Leigh Miners Rangers 40 Oulton Raiders 22
Miners Rangers racked up forty points for the second home game running but this was a very different affair to the thrills and spills of the previous weekend’s cup win over St Patricks. Against a resolute and determined Oulton this was a scrappy, stop-start affair which at times was hard on the eye but which yielded an invaluable two points for the home side as they push their league claims. With a raft of enforced changes for both sides, Miners had Joe Harrison, young debutant Adam Smith, Scott O’Brien and hard-grafting wingers Harry Gagen and Gareth Pain in solid form, whilst Oulton, who competed strongly but ultimately were blown away in the third quarter, had Dominic Flanagan, Matty Bullough and Andy Tillett to the fore.
It was Oulton who drew first blood, winning a penalty near the line and James Cruickshank bustling over for a try improved by Dan MackIntosh before Miners replied swiftly, Mick O’Boyle driving over for the leveller improved by O’Brien. With both sides battling hard and Oulton arguably looking the likelier, it was a gifted try on the half hour which put Miners ahead, Jimmy Muir snapping up a loose ball on half way and sprinting in. Right on the half-time whistle Miners extended their lead, O’Brien’s kick grounded by Danny Jackson for 18-6.
Oulton clawed a score back minutes into the second half as Tillett, shifted to centre, put Tommy Griffiths in out wide but that sparked Miners into life as they posted four unanswered tries in barely ten minutes. First the impressive Harrison scored a trademark hooker’s try, diving in from acting half beside the posts, then came the game-breaker, Oulton with a try controversially ruled out for offside as Declan Storey thought he had scored from MackIntosh’s kick and within minutes O’Brien spirited through from twenty metres out to kill the game. When Brad Hargreaves scored out wide and then with Oulton temporarily depleted by Clayton Stott’s sin-binning, Harrison’s cute drop-off ball put Tommy Parkinson over to bring the forty up, a big scoreline appeared in the offing with twenty minutes remaining. But Oulton showed great resolve and tries in the closing minutes from Chris Hope, finishing well out wide, and then Bullough who backed up a good Flanagan break to finish off for some consolation for the visitors.
Gamestar – Joe Harrison shone on his unexpected call-up, enjoying a fine game at hooker.
Gamebreaker – Oulton’s try being disallowed followed by Scott O’Brien’s score took the game from the visitors.
Miners – Andrew Groves, Harry Gagen, Brad Hargreaves, Mick O’Boyle, Gareth Pain, Jimmy Muir, Scott O’Brien, Chris Bowers, Gary Gittins, Darryl Kay, Tommy Parkinson, Danny Jackson, Martin Gray Subs – Joe Harrison, Adam Thomason, Dave Rowlands, Adam Smith
Tries – O’Boyle (7), Muir (30), Jackson (39), Harrison (49), O’Brien (55), Hargreaves (58), Parkinson (62)
Goals – O’Brien 6
MoM – Scott O’Brien
Oulton – Tommy Griffiths, Chris Hope, Nathan Batty, Declan Storey, Oliver Bloomer, Matty Bullough, Danny MackIntosh, Rob Stanley, Emile Saunders, Lawrence Dibb, Clayton Stott, James Cruickshank, Andy Williamson Subs – Johnny Austin, Andy Tillett, Josh Lancaster, Dominic Flanagan
Tries – Cruickshank (4), Griffiths (41), Hope (77), Bullough (79)
Goals – Flanagan 2, MackIntosh
MoM – Dominic Flanagan
Referee – Michael Mannifield
