Saints impress over first hurdle

RAISE A CHEER: Saddleworth School celebrated after winning the Oldham Schools’ Year Seven rugby league festival at Manor Park.

KYLE Saunders set the tone as Oldham St Anne’s under-13s swept aside Golbourne Parkside 32-8 in the first round of the Lancashire Cup.

Positive play from the youngster allowed Saints to make early inroads in the home side’s defence, and they broke the deadlock through a Kyle Winterbottom try. Ashley Forde converted.

Hayden Wardle scored out wide after an impressive build-up play from Dylan O’Grady, Winterbottom and Jack Hall.

Golbourne threw everything at Saints, but they held firm and responded with a long-range try from Winterbottom. Forde again added the extras.

Danny Lewis stretched Saints’ lead with another score, while the hosts finally got some points on the board to trail 20-4 at the break.

Saints made a flying start to the second half — Callan Whittaker scored out wide and he was denied another by a refereeing decision — to virtually make the game safe.

Whittaker did get his second from long range — Forde converted — after Golbourne had scored a try of their own.

Saints will play Wigan St Patrick’s in round two.

The under-15s overcame a slow start to edge out Wigan St Jude’s 8-6 in division one of the North-West Counties League.

Trailing 4-0 after 10 minutes against a determined St Jude’s outfit, Saints hit back when Ollie Kerr pounced on a grubber kick from Kendal Davies to score. Davies added the extras.

A penalty early in the second half levelled things up until a Martin Swaine goal nosed Saints ahead with 10 minutes to go.

An outstanding team performance yielded a 48-6 win for the under-12s at Latchford.

Try scorers for Saints were man-of-the-match Ryan Lynch (two), Luke Skilling, Sam Akeroyd, Alex Jobson, Jack Morrison, Daniel Hare, Adam Foy and Callum Brent.

Paul Ainsworth converted five of the tries and Josh Berry two.

The under-11s came away from Blackbrook with a creditable 18-18 draw.

Saints were leading with five minutes to go, but were then forced to hang on with the home side searching for a last-gasp win.

Tries came from man-of-the-match Oliver Russell, Elliott Caine, Shaun Hurley, who scored with a wonderful rampaging effort.

Regan Croft showed great pace to notch two tries on his debut for the under-10s, who defeated Portico Vine 28-18.

James Barran, Owen Baldwin and Nathan Done also touched down — Done’s effort was the try of the game after breaking from half-way— as Saints fought back from a two-point deficit at half-time.

Baldwin and Jamie Ashton added conversions, while Harry Akeroyd was named boy of the match.

The under-eights made it three wins out of three with a hard-fought seven tries to six win over Halton Hornets.

Asa France (two), Danny Fish (two), Ethan Chiappe, Thomas Rogers and Sam Petty got their tries.




Rangers withstand fightback



SADDLEWORTH Rangers under-13s resisted a second-half recovery from Leyland Warriors to reach round two of the Lancashire Cup.



Rangers, who won 18-8, went ahead on the stroke of half-time through Jed Mawdsley — Dominic D’Adamo added the conversion — before Bowden Morgan scooted over and Cameron Matthews kicked the extras to double their lead.

Leyland hit back with two unconverted tries of their own to set up a nail-biting climax, but a second try from Mawdsley and Rangers’ third kept their opponents at bay.

William Barlow was voted man of the match.

In the absence of four regulars, the under-14s stepped up to the mark to overcome Latchford Albion 32-14.

Behind at 10-6, an unfortunate injury to a Latchford player changed the course of the game.

Ben White added two more tries to his earlier effort — one of which was converted — to send Rangers into a 14-10 lead at half-time.

And man-of-the-match White proved unstoppable after the break, scoring and converting three more tries, although Latchford kept going to the end.

The under-16s maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a 26-10 win over New Spring Lions.

Skipper Sam Wilson was terrific in both defence and attack, while the man-of-the-match award went to Lewis Hough for a strong running display.

Tries came from Tommy Smith, Sam Shaw, Ben Anchor and Nathan Jewitt (two), while all five were converted by Michael Tattersall and Joe Greenwood.

The under-15s can also boast an unblemished record after a 20-8 defeat of Rochdale Mayfield.

After an initial bout of Mayfield pressure, a well-worked try from winger Sam Rhodes set Rangers on their way.

An opportunist effort from Jordan Arundale, who scooted over the line from acting half-back, increased their lead before the visitors, who were trailing 12-4 at this stage, hit back to reduce the arrears.

A Nathan Shaw-Longhorn penalty gave Rangers some breathing space and further try from man-of-the-match Chris Yarwood clinched victory.

Penalties from Shaw-Langhorn and Luke Du Fue (two) made up the points tally.

On a warm day and with no reserves, a resolute under-12s side came from behind to defeat Wigan St Jude’s 10-4.

Jack Brocklehurst scored one try and made the initial break for Adam Davies to get the other. Adam Greer, who supplied the final pass, converted.

Jake Charnock earned the man-of-the-match vote.

In a hard-fought game, the under-nines lost by five tries to four.

New-boy Matt Fletcher scored two of the tries, while Kieran Elkin was man-of-the-match.




Superior ’Head show no mercy



SHOWING greater movement in attack, Waterhead under-15s recorded an emphatic 52-10 win over Folly Lane in division one of the North-West Counties League.



Leading 24-10 at half-time, they ran in 28 unanswered points in the second period.

Try-scorers were Jake Shoel (two), Jack Cooke (two), Adam Steeple, Johnathan Fouldes, Daniel Yates, Sean Sedgewick and Josh Johnson. Ben Whitehead kicked eight goals.

Under-nines continued their fine start to the season with a seven tries to six victory at Crossfields.

Dane Taylor surpassed his four-try effort a week earlier by bagging six this time, while Lewis Wighton got the other.

Man-of-the-match spoils went to the fast-improving Wesley Woodhead.




Rhinos rock



SHAW Rhinos under-14s put 44 past Cadishead with no reply and the under-11s also displayed excellent defence in a 40-0 victory over Fitton Hill Bulldogs.



Dominic Taylor (two tries and one goal), man-of-the-match Mitchell Hunt (two tries), top tackler Ryan Eddowes and Travis Holden (two tries and five goals out of six) were the points scorers for the under-11s.

Rhinos are looking for new recruits at both age levels. Training takes place every Tuesday (6pm) and Saturday (10.30am) on George Street playing fields.