Two sides with little more than pride at stake served up an entertaining encounter and an equitable outcome at Tower Grange. The point mathematically confirmed Dockers’ survival but with safety all but guaranteed in any case they fielded a team blending first and second team players. For Miners the impending cup final saw key players preserved as Scott O’Brien sat the match out whilst Darryl Kay was on international duty and Lee Gittins, Gary Gittins and Dave Rowlands were rested as they continue their recovery from injuries. Josh Ward had recovered from his injury scare the previous weekend and was in at scrum-half whilst Danny Jackson made a long-awaited return from injury. Perhaps the headline team-news was the appearance of coaching duo Allan Coleman and Paul Whitworth on the substitutes bench, although in the event neither was required to enter the fray.

It was a lively opening to the game as Dockers drew first blood, Andy Kay breaking up the middle before finding halfback partner Craig Skelton in support to finish off, Kay converting, but by the tenth minute Miners were level as some slick handling along the line put Andrew Groves over at the right corner, Jonny Youds landing the touchline conversion attempt. Dockers’ strengths were through the drives of veteran forward Jon Eccles and Gareth Moore and the testing kicks of Kay, and it was one of the latter which unlocked the visiting defence a second time, Kay’s bouncing grubber caught and then spilled by Youds straight into the hands of Jamie Beaumont and the lanky centre stepped his way through the unprepared defence to score at the left corner. Miners sought a response and Youds almost found a way through but was halted by a high tackle just short of the line, the appeal for a penalty try being waved away by referee Chris Hancock. At the other end another Kay kick caused problems but Ward was back smartly to mop up the danger on his own line.

Miners opened the second half strongly and forged ahead into what appeared a commanding advantage. The visitors took the lead for the first time when Jimmy Muir had quick wits to spot a gap twenty metres out and he cut through before beating fullback Danny Patrick to the line, Youds goaling. On the hour it became an eight point lead with a classy try, Ward chipping the defensive line on the Dockers’ forty and racing through to regather as the ball bounced back into his hands before sending Youds in for the finish, the Miners’ man showboating his way past his opposite number to score for 18-10.

Dockers appeared to be devoid of inspiration by this stage but they threw themselves a lifeline with fifteen minutes remaining, Miners hustling on the last tackle but Patrick doing well to get the kick away under pressure and it proved an unexpected boon for the home side as Beaumont was on hand to gather the ball at the left corner and touch down. Kay’s conversion found its way in via the upright to put the game back into the balance. With eight minutes remaining Kay landed a penalty to level matters and although both sides had somewhat lamentable drop goal attempts in the closing stages the draw at least gave everyone something to take from the game.

Dockers – Danny Patrick, David Palmer, Jamie Mulligan, James Beaumont, James Carrick, Andrew Kay, Craig Skelton, Matt McNee, Nathan Powley, Gareth Moore, Paul Fletcher, Jon Eccles, Mike Jarvis Subs – Sonny Gough, Lee Stephenson, Matt Johnson, Danny Brewer

Tries – Skelton (6), Beaumont (25, 65)

Goals – Kay 3

MoM – Gareth Moore

Miners – Jonny Youds, Andrew Groves, Sean MacDonald, Jonny Carroll, Andrew Hodson, Jimmy Muir, Josh Ward, Tom Farrimond, Tony Doyle, Todd Appleby, Mark Nicholson, Martin Gray, Danny Jones Subs – Luke Warburton, Danny Jackson, Allan Coleman, Paul Whitworth

Tries – Groves (10), Muir (52), Youds (60)

Goals – Youds 3

MoM – Tom Farrimond

Referee – Chris Hancock

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