Rangers are up and running

Photo: PICTURES by Tim Bradley.

AGONY: Oldham St Anne’s star Luke Wallace receives treatment after breaking his leg.

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Rugby League: 

SADDLEWORTH Rangers picked up their first victory of the National Conference Interim League campaign, seeing off Ovenden 40-34 at Shaw Hall Bank Road.

Three tries in the final 10 minutes of the Group 'C' clash were enough to present two points to new player-coach Emerson Jackman — but only after the Halifax side had hit back to threaten to take the contest.

Ovenden registered first through Nathan Smith's try, goaled by Nial Brady.

Tom Dransfield's score and a Jack Bradbury conversion had the home side level and after Matt Dawson had touched down to restore Ovenden's advantage, Rangers appeared comfortable with a 20-10 half-time lead thanks to further tries from Bradbury and Adam Jeffrey (two).

Chris Sykes crossed twice, Brady and Matt Collins converting, to swing the game the way of the visitors once more and despite Danny Bowker's try, Smith got his second for Ovenden and Liam Walsh went over, Collins adding a further two to both.

But Jeffrey's hat-trick score plus efforts from Jimmy Rogers and Bradbury made it safe for Rangers.




OLDHAM St Anne's were also victors, putting an end to a sequence of four consecutive defeats to Eccles by winning 38-10 at Higginshaw Road in Group 'E'.



Lee Forsythe's four-try haul was mainly responsible for keeping Saints' qualification hopes very much alive.

Greg Worrall's try cancelled out an early score for Eccles' Adam Walker and Saints were soon on top with further efforts by Connor Karren and Forsythe (two), Kiel Lancashire kicking two conversions for a 20-4 interval lead.

Dave Harris was next in before Forsythe completed his hat-trick. The pair added another try apiece, Lancashire kicking a goal, before Eccles hit back late through a Mark Wilcock score converted by Mike Carney.

Saints’ Luke Wallace was carried off with a broken leg.




WATERHEAD were edged out 20-18 at home by Widnes West Bank in Group 'E'.



But the unbeaten visitors were forced to defend as the Peach Road side strove to find a winning score in the latter stages.

Tries for Ryan Millington and Jordan Barr arrived first for West Bank, only for Ray Logan and Darren Nixon to reply, their tries added to by a pair of Carl Sneyd conversions.

Ryan Bates dummied his way across for a Tommy Arrowsmith-goaled try that gave the Widnes side a 14-12 half-time advantage.

With nine minutes left Sean Gilmore touched down, Arrowsmith again adding the extras, before Alan Williamson's try, goaled by Sneyd, kept the game in the balance right to the end.