Schoolboys through to last eight

SADDLEWORTH School’s Year Eight rugby league team made it into the last eight of the north-west section of the Carnegie Champion Schools tournament thanks to a 24-16 win over St Aelred’s of St Helens.

On a bitterly cold afternoon at Manor Park, a hat-trick of tries from Daniel Fairfoul helped Saddleworth squeeze home. The team now faces the mammoth task of taking on the famous St John Fisher School of Wigan — the reigning regional champions — in the last eight, away from home.

Missing six players due to injury, illness and a clash with a corresponding school football match, Saddleworth struggled to deal with the strong running of St Aelred’s Dominic Reed in the opening quarter.

However, against the run of play Saddleworth got on the score sheet first with Fairfoul and Billy McDermott — son of former Oldham and Great Britain legend Barrie — registering unconverted tries.

The visitors then deservedly pulled the score back to 8-6 at half-time through a try from Reed which was converted by Naylor.

St Aelred’s started strongly after the break and went in front when tries from Sam Wells and Reed, plus one Naylor goal, put them 16-8 up.

Minutes later, Saddleworth’s Jonny Aspin collared Reed as he broke the line again and the home team rallied.

With the elusive running of James Tetlow causing problems, Fairfoul’s power, speed and strength enabled him to score two more excellent individual tries.

Utility player Robert Wood then pounced on a loose ball from a last-tackle kick to dive over between the uprights and captain Paul Ainsworth’s two conversions stretched out Saddleworth’s lead.

St Aelred’s put in one last big effort but it was to no avail, leaving Saddleworth looking forward to their big quarter-finals test.