Pack power seals Waterhead’s fate

Photo: Chris Sunderland

DUAL PURPOSE . . . Waterhead’s Craig Terry and Terry Fitzgerald combine to halt the progress of Lock Lane’s Rob Arthurs.

Late tries fail to take gloss off solid effort

AMATEUR RUGBY LEAGUE: WATERHEAD coach Mick Slicker was content with the efforts of his side despite a 24-8 home defeat to Castleford Lock Lane in National Conference League division two.

The final score did not reflect the input Waterhead had in the contest, which was in the balance with the visitors leading 10-8 before they came up with three late tries.

"I was quite happy with our performance," said Slicker, whose side are now third from bottom of the division after a fifth defeat in succession.

"We got into the arm wrestle with them, but we just didn't make good decisions at crucial times."

Awful weather conditions at Waterhead Park led to a dour battle in which Lock Lane took a 4-0 lead into half-time thanks to a try from winger Andy Matthews.

Five minutes after the break, that advantage was doubled when Rob Arthurs crossed for a try which was added to by Danny Rowse's conversion.

But Waterhead half-back Chris Hough reduced the arrears by weaving his way through for a score which was converted by Terry Fitzgerald, who also added a penalty before the hour.

At 10-8 down and with young prop Phil Joy impressing by taking the ball up time after time, Waterhead were pressing for the win as the game entered its last quarter.

But the visitors’ bigger pack eventually wore down the home team and late tries from Mark Spence (two) and prop Craig Jones, plus a Rowse conversion, ensured all the points went back to West Yorkshire.


SADDLEWORTH Rangers remain top of division one after running out comfortable 52-12 winners at bottom-of-the-table Heworth.

Rangers led 18-6 at the half-time break thanks to tries from James Whalley, Jason Best, Fraser Coley and Emerson Jackman, Michael Coates adding one conversion.

Liam Watling's effort and an Adam Caddie goal registered the points for the York side, who started the second half strongly when replying to an early Shaun Robinson try, goaled by Coates, with an effort from Chris Varley which Caddie again improved.

From then on, it was all about Coates-inspired Saddleworth.

He finished with eight goals, while a hat-trick of tries from Tom Lever, plus touchdowns for Adam Kirwan and Jackman, enabled the visitors to pass the half-century mark.

"We started well then let our foot off the gas a bit," admitted Saddleworth coach Keith Brennan.

"Then we were a bit slack in the first few minutes of the second half before we found our composure to run away with it."


OLDHAM St Anne's were scheduled to play an away fixture at Shaw Cross Sharks in division two, but the game was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.