Coley’s late try boosts Rangers

SAINTS’ Ryan Blake on the charge.

FRASER COLEY’S last-gasp try clinched a first win in three games for Saddleworth Rangers in division one of the National Conference League.

They trailed hosts Bradford Dudley Hill with a minute to go, but the winger’s late intervention secured a 18-16 victory which ended a run of two consecutive defeats for Keith Brennan’s side.

It was a gutsy performance from Rangers, who found themselves 12-0 adrfit after 19 minutes.

But a Steve Nield try and a Mick Coates conversion after the half hour mark gave them a toehold in the game, only for Hill hit bacl with two more points with a penalty just before the break.

Rangers needed to act fast when play resumed, and they got the perfect start, Emerson Jackman forcing his way over for the visitors’ second try, which Coates converted.

Coates was successful with a penalty moments later to level things up, but Hill were back in front after they were awarded a penalty.

But Rangers made sure they had the last say when Fraser, after excellent support from Marlon Miller, went over.


OLDHAM St Anne’s saw their three-match unbeaten run come to an end at home to West Bowling in division one.
Despite leading twice in the first half through tries from Phil Jagger and Keil Lancashire — both were converted — Saints went down 22-18 at Higginshaw Road.

They dominated the first 20 minutes, but allowed West Bowling a way back into the game with a series of errors and found themselves two points behind at the break.

A penalty and a converted try left Saints further adrift, before a Peter Deakin score, with Lancashire adding the extras, put them in touching distance of their opponents with seconds to go.

A chip and chase almost brought a last-gasp win as the home side finished with a flourish.

“It was just one of those days,” said coach Mick Cashin, who lost Jagger to a bad cut after a clash of heads with team-mate Dave Cookson. “I couldn’t fault the players for effort, but we made some silly mistakes and were punished.”

A TERRY Fitzgerald try, which he converted himself, gave Waterhead an early lead at Heworth in division two.

But a 30-minute spell of defending finally tooks it toll on the Peach Road outfit, who lost 28-10.

Waterhead, for whom gutsy prop Mark Leyden played the full 80 minutes, went into the break all-square at 6-6 after conceding a try virtually on the whistle.

Heworth took the game by the scruff off the neck to forge 18-6 ahead, only for a Jack Burns try cut the deficit to eight points.

But Waterhead, who fielded three under-18s in Jordan Pye, Mick Bennett and Sean Garrett, ran out of steam and the visitors quickly reasserted their authority.

Paddy Slicker’s bad luck continued. On his way back from a shoulder injury, he pulled up with a hamstring problem just 10 minutes after coming off the replacements’ bench.