Leigh Miners Rangers 30 East Leeds 12
Miners Rangers launched themselves back into the top six as the congestion at the top of the NCL Premier shows no sign of easing, this ultimately convincing-looking but hard-fought win over fellow high-fliers East Leeds built on a strong start and finish to the game, with an uneasy wobble in the middle. But with Darryl Kay, Tommy Parkinson and Gareth Pain in strong form, Mick O’Boyle hard working and deserving his two tries, and a monster threequarter pairing of Connor Partington and Brad Hargreaves bagging a try apiece, they deserved the win. Easts roared back with tries for their outstanding performer Jack Ely either side of the break and with Nathan Conroy, Dale Pattison and Ash Stephenson going well, but their comeback ran out of steam as Miners eased clear in the closing stages.
In a largely stop-start and error-strewn opening to the game, Miners made the breakthrough when a Scott O’Brien kick was spilled in the tackle by Stephenson and Kay followed up to score a simple try, Shaun Dowie goaling. Miners extended the lead when Partington swatted the tackles of to power in at the corner, and on the half hour the home side appeared in full control as O’Boyle scored out wide from a Miners penalty. But Easts had the last word of the half when Ely stretched over to dot the ball over his head beside the posts, Conroy with the extras to give themselves hope.
That hope became a firm lifeline when Ely again surged through at the left corner six minutes into the second half, narrowing the gap to two points. Miners were on the ropes and Easts sensed the opportunity to complete the comeback but on the hour the home side re-established a cushion as Hargreaves wrestled in at the corner flag, Dowie with the fine conversion. With ten minutes remaining Miners secured victory with two fine drives from Kay, first a three-quarter pitch-length break supported by Tom Farrimond ending with O’Boyle going in for his second, then another drive to the line set the position for Farrimond to dive over from acting half to confirm the win.
Gamestar – Darryl Kay with some tremendous drives and one inspired break for the decisive score
Gamebreaker – Mick O’Boyle’s second try secured the win for Miners
Miners – Andrew Groves, Brad Hargreaves, Mick O’Boyle, Connor Partington, Gareth Pain, Shaun Dowie, Scott O’Brien, Chris Bowers, Tom Farrimond, Darryl Kay, Tommy Parkinson, Danny Jackson, Dave Rowlands Subs – Tony Doyle, Martin Gray, Matt Astley, Ellis Grimes
Tries – Kay (10), Partington (17), O’Boyle (32, 72), Hargreaves (61), Farrimond (75)
Goals – Dowie 3
MoM – Darryl Kay
East Leeds – Ashley Stephenson, Jordan Normington, Kane Riley, Dean Langton, Jason Priestley, Nathan Conroy, Gareth Hynes, Dale Pattison, Luke Tomlinson, Ashley James, Kyle Quinlan, Jake Normington, Tom Sheldrake Subs – John Carter, Lee Priestley, James Forsell, Jack Ely
Tries – Ely (37, 46)
Goals – Conroy 2
Sin-Bin – Jake Normington (79, foul play)
MoM – Kane Riley
Referee – Stewart Kilpatrick
