Waterhead roar to top spot

Photo: Chris Sunderland

STOP THERE: Craig Highton (left), of Waterhead, is halted by Shaw's Steve Talbot.

RUGBY: WATERHEAD have hit the heights in Division Two of the National Conference League.

A 17-6 victory over promotion rivals Shaw Cross Sharks lifted the Peach Road side to the top of the table on points difference.

Waterhead, looking to strike back after the previous week’s defeat by Widnes West Bank, made a great start thanks to a try from Ryan Collins. Carl Sneyd added the extras.

Sharks were level when Andrew Tillotson’s touch down was converted by Ben Diskin, but that was as good as it got for the visitors.

By half-time, Waterhead had surged into a 10-point lead. Second-row man Kieran Grennan and winger Peter Davies went over, with Sneyd adding a conversion.

The only other point in the match arrived with six minutes to go when scrum-half Mick Diveney kicked a field goal.



OLDHAM St Anne’s failed in their bid for back-to-back wins in NCL Division Two, going down 22-18 at Milford Marlins.
Cock-a-hoop after inflicting a 16-12 win over previously unbeaten Hunslet Warriors a week earlier, the north Leeds side went 16 points up in as many minutes.

Winger Aaron Jones-Bishop, scrum-half Josh Parle and loose-forward James Barker dived in, with Ryan Oxtoby landing two goals.

Saints hit back and by half-time had cut the deficit.

Centre David Harris put winger Paul Ashmore in at the corner, with Jordan White adding the conversion from the touchline. Ben Clark then split the home defence to touch down.

Two minutes after the interval, an Oxtoby-goaled try handed Milford a 12-point advantage.

A second touch down from Clark and a brilliant solo effort by Danny Earley kept Saints in touch, unfortunately neither try was converted.

With only four points separating the sides, Saints applied the pressure and were unlucky when Clark, after good work by man-of-the match Michael Cadd, put his foot on the line.