Millom (Away)
Leigh Miners travel to Cumbria on Saturday to take on Division Two high flyers Millom in the second round of the Conference Challenge Trophy, kick off 2-30pm at Coronation Field.
Miners make the trip up North freshened up after having no game last weekend after they brought the Siddal game forward a week because of the Magic Weekend in Newcastle. The Siddal win two weeks ago leaving Miners well placed in fifth position with two games in hand of all of the four teams above them on the ladder.
The Conference Challenge Trophy is a competition held in high regard by everyone at Twist Lane, with Miners winning the competition for the opening two years when it was introduced in 2012 when the NCL switched to summer rugby, before West Hull took the crown of cup kings last year. This Saturday will see a number of changes to the seventeen that has been playing week in week out in the Premier Division, but the team selected to take on Millom are determined to go up to Cumbria and get a result in front of what will be a large hostile crowd to move into the quarter finals, as well as boosting their own chances of cementing a place in the team over the coming weeks.
Coaches Allan Coleman & Paul Whitworth are forced into making a number of changes from the Siddal win two weeks ago, with Matt Astley and Martin Gray away on holiday, Tom Farrimond and Harry Gagen away for the weekend along with Shaun Dowie, Ellis Grimes, Danny Jackson, Danny Jones and Connor Ratcliffe who are all away at the Parklife festival. Coming into the side are Chris Bowers, Gary Gittins, Jimmy Muir, Gareth Paine, Connor Partington, Lee Pugsley, Dave Rowlands and Scott Travis.
Speaking about the Siddal win two weeks ago, joint coach Paul Whitworth said “We’re proud of our unbeaten home record and we was up against probably the best NCL Team we have played so far and added to that there was maybe a little bit of extra pressure on us.”
“It was a good first half by Siddal and it maybe seemed we had our backs against the wall but in reality we hadn’t put together the performance we know we are capable of.”
“The second half performance had bags of enthusiasm, skill and character and it showed how much we have come together as group to get the win.”
Looking ahead to Saturday’s trip to Millom, Whitworth commented “With nine of the team who faced Siddal not available then add to that the two long term injuries it will certainly test us.”
“These are Issues you have to deal with in Summer Rugby with the Festivals, Stag Do’s etc, and you can’t deny young lads missing games to enjoy themselves, now and again!!!”
“Millom are obviously going really well in their league and being at home will give them extra confidence. We spoke to Gary Charlton when we visited Egremont a few weeks ago so we got an idea on how they like to play their game.”
“We have worked hard in training this week to make sure the incoming players are up to speed on our structures, and I’m really pleased in the lads attitudes who are putting their hands up and stepping in and I’ll guarantee we won’t be sitting on a coach for a couple hours to not give it our best shot.”
Millom go into Saturday’s cup clash in excellent form having won all eight of their league matches so far this season, beating promotion rivals Featherstone Lions, Leigh East and Underbank Rangers all at home to leave them four points clear at the top of the Divison Two table.
The Woollybacks comfortably beat Leigh East 28-4 at Ledgard Avenue in Round One of this competition and with going into the clash with Miners still unbeaten, Millom with the form they are in will be confident of causing a cup upset by knocking out another Leigh side.
Leigh Miners 2nds and Ladies sides both have no game this weekend.
The u18s are away on Sunday against Portico Panthers in the league.
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