Winning start for coaching duo

IT takes three to stop Waterhead’s Liam Bland.

AMATEUR RUGBY LEAGUE: 

NEW Waterhead coaching team Paul Geener and John Byram enjoyed a winning start to their tenure, seeing off visitors Stanley Rangers 21-14 in National Conference League division two.

The home side played with plenty of enthusiasm to take the game to the well-drilled visitors and, in a tight encounter, a Terry Fitzgerald drop goal a minute from time secured the team’s first points in four months.

Liam Bland, the prop forward formerly on the books of St Helens, opened the scoring with a try under the posts which Fitzgerald converted and the home side’s lead was doubled midway through the half when Mark Wyatt ran home a superb 80-metre interception try, Sean Garrett converting.

Fitzgerald was next to touch down, Garrett adding two more, before a converted Rangers try made it 18-6 at the break.

A penalty from Fitzgerald edged Waterhead further ahead and though a pair of tries after the hour mark threatened a comeback from Stanley, the home side held on.



OLDHAM St Anne’s were defeated 19-18 at home by Rylands in the BARLA National Cup, producing a performance that was slightly disappointing in the context of what has been a good season so far.

Saints were 12-0 down when Danny Kay scored under the posts just before the break, Kiel Lancashire adding a goal.

Rylands then kicked a penalty to go further ahead before David Cookson’s try, converted by Lancashire, reduced the deficit to two points.

Dane English crossed in the corner, Lancashire converting to take the home side ahead for the first time at 18–14.

But the visitors hit back with a late unconverted try and added a drop-goal at the death to seal their passage to the third round.


SADDLEWORTH Rangers lost out 22-18 in a cracking second round tie away at Wigan St Cuthbert’s.

Forced to play up the hill in the first half, Keith Brennan’s side registered tries through Tom Kilgannon — back after a spell living in Australia — and Emerson Jackman, both converted by Michael Coates.

But the visitors entered the break 22-12 down after finding themselves under heavy pressure from an accurate Cuthbert’s kicking game.

Rangers rallied in the second half and managed a further try from Adam Walker which Coates again added to.

And Walker felt aggrieved when another effort was ruled out by the referee for an incorrect grounding.