Impressive Rangers in last eight

Amateur rugby league

A QUARTER-FINAL place in the BARLA National Cup awaits Saddleworth Rangers, following a very impressive 38-4 win away at Ovenden.

Keith Brennan’s men overcame strong winds at the Halifax club to comprehensively overpower the home side and land a home tie against either Siddal — 52-12 winners over Oldham St Anne’s this weekend in round three — or Thatto Heath.

“It was a good team performance against a side that had been going very well in the league,” said Brennan, of his team’s win over an Ovenden outfit sitting mid-table in National Conference League division two.

“Our forwards played very well, especially the second row pair of Jason Best and Simon Parrish, and we did everything right.”

Rangers shot into a 18-0 lead by half-time, thanks to tries from Best, Tom Lever and a superb 80-metre run from winger Fraser Coley, plus three goals from man-of-the-match Michael Coates.

Stand-off Coates then went over for a try after a smart dummy, Shaun Robinson was next on the scoresheet and Ben Walters made the most of a smart ball from Emerson Jackman.

Two further Coates goals gave Rangers a commanding 34-0 lead on 51 minutes.

Ovenden hit back with a score of their own soon after, before a smart Dale Lowe pass sent in Gareth Davies to round off the scoring.

ST ANNE’S went down to a heavy defeat at Siddal thanks in no small part to the home side’s Shaun Blackburn, who came up with a 28-point haul comprising three tries and eight goals.

Scott Caley put the home side ahead after two minutes with a Blackburn-goaled effort, only for Saints to hit back two minutes later when David Cookson crashed over, Kiel Lancashire adding the goal.

Home man-of-the-match Lee Gudor then broke through for another Blackburn-goaled try before Cookson had an attempt ruled out after gathering Paul Ashton’s chip.

The NCL premier division high-fliers then took control through tries from Chris Marsh, Blackburn (two) and Shaun Garrod with the half-time score standing at 34-6.

St Anne’s held out for 25 minutes of the second half before Brad Attwood went in under the posts.

Cookson then got his second for the visitors, converted by Lancashire, before Blackburn completed his treble.

Waterhead were beaten 40-6 at high-flying Myton Warriors in NCL division two.

In the words of Mick Slicker, the team “just didn’t get off the coach” and found themselves 30-0 down at half-time.

Danny Day was voted man-of-the-match for the visitors, who improved after the break to claim a second-half try through Paddy Slicker, converted by Terry Fitzgerald.

A bad day for Waterhead was compounded by injuries sustained by Michael Diveny (sternum) and Martin Sarsfield (ankle).