Rangers poised for late play-off push
Date published: 05 April 2011
ON THE RUN: James Whalley of Saddleworth Rangers (right) gets past West Hull’s Brett Turner.
RUGBY LEAGUE: PLAY-OFF talk is little louder than a whisper at present... but another win for Saddleworth Rangers has again increased their chances of being involved in the National Conference League Premier Division end-of-season jamboree.
West Hull — a side with similar ambitions, who saw off Rangers 48-10 in the corresponding fixture back in September — were defeated 34-22 at Shaw Hall Bank Road despite the visitors mounting a second-half comeback that threatened to steal the points.
Stand-off Michael Coates was once more the star of the Saddleworth show, but his coach Keith Brennan isn't prepared to get carried away yet over top-six possibilities.
"We played really well," said Brennan, who praised the contributions of Coates, Gareth Morgan and James Whalley. "We went tough in the first 20 minutes and then ran away to lead 24-10 just after half-time.
"They came back to within two points of us after getting a roll on, but credit to our lads, they rolled their sleeves up and got stuck in.
"To be honest I am not thinking about the play-offs right now.
"We just go week by week now and concentrate on what we are doing in our last four games."
Adam Jeffrey's try put Rangers in front early on before Wests hit back through a Johan Windley try and Brett Turner goal.
Home full-back Tom Lever crossed and Coates goaled to restore the advantage, only for the game to go back to being all-square when Sam Radford powered across the line.
Just after the break, Rangers asserted control of proceedings.
Grant Bithell touched down two tries and Coates landed both conversions and kicked a 50th-minute penalty.
The visitors powered back with Turner-goaled tries by Matt Plumber and Jack Ridsdill, before Saddleworth prop Matt Bottom was shown a red card 15 minutes from the end for a high tackle.
A mere two points to the good, Rangers dug deep and scored twice in the final six minutes through Morgan and Lever, Coates ending the contest with five goals.
OLDHAM St Anne's picked up another important win to further enhance their chances of remaining in Division One for next season.
Stanningley were defeated 36-20 at Higginshaw Road by Mick Cashin's side, who move four points and three places clear of the bottom three.
Outstanding scrum-half Jordan White set Saints on their way with a pass sending David Cookson over, Kiel Lancashire adding a goal.
Frank Mayfield responded for struggling Stanningley, Liam Duffy nailing the conversion, before White's break led to a Danny Kay try which Lancashire again improved for a 12-6 half-time lead.
White's boot made a second try for Cookson, Lancashire adding a goal, before prop Alex Eyres crashed home for a 30-6 lead.
The visitors roared back and registered tries through Mayfield, Simon Wray and Dean Parker to threaten a comeback.
Luke Wallace's try settled matters, though, with Lancashire's sixth goal of the game adding gloss to the final score line.
IN DIVISION Two, Waterhead suffered a crushing 38-4 defeat at West Bowling.
Damian Smith, John Simpson and Aaron Chappell tries, allied to a pair of goals from Smith, gave the Bradford side a 16-0 advantage as the teams swapped ends.
Hopes of a possible comeback went when Gareth Cullington, Simpson and Nigel Halmshaw helped re-establish Bowling's superiority.
Cullington crossed for his second try after an hour before Mary Myatt ensured it wouldn't be a whitewash.
A hat-trick for Cullington was completed and Simpson's conversion rounded off the day's scoring
