Rangers go down to the Dockers

AMATEUR RUGBY LEAGUE: SADDLEWORTH Rangers were on the wrong end of the result after a seesaw battle at Hull Dockers in the National Conference League Premier Division.

Chris Stephenson’s try in the final two minutes clinched victory for the home team following a battling Rangers effort.

With full-back Shaun Robinson again named as the team’s top performer on the day, Saddleworth started well and established a 12-point lead with Ethan Langhorn and James Whalley tries both goaled by Michael Coates.

But Nick Powley’s touch down for Dockers was added to by a Stephenson effort, the same player adding a conversion and then penalty.

Coates had already handed Rangers two more points with a penalty, but a Jason Bowley try and Stephenson goal gave the Hull side an 18-14 half-time advantage.

Coates bagged another two points before Danny Ulyatt’s try, added to a Stephenson goal, put the home team further ahead.

Young prop forward Anthony Morrison crossed again and Coates landed a fifth goal to bring the gap down to two, before Stephenson’s later intervention.

Saddleworth now have two wins and a pair of defeats from their opening four matches to sit in the middle of the standings. Rangers are at home this weekend, taking on third-bottom East Hull. The match will kick off an hour early at 1.30pm, to give players, fans and officials time to prepare for that evening’s celebration of the club’s 80th anniversary — a dinner at the George Lawton Hall, Mossley.