Super Saints surge past stunned Leigh

ON THE DRIVE: Saints prop Alex Eyres (centre) pushes through the tackles.

OLDHAM St Anne's produced a display jam-packed with verve and enthusiasm to sensationally dump Leigh Miners Rangers out of the BARLA National Cup.

The final 25-18 scoreline did full justice to the home side, who shot out of the blocks to rack up 20 unanswered first-half points, setting up the platform for a victory which takes Saints into round three.

"It was some performance," said St Anne's coach Mick Cashin, after his team – third-bottom of National Conference League division one – overcame the challenge of a side currently top of the premier division.

"Our defence laid down a great platform and our line speed and aggression in the tackle was great.

"We played some really good rugby as well and came up with some well-worked tries."

Saints were on the front foot from the off and almost opened the scoring but for Miners' Linford Wetherby clearing the ball from the onrushing Dane English.

The visitors then went close themselves on the quarter-hour but full-back Andrew Sarsfield's effort was disallowed – much to the displeasure of loose forward John Taylor, whose protests landed him in the sin-bin.

Saints took advantage of the extra man when Danny Earley's break resulted in a try in the corner for winger Darren Fletcher, Paul Ashton goaling.

Two minutes later St Anne's were in again, Danny Kay steeping through the defence and setting up Rick Badby to score under the posts with Ashton converting.

Ashton increased the advantage with a penalty goal after 30 minutes and the same player went close to adding a try off Badby's chip through, but the home side weren't to be denied.

Andy Wallace and man-of-the-match Ryan Blake produced an opening for David Cookson to crash over out wide, Ashton again adding the extras to give St Anne's a commanding lead at half-time.

The Leigh side responded through Chris Humphrey's try out wide after a well-placed Scott O'Brien kick, Sarsfield converting before Ashton gave referee Simon Barrie a tongue-lashing to earn a 10-minute spell on the sidelines.

Lee Forsythe increased the home team's lead with a penalty goal, only for Miners to hit back with a pair of tries for Aaron Gorton and O'Brien, both converted by Sarsfield, to reduce the gap to four and ensure a tense finish.

But with time running out, St Anne's sub Kiel Lancashire made certain of the win with a drop-goal two minutes from the end.

"Everyone stayed behind at the club that little bit longer than usual after the game," said a delighted Cashin. "Now we want to use this performance as a turning point for our season."


WATERHEAD progressed to the Standard Cup final, but it wasn't in the manner that anyone would have wished for.

Scheduled opponents Rochdale Cobras failed to raise a side to travel to Peach Road, meaning the game was called off less than an hour-and-a-half before the 1.15pm kick off time.

Waterhead now await the winners of the St Anne's-Saddleworth Rangers last-four tie in the Boundary Park final.