Waterhead upset odds to lift Cup

Waterhead celebrate their Standard Cup final victory over Saddleworth Rangers.

Saddleworth Rangers 6, Waterhead 12


WATERHEAD turned the tables on pre-match favourites Saddleworth to deservedly pick up the O’Rourke Standard Cup trophy for the first time in eight years.

In truth, the Peach Road side should have spared the nerves of their supporters among the 1,148 crowd at Boundary Park by knocking over a goal or three – particularly when the otherwise impressive stand-off Terry Fitzgerald shanked one horribly from straight in front of the posts.

But despite coming under regular bouts of pressure throughout the game, the final six-point margin proved more than enough.

“This was for Kevin Hobson, who always believed in me,” said delighted winning coach Mick Slicker.

“We prepared brilliantly. I would have been proud of the lads even if we had lost. It has taken a lot of change to get to here and hopefully now they will believe in themselves that bit more.”

Fired-up Waterhead began the game with a bang. First, stand-off Terry Fitzgerald switched play to the short side and the excellent Alan Williamson provided a try in the left corner for his lively wing partner Mark Whyatt after eight minutes.

Fitzgerald missed the resulting conversion but was on hand to create another try four minutes later, finding prop Chris Charlesworth on an unstoppable burst under the posts. The simple conversion for Fitzgerald from in front was badly sliced wide, though.

Saddleworth, with a size advantage in the pack, came back into it and began to put their opponents under real pressure.

Michael Coates hoisted a high kick towards the right corner and James Whalley came out best in his duel for the ball with Whyatt, Coates also adding a terrific conversion from the touchline to haul the interval deficit back to 8-6.

Fitzgerald made amends for his earlier miss with a superb try five minutes after the break. Reading Michael Coates’ attempted cut-out pass as Waterhead defended their line, he ran the length of the field to outpace a raft of chasing defenders to touch down.

Sean Garrett missed the conversion and Fitzgerald then missed another penalty attempt he would normally stroke over.

The 12-6 lead appeared a fragile one but even though Saddleworth pressed hard, too many passes were forced and every half-break was recovered superbly by a highly determined Watehead rearguard.

“I was disappointed with the way we approached the game,” admitted Rangers coach Keith Brennan.

“We just didn’t turn up. At the same time though, I don’t want to take anything away from Waterhead as they deserved to win the game.”

Saddleworth: Lever; Coley, Whalley, Walters, Robinson; M Coates, L Coates; Rogers, Charlesworth, Best, Miller, Jeffries, Parrish. Subs: Walker, Hewitt, Lowe, Hall.

Waterhead: Grennan; Wildman, Slicker, Williamson, Whyatt; Fitzgerald, Diveny; Leyden, Cheetham, Charlesworth, Sarsfield, Highton, Schofield. Subs: Garrett, Day, Bennett, Beswick.




WATERHEAD’S Michael Diveny picked up the Rugby Oldham-sponsored Ben Powell Memorial Trophy man-of-the-match award for a vibrant display at scrum-half.






Promotion hopes fade for Rangers



SADDLEWORTH also endured disappointment the following afternoon, going down to a 23-12 defeat away at Widnes St Marie’s which all but ends the club’s slim promotion hopes in National Conference League division one.



Rangers grabbed a 15th-minute lead through a Tom Lever try which he also converted, but a try from Scott Harland, added to his drop-goal and a penalty from Sean Dourley, gave Marie’s a 9-6 half-time lead.

Harland and full-back Steve Riley went over for a double-strike which killed off tired Saddleworth’s hopes in the second half, Dooley adding a conversion before winger Mike Fairclough added another for the home side.

Lever added a second try for the visitors, converted by Ethan Langhorn, but it wasn’t enough.

Saddleworth now have away games against Shaw Cross and Stanningley, followed by home matches against Castleford Panthers, Dudley Hill and Millom.