Lock Lane 27 v 24 Leigh Miners Rangers
Leigh Miners suffered their second successive defeat of the season on Saturday afternoon, when they went down 27-24 away at Lock Lane on a sunny but breezy afternoon in Castleford. The victory moving the home side to the top of the table, whilst Miners who made four changes from the Egremont game dropped down to sixth after this defeat.
Like last week Miners again started brightly but found themselves behind on the scoreboard against the run of play, Jimmy Cryer scoring after Miners knocked on from a huge Danny Rowse bomb, Rowse adding the extras for the try to give Lock Lane a 6-0 lead. A second try soon followed as the home side got on top, Lewis Price going through some slack defence to score, Rowse converting to make it 12-0. Miners hit back just after the twenty minute mark when Scott O’Brien reached over to score, Shaun Dowie converting to make it 12-6. The scores where level a few minutes later when O’Brien went in for his second, picking up a loose pass from the home side to stroll in under the posts, Dowie landing the simple conversion to give the score 12-12. The score wasn’t level for long though as Miners where penalised from the kick off for being offside, Rowse taking the two points to nudge Lock Lane back in front at 14-12. With five minutes of the half remaining Lock Lane went in for their third converted try of the afternoon, much to the annoyance of Miners with the final pass leading up to the try travelling forward. Rowse slotting over a drop goal just before the break to give Lock Lane a nine point advantage going into the break, leading 21-12
The start of the second half was a tense affair with Miners knowing they needed to be the first to score, to have any chance in the game. Scott O’Brien going over for his hat-trick after a fine break from Jimmy Muir, Dowie converting to get Miners within three points and make it game on. Around the hour mark Miners took the lead for the first time when winger Harry Gagen sprinted away to score following a Adam Thomason break, Dowie again adding the extras to give the score 24-21 in favour of the visitors. The lead though only lasting about ten minutes as Lock Lane hit back with a try from Chris Siddons, Rowse keeping his 100% record with the boot to make it 27-24. Miners had chances in the closing stages to win the game but with poor decision making and execution the game ended in defeat to leave Miners frustrated, as it was a game that was certainly their for the taking.
Miners are at home this weekend against Siddal.
MINERS TEAM = Jimmy Muir, Harry Gagen, Brad Hargreaves, Adam Thomason, Andrew Groves, Shaun Dowie, Scott O’Brien, Matt Astley, Danny Jones, Darryl Kay, Tommy Parkinson, Danny Jackson,Ellis Grimes, Subs = Tony Doyle, Tom Farrimond, Connor Ratcliffe, Martin Gray
MINERS MOM = Scott O’Brien
LOCK LANE TEAM = Mikey Hayward, Craig Duncan, Nicky Saxton, Lewis Price, Jimmy Cryer, Aaron Dobek, Danny Rowse, Bart Hold, Jack Beddis, Joe Groves, Jordan Siddons, Luke Tagg, Chris Siddons, Subs = Paul Brown, Wayne McHugh, James Wood, Richard Humphries
LOCK LANE MOM = Chris Siddons
Leigh Miners 2nd team remain unbeaten in the league so far this season after a 70-12 home victory against Woolston Rovers.
Leigh Miners Ladies lost 16-8 on Sunday in the league away at Wigan St Pats.
