Promise of better to come

A 26-16 home defeat by a fancied Littleborough outfit contained promising signs for Hollinwood.

The visitors were matched for the majority of the game in this Pennine League division four clash, with only a late converted try in the corner making the points safe — after a period in which Hollinwood, four adrift, were doing all the pressing.

Ian Hunt crossed for the first try of the season, with Nick Hartley converting, but Littleborough held a half-time advantage thanks to a pair of tries and a solitary goal.

Hunt’s second levelled it up after the break, before the visitors regained the lead with a further try.

A Lee Morris score, added to by Hartley, again edged Hollinwood in front 16-14, before another six-point try established a Littleborough advantage they embellished with that late effort.

Matthew McCullough was voted man-of-the-match for Hollinwood, with Pete Jackson, Alistair Williams, Mick Wilson and Ian Hunt all showing up well.