Amateur rugby league

RYAN Blake bagged three tries as Oldham St Anne’s sent Normanton Knights crashing to their first home defeat for 18 months in the National Conference League.

But Saints had to overcome a half-time deficit — they were 20-18 down after leading 18-2 inside 15 minutes — to secure a thrilling 38-32 success.

David Cookson, Ben Mayers, Martin Dixon and John Sweeney were the other try-scorers — the excellent Keil Lancashire kicked five goals — as Chris Deakin’s side secured only their second win of the season.

Blake should have had a fourth try — he dropped the ball under the posts — but he made up for his lapse in concentration three minutes from time, completing his hat-trick with the scores level.

Paul Garrett, who is approaching his 40th birthday, was outstanding at loose forward and played the entire match.


SADDLEWORTH Rangers also came from behind — Keith Brennan’s side conceded four penalties in the first half and saw Emerson Jackman sent to the sin bin — to maintain their 100-per-cent record.

Tries from Tom Lever, Michael Coates and Simon Parrish, plus three conversions and two penalties from Coates, clinched a 22-14 win at home to Eastmoor Dragons.

The visitors’ only try, which was converted, came from the final play of the game.

o A YOUNG Waterhead team, coach Mick Slicker named two under-18s among the replacements, swept aside Crosfields 40-14 in division two.

Terry Fitzgerald started the ball rolling — he also added three goals — before John Mitchell, Paddy Slicker, Chris Hepworth, Michael Munro, Paul Bennett, Darren Nixon and Mark Leyden got in on the act.

Apart from a 15-minute period in the second half when Crosfields mounted a sustained spell off pressure, Waterhead always held the upper hand.