Battling Rangers in Trophy exit

Saddleworth Rangers player, Josh Bradbury

WITH two players sin-binned, Saddleworth Rangers put up a real fight but ended up finding the going too tough as they lost out 32-16 at Premier Division outfit Wigan St Patrick's in the quarter-finals of the RFL Challenge Trophy.

Anthony Morrison picked up a yellow card just after the half-hour and Gavin Dodd followed suit in the closing stages, as the Greenfield outfit let a 10-6 advantage slip to miss out on a last-four place.

Josh Bradbury and Ethan Langhorn tries in the opening half, allied to a Ben Whitehead conversion, had coach Craig Farrimond's side handily placed at one stage.

But the top-flight hosts, who led 12-10 at half-time, had other ideas. Their tries came from Afeez Oderinde (two), Tony Suffolk, Andy Higham, Tyler Spence and Charlie Mitchell, with James Ratcliffe kicking four goals. Gareth Morgan grabbed a consolation score for the visitors which Whitehead improved.

* WATERHEAD Warriors were beaten 44-24 at home by Gateshead Storm in Division Three of the Kingstone Press National Conference League.

Two tries from Peter Davies, plus efforts by Tom Houlaghan and Terry Fitzgerald, were all added to by Keegan Brennan conversions to leave the Warriors handily placed at 24-22 to the good after an hour.

Gateshead, now up to third in the table, had other ideas in the final quarter. Braces of early tries by Neil Emmerson and Andy Morris were added to by scores from Alex Ross, Zach Clarke, Steve Welton and Paddy Hargreaves, with Clarke adding six goals in total.