Gritty Rangers see off St Anne’s

RANGERS' winger Fraser Coley (centre) is met by Saints pair Ryan Blake (left) and Paul Ashton.

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Local rugby league: Saddleworth triumph in tough derby

SADDLEWORTH Rangers emerged victorious after a derby clash with Oldham St Anne's which was short on festive spirit.

Keith Brennan's men came away from Higginshaw Road with a battling 18-12 win which very much keeps their promotion hopes alive – while also keeping Saints in the relegation zone in National Conference League division one.

A big crowd were treated to an entertaining match which was full of passion, with plenty riding on the result for both sides. Tempers flared regularly and ultimately, it was the home side that paid the heavier price.

Saints loose forward Andy Wallace was sent off with 15 minutes to go and four players, two from each side, went to the sin-bin in a testy clash.

The stream of kickable penalties conceded by Mick Cashin's side tilted an even game the way of Rangers, who turned a 12-10 half-time deficit to a six-point lead via the boot of stand-off Michael Coates to complete a league double over their local rivals.

Even when a man down following Wallace's red card, St Anne's went close to pulling it round and the visitors' delight on hearing the final whistle disguised plenty of relief.

St Anne's started the game at a furious pace. Rick Badby's long pass almost sent in Darren Fletcher for the opening score after only a minute, before Paul Ashton kicked a penalty goal to give the green and golds a 2-0 lead.

The Badby-Fletcher combination then paid dividends on 10 minutes, the stand-off producing a peach of a long pass for the winger, before Matt Bottom's try off an inside ball and Coates's first goal of the afternoon levelled it up at 6-6.

Saddleworth took the lead when Fraser Coley pounced on a Coates bomb which bounced in the in-goal, but Saints weren't to be denied as half-time approached and Dane English did superbly to wriggle through past the defence to score off Badby's pass in the right corner, Ashton converting from off the touchline.

Three goals from Coates before the hour helped Rangers establish a 16-12 lead prior to the dismissal.

Former Saints forward Jason Best and Wallace had already spent time in the sin bin after a spot of fisticuffs in the first half, when Wallace got himself needlessly involved in a spat with Coley which saw him leave the field for striking. Saints were further punished via Coates's fifth goal of the day.

Matt Bottom and Kiel Lancashire also sat out the latter stages in the sin-bin as St Anne's pressed for a score which almost arrived when Danny Earley was held up over the line.

In NCL division two, Waterhead fell to a 36-0 away defeat at Ovenden, who now take up a spot in the promotion places.

The first half was evenly contested, with the Halifax side only carrying an 8-0 lead at the break before a further five tries made the points safe.