Williams inspires on-fire Hollinwood

MICHAEL Coates of table-toppers Saddleworth Rangers (right) looks to pass during his side’s 30-22 National Cup win over Hensingham.

HOLLINWOOD ran in eight tries to thrash Queensbury ‘A’ 44-6 in Pennine League division four — a result which hoisted the team to second position in the Rugby Oldham Challenge.

What’s more, a good weekend was capped by a fourth man-of-the-match award of the season for Alistair Williams — “again outstanding”, according to club official Fred Halliwell — which lifted him to the top of the Man of Steel standings.

New signings in the pack Ray Parry and Sonny Williams boosted the side, as did the return of Andy Charlton and John Byram, giving extra weight and experience to the team.

Alistair Williams went over for the first try before Charlton, coming off the bench, crashed over twice, both converted by Paul Brooks.

The only score of the game for the visitors arrived to make the score 16-6 at half-time.

Alistair Williams went in for his second after the interval, Brooks converting, and as Hollinwood threw the ball around the visitors had no answer. A try for Sonny Williams, again converted, preceded further efforts from Rick Roberts, substitute Ian Hunt — who sprinted round two players and raced 40 yards before rounding the full-back — and Peter Jackson, with Brooks picking up a total of six goals.


THE other game counting towards the table involved Higginshaw, who suffered an agonising 11-10 home defeat to Cadishead in North-West Counties League division four.
A terrific game was settled by a last-gasp one-pointer from visiting loose forward Richie Hayes, which sent the points back to Warrington after Higginshaw were forced to drop out from under their own posts.

A soft converted try gave Cadishead a lead in the early stages but as the game flowed from end to end, the home team got on the board when Steve Perry — back in the side after a year out due to a cruciate knee ligament injury — burst onto a David Hewson pass and beat the cover defence to touch down in the corner.

It stayed 6-4 until half-time, but Higginshaw then proceeded to step up a gear. Big Dane Armstrong was stopped just short but on the next set, made no mistake to give his side a two-point advantage.

Higginshaw then suffered a big blow when David Hewson fell awkwardly in a tackle. He could now be out for the season with cruciate knee ligament damage.

David Sweeney popped over a drop goal to make it 9-6 just after the hour, but Higgy then lost control off the restart and had to drop out.

A Cadishead try out wide followed to give them a one-point lead with five minutes left which was subsequently cancelled by another Sweeney drop goal.

Despite losing at the last, it was a terrific team performance from Higginshaw, whose man-of-the-match was Sweeney, with Armstrong and veteran Alan Dunn close behind.


NONE of the other sides involved in the Rugby Oldham Challenge played in fixtures that contribute to the competition.

Saddleworth Rangers and Waterhead were involved in National Cup, with Oldham St Anne’s playing in the Challenge Cup, while Rochdale Cobras didn’t have a fixture. Knockout results aren’t counted in the table.