Wing man Parkinson shoots down Saints

GET AWAY: Alan Williamson, of Saints fends off a would-be Blackbrook tackler. PICTURE: PAUL STERRITT.

RUGBY: OLDHAM St Anne’s are still hunting down their first points of the season in Division Two, after losing a half-time advantage in going down 40-24 at home to Blackbrook.

Tom McMullen made it a perfect start at Higginshaw Road with a second-minute try, which was soon added to by a Kiel Lancashire penalty.

Stand-out winger Steve Parkinson’s try, which he converted, evened things up and Blackbrook went ahead when Danny Fairhurst squeezed over.

Alan Williamson, who was excellent at full-back for Saints, registered next and Lancashire’s goal made it 12-10 to the home side as the teams switched ends.

David Sweeney was next over for St Anne’s and Lancashire’s goal increased the lead to eight points.

But the game changed dramatically as Saints suffered on the penalty count. Parkinson and Jimmy Brown crossed, the former converting once. And that man Parkinson made it a hat-trick when racing the length of the field and added a penalty for good measure.

Carl Fields scored a consolation try for the home side at the end, but not before Scott Davidson and Parkinson, again, had touched down, with two more goals coming from the star man’s boot for a personal tally of 28.