Muddy marvels!

THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY: Rhys Wareing spills the ball with the line beckining.

RUGBY: Higginshaw returned to winning ways in Pennine League Division Three West with a fine 34-6 defeat of Queensbury ‘A’.

Conditions on Oldham Edge were dreadful as the home side made a strong start. They should have been in front in the fifth minute as Rhys Wareing burst through from 30 metres only to lose the ball over the line.

Higgy made no mistake moments later. Attacking up the middle through David Sweeney and Kiel Lancashire, they split the Queensbury defence wide open, allowing winger Chris Reagan to fly in for a try wide out.

Wareing and fellow prop forward, new boy Matt Bottom, then combined with the latter scoring under posts. Jamie Mayall converted for a 10-0 lead.

Dominating in the forwards, Mark Ward, Steven Perry and Sean Garrett put in some big tackles on the big Queensbury pack, setting the platform for Lee Forsyth and Lancashire to distribute the ball.

Higgy stretched their lead to 16 points just after the half-hour mark when centre Anthony Hilton linked up with Forsyth from the scrum, and he dived through the defensive line to score. Mayall added the extras.

Queensbury did offer plenty going forward, but Higgy’s defensive line of Ian Sutton and Chris Yarwood held firm. The visitors got on the board 10 minutes into the second half, but that was the signal for Higgy to step up a gear.