Saints power to derby success

ST ANNE’S prop Peter Deakin makes the hard yards against Waterhead.

INTENSITY is the name of the game for Oldham St Anne’s boss Mick Cashin.

Having coached his side to the top of National Conference League division two, Cashin is determined that his side stays there — with no slip-ups against the perceived lesser sides.

Saints punished local rivals Waterhead at Higginshaw Road at the weekend, boasting too much power and pace for the visitors to run out 54-16 winners.

With a game away at second-bottom Dewsbury outfit Shaw Cross Sharks in wait this weekend, Cashin wants no let-up in terms of attitude and performance.

“It is always a difficult place to go to and even though they are not doing well, we are looking at it as a tough game for us,” said the St Anne’s coach.

“We need to go there with the right attitude.

“I thought we played well against Waterhead. Our forwards gave us a good platform and we controlled the ball well in conditions that suited us.”

On a wet and cold afternoon, St Anne’s took control from the off and never looked back.

The first try of centre Chris Carter’s hat-trick arrived on eight minutes and was followed up soon after by the first of a double for outstanding hooker and captain Danny Kay, Kiel Lancashire converting after a neat move.

Dane English then took a sharp Darren Fletcher pass to claim a well-taken try in the right corner which Lancashire improved, before prop Peter Deakin punished some poor defence to crash home under the posts.

Lancashire’s third conversion made the score 22-0, but misfiring Waterhead managed to get on the score board on the stroke of half-time.

After finally building some pressure, loose forward Matthew Barran crossed under the posts with Chris Hough adding the extras.

But any thoughts of a comeback were dashed after the break when Lancashire got on the end of a good break by Kay to score, with his conversion attempt awarded despite appearing to all and sundry to have struck a post and gone wide.

A Lancashire penalty was followed up by another conversion after Kay’s second try, stealing home from dummy-half, leaving Saints sitting pretty at 36-6 up.

Ash Wildman then crossed on the left after good work from Alan Williamson to give Waterhead their second try.

But Andy Sands dragged over three defenders to grab another for St Anne’s and that was followed by a further pair for Carter, with Lancashire finishing with nine successful kicks from 10 attempts.

A late Terry Fitzgerald try and Hough goal arrived for Waterhead in the game’s last play.

And though his side didn’t enjoy the rub of the green in terms of refereeing decisions, visiting coach Mick Slicker had no complaints.

“They were just too strong and too good for us, it was as simple as that really,” he said.

“Some of our lads came through with credit, but overall it showed the level that we need to get up to.”

In division one, Saddleworth Rangers remain top of the table after Castleford Panthers crashed to a 36-6 defeat away to Bradford Dudley Hill.

Rangers are away at bottom-of-the-table Heworth on Saturday, while Waterhead take on Castleford Lock Lane at home.