Panic stations for Waterhead, but promotion sealed

PARTY TIME: Waterhead players, coaches and fans celebrate promotion after victory at Askam.

RUGBY:

JOINT coach Paul Geener admited to going through many emotions during Waterhead’s promotion-clinching victory at Askam.

Geener looked on in despair as his men found themselves behind in their final match of the season in National Conference League Division Two.

But Waterhead eventually gained control to run out 35-16 winners in Cumbria, delighting their coach.

With news that Dewsbury Celtic, in fourth, were defeating second-placed Shaw Cross Sharks, only victory would do if they were to go up.

Geener, who coaches the side with Jon Perks, said: “It was like the last day of the Premier League season when Manchester City pipped United to the title.

“We were getting calls from Shaw Cross to say Dewsbury were winning easily, and the way it was going we would end up fourth and miss out on promotion.

“It was mad - but once we settled down, we blew them away.”

Waterhead led 24-16 at half-time, before adding another 11 points to their tally after the break.

Geener said: “It was probably my best day in rugby league. I went through every emotion going, but have thankfully we came out on the right side.

“We’ve been fighting relegation so often recently, but now we’ve got something to celebrate.”



OLDHAM St Anne’s scored three tries but were still on the wrong end of a 46-16 defeat as the curtain dropped on their National Conference League Division One campaign.

The team was already relegated.