Saints on the march

OLDHAM St Anne’s are building up a head of steam in division one of the National Conference League.

Seven days after sweeping aside Normanton Knights, Saints proved too good for Shaw Cross Sharks.

They ran out worthy 28-10 winners at Higginshaw Road, thanks to tries from man-of-the-match Lee Forsythe (two), Phil Jagger and Rick Badby.

Keil Lancashire was again red hot, kicking three conversions and three penalties as Mick Cashin’s men secured their third success of the season.

Tries from Forsythe and Jagger — both goaled — sent Saints into an early 12-0 lead.

Lapses in concentration allowed Sharks a foothold in the game and they reduced the deficit to 12-8 — Paul Garrett was in the sin-bin for the visitors’ try — but that was as close as they got.

Badby, who seized on a chip ahead, and a Lancashire conversion had reaffirmed Saints’ superiority by half-time.

Within minutes of the restart, Lancashire landed a penalty before Sharks responded with their second try.

But Lancashire extended the Saints’ lead with another penalty, before Jagger break produced a try for Forsythe, with that man Lancashire adding another two-pointer to seal a comfortable win.




ALL good things must come to an end — and that was the case for Saddleworth Rangers who were hoping to extend their 100-per-cent record at Castleford Panthers in division one.



Keith Brennan’s side could not find the form that had seen them win their first three matches of the season as they stumbled to a 10-6 defeat.

Scoreless at half-time, they only had a Tom Lever try four minutes from time and a Michael Coates conversion to celebrate in a disappointing display.

Coach Brennan said: “It was a very poor performance. There are no injuries to report, only wounded pride and I think that is probably worse.”






AN INCREDIBLE length-of-the-field score from Ashley Wildman — he gathered the ball behind his own try-line — was in vain as Waterhead slipped to a 40-14 defeat at East Leeds in division two.


Injuries and a host of other commitments impacted on the Peach Road outfit’s selection, but none of the 17 players on show could be faulted for a lack of effort as each and everyone of them gave 100-per-cent.

A curtailed warm-up did not help their cause — they were late arriving at the ground — and they soon found themselves up against it.

Terry Fitzgeralnd scored Waterhead’s other try and he added three goals.