Rangers leave it late in thriller

TERRY Fitzgerald landed a late, late field goal as Waterhead beat Rochdale Mayfield 25-24 in an exciting Oldham Amateur League Standard Cup final at Manor Park yesterday. The Peach Road side, who last won the competition in 2009, are pictured celebrating victory. Report, reaction and more pictures on Thursday. PICTURE: VINCENT BROWN Amateur Rugby League

RUGBY: THREE tries in the last 16 minutes saw Emmerson Jackman’s Saddleworth Rangers side beat local rivals Waterhead 18-16 in Division One of the National Conference League.

All seemed lost for the hosts, who trailed 16-0 after Carl Sneyd had converted his own score 12 minutes into the second period.

But playing a man down for 50 minutes finally took its toll on Waterhead as Rangers produced a stirring late fightback in front of their own fans.

Terry Fitzgerald touched down in the 10th minute, before Kieran Grennan doubled the advantage just before the mid-way stage of the first half.

Neither try was converted, though Sneyd added a penalty just after the break to stretch his team’s lead.

Brown was already off the park at this stage — dismissed by referee Stewart Kilpatrick for dissent — but Waterhead managed to keep Rangers at bay and improve their own chances of victory thanks to Sneyd’s try and goal.

But the home side wasn’t done for. Liam Hall went over in the 64th minute.

Ethan Langhorn kicked the goal then touched down himself and added the extras to cut the deficit to a couple of points.

With five minutes to go, new signing Mark Brocklehurst got in the act.

The former Oldham RLFC man’s try brought the scores level, and with ice-cool Langhorn planting the ball between the posts, Rangers sealed their first win of the season.