Waterhead slog to difficult win

Photo: PICTURES by CHRIS SUNDERLAND.

DETERMINATION: Waterhead man David Orwell takes possession in the enthralling contest at Peach Road.

RUGBY:

WATERHEAD eked out a slender 26-22 home win against Stanley Rangers despite clinging on for dear life in the final few minutes of the game — with THREE men in the sin bin.

Matthew Fogarty (dissent) and Scott Beswick and Mick Diveney (high tackles) were all forced to watch the closing stages from the sidelines as Andy Sands’ 10 men produced some great defence to keep out the visitors and earn a sixth victory of the season.

Danny Grice converted his own Rangers try for the first score and after Kieran Grennan had answered that try with one of his own after six minutes, Mick Diveney adding the goal, Liam Crawley put the visitors back in front. His try was added to by another Grice two-pointer.

Waterhead responded with four tries, which won the Peach Road side the game. Diveney, Matthew Holland and Ashley Wildman crossed before the interval and five minutes after the resumption of play, so did Alan Williamson. Diveney kicked two more goals.

But the home side lost their way. From 26-12 down, Grice’s six-point try and one from Richard Cattley after 64 minutes brought the margin back to four for Stanley. Despite a frantic ending, Waterhead held out.



SADDLEWORTH Rangers squeezed home in their relegation battle against Millom to earn two precious points.

Though at one stage Emmerson Jackman’s men appeared comfortable — they led 16-2 at half-time — the Cumbrian side refused to throw in the towel against the Greenfield outfit in a tight Division One clash.

And with the game locked at 16-16 entering the final eight minutes, it was only a Michael Coates penalty, an Eric Johnson drop goal and a 78th-minute try by Chris Yarwood that sealed the 23-16 victory for Rangers.