugely promising back rower George Stevens who went over in the 20th minute and the Stags were ahead at the break when another of their prodigy’s, full back Smokie Junor, linked impressively; Kieran Dixon adding the goal.
Ince made the perfect start to the second period, stand off Danny Corner’s brilliant pass putting Kristian Magraw over but the game remained in the balance for almost the next half hour with the sides separated by only two points.
Norths had the majority of the territory but Jonny Dwyer’s raking runs got Rose Bridge out of trouble on a number of occasions as he swept clear down the wing.
That scrambling pressure finally told on the Stags as another explosive Jonny Dwyer run just after the hour set up the position for Matthew Meaden to cross for the crucial score.
From the next set, with the visitor’s resolve broken, Adam Dwyer swept in for his brace, Baker landing his fourth goal.
In a show of defiance that summed up their approach, Norths played to the end and were rewarded with the final score, prop Reece Barney powering in.
CELTIC CRUSADERS kept up the charge on runaway league leaders Leigh Miners with a hard-earned 24-12 win over KEIGHLEY COUGAR CUBS. The match was overshadowed by a serious neck injury to Cubs winger Ashley Honeymann who was treated on the field for half an hour and taken to hospital, where he regained movement in his arms and legs.
In a match played in tremendous spirit in front of a sizeable crowd at Newbridge, and with John Dixon in attendance, the visitors started impressively. Expansive play brought Honeymann the opening try in the fifth minute, Callum Hudson converting.
Hero for Celtic was hooker and man of the match Kyle Blackmore who claimed a hat trick of almost identical tries, proving unstoppable from close in and his first saw the initial momentum turn. Phil Smith followed him across in a well worked move with Loren Quick, starting at stand off, and although the try was by the posts, Quick missed the conversion. Blackmore’s second and third touchdowns gave the Welshmen a 20-8 lead at the break.
Honeymann’s injury came at the start of the second half and seemed to inspire the Cubs although they fell further behind, against the run of play, when Dalton Grant went over. Sustained pressure finally did pay off for Keighley and full back Jack Copperwaite shot through a gap to score, Hudson landing his second goal.
A superb first half display, which saw them post 18 unanswered points, proved enough for EAST LEEDS as they held on to beat FEATHERSTONE LIONS in a tough derby to reclaim a top four spot.
Play maker Gareth Hynes was again the star for them but a boggy pitch did not allow either side to produce their best. Easts began to take control of field position with props Joe Sapcote and Steve Sunderland paving the way for hooker Dan Hudson to open the scoring from close range on 12 minutes. An identical score followed three minutes later, Hudson again sneaking over from acting half back and Hynes adding his second conversion.
Lions’ hooker Louis Stead and prop Gareth Jones worked tirelessly but it was the visitors who increased their advantage a minute before the break, Luke Pettiman powering over with three defenders in close proximity, Hynes adding the extras for an 18-0 half time advantage.
Stern words from Lions coach Simon Childs put some life back into the home side and five minutes into the second half Tom Flounders reduced the arrears with a try following good approach work from Craig Campbell and Stead. Zak Hardaker added the conversion, after which clear cut chances were few.
With 15 minutes to go, Featherstone full back Josh Hardcastle collected a through kick and made a superb break for the supporting Danny Barnes to score out wide. Crucially the conversion, which would have brought the contest back to a converted score, was missed and it was left to the visitors to conclude the scoring with a penalty goal from the excellent Hynes.
LEIGH MINERS RANGERS maintained their grip on the top with a consecutive double over their nearest rivals WEST CUMBRIA. Having won at Workington last week, the defending champions were again imperious, running in six tries in a convincing 32-2 success, although the fist half was a much closer affair. Adam Clay opened the scoring with a try in the fifth minute, Scott George replying for the visitors with a penalty to make it 4-2 at the break.
Elusive scrum half Sean Pendlebury’s try three minutes after the break set up Rangers, Matt Rozman following him over in the 45th minute. Stifling home defence snuffed out Wests’ challenge and, after non-stop hooker Anthony Nicholson had deservedly crossed, Jonathan Pownall made the game safe with a magnificent 60 metre run.
Two tries in two minutes at the end inflated the victory margin, Josh Hurst claiming the first and man of the match Nicholson grabbing his second.
RESULTS - Sunday 25th January
Featherstone Lions 10 East Leeds 20
Celtic Crusaders 24 Keighley Cougar Cubs 12 (at Newbridge)
Gateshead Thunder 18 Waterhead 0
Ince Rose Bridge 24 North London Stags 14
Leigh Miners Rangers 32 West Cumbria 2
Saddleworth Rangers v Leigh East – Postponed, waterlogged pitch
West Hull 32 Siddal 4
FIXTURES
Gillette Friday Floodlit Footy – 30th January
West Cumbria v Gateshead Thunder
Saturday 31st January
North London Stags v Leigh Miners Rangers (at Hemel)
Sunday 1st February
East Leeds v West Hull
Keighley Cougar Cubs v Featherstone Lions
Leigh East v Celtic Crusaders
Siddal v Ince Rose Bridge
Thursday 5th February
Saddleworth v Leigh Miners Rangers |
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