Rangers slip to home defeat

SADDLEWORTH gang up to stop St Maries’ Michael Foster.

SADDLEWORTH Rangers suffered their first home defeat of the season in division one of the National Conference League as they went down 18-10 to Widnes St Maries.

They were always trailing against a team who were two places above them in third before the start of play. Behind to a try and conversion in the third minute, Rangers reduced the arrears with a superb solo effort from stand-off Emerson Jackman.

The next score would prove vital and it was St Maries who stretched their lead with a converted try, before another six-point haul sealed Rangers’ fate.

The home side would not give up, but a Michael Coates try and conversion proved too little too late.


NEVER-SAY-DIE Oldham St Anne’s staged a stunning recovery to draw 28-28 at Ince Rose Bridge in division one.

Saints were dealt a body blow on the morning of the match with the loss of five players — Dave Harris (work commitments), Ben Myers (work), Alex Ayres (knee injury), Mark Dixon (ankle) and Chris Carter (groin) — and they appeared to be heading for a heavy defeat after they trailed 20-6 early on in the second half.

But Mick Cashin’s side, who were chasing a third straight win, showed tremendous character to draw level with five minutes to go when a Ryan Blake try was converted by Keil Lancashire.

And Saints thought they had won a penalty to win the game when the ball was seemingly kicked out of John Fox’s hands, but the referee gave a knock-on instead.

Prop Fox and second-row Simon Topping were called up from the reserves and rewarded Cashin’s confidence in them with a try apiece.

Lee Forsythe repeated his feat of seven days earlier with two more scores, while Lancashire kicked four goals.




WINGER Mark Whyatt damaged ankle ligaments as a spirited Waterhead side went down 27-10 at home to second-placed Myton Warriors in division two.



Assistant coach Terry Smith praised the Peach Road outfit for a “heroic defensive effort” after defending set-after-set on their own line.

A try from Darren Nixon, converted by Terry Fitzgerald, put Waterhead in front.

A sustained spell of pressure finally paid off for Warriors just before the break and another score soon after the restart left Waterhead, for whom young loose forward Will Schofield was outstanding, playing catch up.

The visitors stretched their lead, only for second row forward Nixon to cut the deficit to 18-10 with his second try.

But when Whyatt limped off 15 minutes to go — they had lost prop forward John Mitchell to a shoulder injury in the first half — Waterhead’s chances of staging a late rally were ruined.