Down to the wire...

AMATEUR RUGBY:

DOWN TO the wire — that is how close the promotion battle is shaping up to be for both Saddleworth Rangers and Oldham St Anne’s.

Both are currently in good positions, with Rangers top of division one and St Anne’s second in division two of the National Conference League.

But any slip-ups from here on in — and both sides have very tough fixtures left — could see a season of hard work finish in disappointment.

For Saddleworth, a heavy 42-8 loss at Bradford Dudley Hill represented a second consecutive defeat.

And coach Keith Brennan knows that his side have it all to do in remaining league matches against Normanton this weekend, Castleford Panthers, Thatto Heath and Myton, not to mention the Standard Cup final against Higginshaw on Good Friday, April 2 (11am kick-off at Manor Park).

“We have left ourselves with a bit of work to do,” admitted Brennan, whose charges are involved in a tight six-way struggle for the three available promotion places to the premier division.

“Every team will have a blip at some point in the season, but we have picked a bad time to have ours.”

Tom Kilgannon’s try for Saddleworth came after scores for Dudley Hill from Liam Jordan, Lewis Evans, and Josh Essex, Neil Wall converting three times.

The 18-4 lead was extended by 10 points before half-time thanks to Nathan Kitson (two) and a Wall goal.

Danny Adams pulled another back for Saddleworth five minutes into the second half but Dudley Hill responded again through Wall, Essex and Danny Thomas, Wall kicking another goal.


OLDHAM St Anne’s coach Mick Cashin isn’t starting to count his chickens just yet, despite a comprehensive 44–10 win at Eastmoor Dragons in division two.

The result leaves Saints needing one win from their two remaining matches to guarantee promotion back to division one at the first attempt.

But as far as Cashin is concerned, he considers tough games away at Stanley Rangers this Saturday and at home to Castleford Lock Lane the week after to both be must-wins.

“Stanley will be a big test for us and we go there with form behind us and to do a job,” Cashin said.

Stanley and Lock Lane have still to play each other, meaning that two points will definitely be enough for St Anne’s to go up.

As for the Eastmoor match, St Anne’s laid the foundations for victory by digging deep playing uphill.

The home team scored two tries to Saints’ three in the first half, with Jordan White, Dane English and Dave Harris going over for the visitors.

A conversion apiece made it 14-10 in favour of St Anne’s as the teams changed ends and after the break, the away team ran away with the game.

Five more tries arrived from Darren Fletcher, Harris (two), White and a 70-yard effort from Danny Chrimes, with Kiel Lancashire adding five goals.

Danny Kay was voted as man-of-the-match for St Anne’s, who also had Terry Whalley, Harris and front row man John Fox to thank for an important win.

WATERHEAD were without a fixture in division two.