Final showdown

LOCAL duo Daniel Yates and Kyle Mayall starred as England Schools under-15s defeated their Wales counterparts 18-16 in a game played at Blackwood RFC in Gwent.

A 34-6 defeat of Waterhead secured Saddleworth Rangers under-13s a spot in the Chronicle and Rugby Oldham-sponsored Oldham Cup final this coming Sunday.

Rangers will face Oldham St Anne’s in the final, which is being played out at Waterhead Park, after recovering from the setback of conceding an early try from Cieran Beswick, converted by Jack Holmes.

Saddleworth hit back almost immediately with two long-range efforts from Joseph Harrison-Brown and Dominic Elkin also scored before half-time.

Though Waterhead battled hard after the break, further tries from Bowden Morgan, Elkin and Adam Wardle rounded off the scoring.

Dominic D’Adamo added five conversions and Cameron Robertson was voted Rangers’ man of the match.

As well as the Rangers-versus-Saints clash, three other Oldham Cup finals are to be played out at Waterhead ARLFC on Sunday.

Fixtures —

Under-13s: Saddleworth Rangers v Oldham St Anne’s (10.30am kick off).

Under-14s: Saddleworth Rangers v Higginshaw (11.45am).

Under-15s: Oldham St Anne’s v Waterhead (1.15pm).

Under-16s: Saddleworth Rangers v Waterhead (2.45pm).




THE under-12s Oldham Cup final was played out last week and was won by Waterhead, who defeated Oldham St Anne’s 20-4.



Billy McDermott scored a hat-trick of tries for Waterhead, with Reece Bradshaw also touching down and Adam Wells landing two conversions.

Saints’ sole reply came through Alex Jobson.




SADDLEWORTH Rangers under-14s defeated Latchford Albion 48-20, with Lewis Galbraith landing the man-of-the-match award.



Galbraith was first on the scoresheet, racing three-quarters the length of the field to touch down with Ben White converting.

White then provided a try for Scott Booth, again converting, before adding another try himself which he also goaled.

Latchford then crossed out on the right, which they also converted, before Ryan Maneely made a try for White with a short, sharp pass for a 24-6 half-time lead.

Maneely, Galbraith, Danny Richardson and White — completing his hat-trick — added second-half scores, White also kicking four more conversions for Rangers.




THE TITLE is in the bag for Oldham St Anne’s under-15s, whose 26-0 win at Ashton Bears secured a top-placed finish in North-West Counties division one.



Ashton kept the score down to 6-0 at half-time, with Saints only getting through with a Kyle Mayall try, converted by Martin Swaine.

The second half saw St Anne’s rip through the Bears defence, scoring five unanswered tries through Nathan Hughes, Ryan Bradbury, Ryan Powell, Mayall and Ewan Reddyoff, all unconverted.

St Anne’s under-10s lost 30-10 at home to Burtonwood Bulldogs.

Although Saints were outscored by six tries to two, they were both good efforts.

First Owen Baldwin received the ball 15 metres out and ferreted his way through the defence before reaching out to score and convert his own effort.

Regan Croft scored the best try of the game when he bust the Warrington side’s defence on the left flank to streak down the touch line from 60 metres out.




WATERHEAD under-15s topped off their season by winning 30-14 at Leigh East, in the process inflicting on the home side their heaviest defeat of the campaign.



Jake Shoel (two), Daniel Yates and Jack Cooke and crossed in the first half with Ben Whitehead converting all four for a 24-0 lead.

The second half started in a similar vein with Jack Ford going over and Whitehead converting 30-0. Then it went scrappy as Waterhead — who have finished the season second in North-West Counties division one — allowed a determined East side to come back with 14 points of their own.

Other results —

UNDER-NINES: Oldham St Anne’s five tries (Michael Grabowski 2, Harrison Lewis, Macauley Jones, Cole Connelly), Woolston one try.

UNDER-EIGHTS: Saddleworth Rangers seven tries (Bradley Jinks 3, Adam Howarth 2, Tom Healy, Andrew Goodwin), Hindley six tries; Oldham St Anne’s nine tries (Ben Ivell 2, Thomas Bernes 2, Ethan Chiappe 2, Asa France 2, Max Flanagan), Waterhead four tries.




Higgy plans to be unveiled



EXCITING plans for the future of Higginshaw ARLFC, who boast several junior sides, are to be unveiled at a public meeting tomorrow night.



Development plans for a new clubhouse will be outlined at the meeting, which takes place at Shaw Road Conservative Club (7.30pm for an 8pm start).

Guest speakers, local business people and players and officials will be present and everyone is welcome to attend.

For further information, contact Higginshaw secretary John Mellor at john.mellor@baesystems.com or on (0161) 9574561.