Saints make early impact

OLDHAM St Anne’s under-13s hit the ground running by grinding out a 16-10 win at Langworthy Reds.

Despite travelling with only 13 players due to late cry-offs and injuries, Saints started brightly and opened the scoring with a well-worked try from Kyle Saunders, with Ashley Forde converting.

Another followed, from Hayden Wardle, before a pair of tries in the second half levelled things up, but a Jack Hall kick, pounced on by Callan Whittaker and again converted by Forde, secured victory for St Anne’s.

A solid 36-20 home win over Ince Rose Bridge provided the under-16s with a promising start.

After going 6-0 down, new recruit Gene Ormsby went in before Ieuan Higgs’ offload sent in Simon Brunt on the opposite wing to give Saints the lead.

Ince then went over twice more before hard working Jake Eastwood, forced his way across from close range, George Ford converting to close the gap to 16-14 at half-time.

Saints then stepped up a gear and Danny Bridge crashed over to give them the lead. Jackson grabbed two tries and Ormsby then added another to cap a fine debut before a last-minute consolation for the visitors.

The under-10s brushed aside neighbours Mayfield Mustangs 30-0 — Joshua Fish (three), James Barran, prop Anthony Wooley, winger Joshua Glasgow and Nathan Done got the tries — and the under-15s outscored Leigh East by seven tries to one to claim a convincing 30-6 triumph.

Josh Ogden grabbed a brilliant hat-trick, Dale Harris scored twice and one score each arrived through Jarred Ward and Nick Ryan. Martin Swaine kicked the solitary conversion.

St Anne’s under-12s came from behind to win 20-10 at Westhoughton.

Jack Morrison opened the scoring before the home team levelled it up before half-time.

Man of the match Josh Berry scooted over for a deserved try, converted by Paul Ainsworth, while Adam Foy was next to score, Ainsworth again adding the extras. Ryan Lynch’s effort provided the finishing touch.

A determined Mayfield under-nines side beat St Anne’s by five tries to two.

Boy of the match Cole Connelly and Sam Hall got on the score sheet.

IN A fiercely contested first match of the season, Saddleworth Rangers under-nines came out 12 tries to 10 victors against Rylands.

Josh Molloy and man of the match Nathan Roebuck scored five and four tries respectively in a good all-round team performance, while Nathan Burgess scored a great long-range effort.

A crushing 40-10 win over Chorley Panthers handed Rangers under-13s a blistering start to the season.

Dominic D’Adamo scored the opening try after just eight minutes and Joseph Harrison-Brown added a second soon afterwards with a dazzling solo run.

Further scores arrived from Sebastian Leech, D’Adamo and Bowden Morgan either side of the break, before Harrison-Brown completed his hat-trick. Cameron Matthews kicked six from seven attempts.

Defence won the day for Rangers under-14s, who eked out a 6-4 win at Bold Miners.

The home side claimed first blood at the midpoint of the first half, but Rangers fought back and replied when the hard working Ryan Maneely scored under the posts, man-of-the-match Ben White adding the conversion for the lead.

WATERHEAD under-15s started their campaign with a good 30-22 home win over a strong Thatto Heath outfit.

They scored five well-worked tries through centre Jake Shoel (two), a debut effort from winger Ryan Gordon and one each from prop Josh Johnson and full-back Jonathan Fouldes, with loose forward Ben Whitehead converting all five.