Elbow injury puts Saints forward on the sidelines

AMATEUR RUGBY LEAGUE: PETER Deakin’s injury cast a shadow over the 40-22 defeat for Oldham St Anne’s ‘A’ in their division one season opener at Folly Lane.

With Saints ahead thanks to Lee Forsythe creating a try for Steve McHugh, the prop forward went down with an elbow problem so severe that paramedics were called, leading to a half-hour stoppage.

Deakin is now in plaster and is likely to be out of the game for a considerable time.

After the restart, the Salford side scored with a converted effort before Saints hit back with tries from Greg Worrall and Luke Wallace, establishing a 12-6 lead for the visitors at half-time.

Folly Lane proceeded to stun Saints with three quick tries after the break before Sean Thomas reduced the arrears to four points with a score out wide.

The home team went over three more times before Wallace concluded the scoring.


HIGGINSHAW, fielding five new players, slumped to a 12-4 loss at Pilkington Recs in Division Three.

After conceding two tries early on due to suspect defence, the visitors looked likely to score next and new boy Guy Harvey’s 30-yard break led to David Sweeney sending Gareth Franklin clear five minutes before half-time.

At 10-4 down, Higginshaw had Mark Ward stopped just short of the line before going a further two points behind as a result of a penalty goal.

Sweeney went close and Higginshaw, for whom Ryan O’Donnell was man of the match, held firm in defence as the home team attempted to increase their advantage.




EMERSON Jackman suffered a dislocated elbow as Saddleworth Rangers ‘A’ opened up with a 38-28 home win over West Bank Swans in Division Four.

The veteran player-coach went to hospital to have the injury corrected and will now be out for several weeks as a result.

Tries from new signing Carl Fields (two), Jack Molden (two), Marlon Miller, Liam Coates and Jon Dobbs plus goals by Steven Nield (three) and Aaron Miller (two) saw a youthful Rangers side come out on top.

Among the stand-out performers on a day when the home side had several players missing were Fields and Michael Rowe.

In the same section, Waterhead ‘A’ were handed an 18-0 default defeat at Cadishead Rhinos.


Waterhead though to final
RUGBY LEAGUE: WATERHEAD under-18s defeated Oldham St Anne’s 24-10 in the John Burke Memorial Trophy last night.

There were first-half tries by Sam Wilson, Niall Dunnington-Wallace and Luc Kinder, who also kicked a goal.

And two tries by man-of-the-match Ben Whitehead, who kicked a goal, helped Division One Waterhead see off Premier League opposition.

St Anne’s face Saddleworth Rangers for the right to meet Waterhead in the final.