Pride at stake as rivals lock horns

RUGBY LEAGUE: HOLDERS Saddleworth Rangers and Oldham St Anne’s go head to head in Greenfield tonight in the first round of the Standard Cup (7.45pm).

Rangers, conquerors of Higginshaw in last year’s final, go into the game as slight favourites by virtue of their position in the National Conference League.

Keith Brennan’s side are fourth from bottom in the Premier Division, while Saints sit mid-table in Division One without a league win away from home this season.

Although some may see the competition as a distraction from league business, it remains a significant part of the campaign to local clubs.

Brennan will be hoping his team can hit back from Saturday’s defeat at Skirlaugh.

Beaten 32-6, the scoreline flattered the hosts as Rangers never gave up in a physical contest.

Chris Conway, with a penalty, and a Shaun Robinson try accounted for Rangers’ points, who only trailed 8-2 at the break.

Skirlaugh were guilty of giving away a large number of penalties, but an outstanding defensive performance kept the visitors at bay.

Mick Cashin will also have to pick up his St Anne’s players for tonight’s encounter after they went down 40-12 at title-hopefuls Widnes St Maries.

Saints gave as good as they got in the Division One clash, and Widnes had to wait until the final quarter of the match before they could feel at ease.

Cashin’s men went into the break all-square at 12-12, thanks to tries from Dave Cookson and Dave Harris. Kiel Lancashire added the two goals.

With everything to play for in the second half, Widnes began to apply the pressure, recording five unanswered tries as St Anne’s ran out of steam.

Lancashire starred for St Anne’s, but Danny Kay and John Fox also put in strong performances.

However, a first win on the road continues to elude the Higginshaw Road outfit.


WATERHEAD were undone by a first-half blitz of tries as they slumped to a 48-14 defeat at Crosfields, who were registering a third win out of their last four outings in Division Two.
Danny Inman went over four times in the opening period as the home side raced into a 30-4 lead. Mark Ashton replied with a try of his own.

Waterhead staged something of a mini-comeback after the interval, with Terry Fitzgerald and Liam Melia touching down. Sean Garrett added a conversion.

However, Crosfields had the final say to record an emphatic win.