Newcastle Thunder 36 Leigh Miners Rangers 12
With thanks to Dave Parkinson for the report and Paul Fenwick for the photos
Plucky Leigh Miners Rangers gave themselves too much to do at Newcatle on Saturday night as they bowed out of the IPro Sports Cp in the first round.
Despite being asked to change in a disused bar area rather than a standard dressing room, Miners began brightly and more than held their own in the first fifteen minutes, fashioning a couple of chances from Scott O’Brien who chipped over the advancing defence on one occasion and couldn’t take the second kick, while another stab to the in-goal area just evaded a diving Lee Gittins.
As the breeze howled round and rain tumbled, both teams had it all to do just keeping hold of the ball and Thunder had the best of field position.That pattern continued until the 17th minute when Australian fullback Tom Ruediger collected a kick sixty metres from the line and simply ran around the edge of the defence to score. Hardcastle missed the conversion and surprisingly squirted another attempt wide seven minutes later after Harry Aldous barged over.
Again the visitors struck back with Darryl Kay, teenage hooker Jordan Hill and amateur international second row Tommy Parkinson all impressing; but the hosts stood firm.
Five minutes from half-time, back to back penalties saw Newcastle hulk towards the goal-line and Fran Welsh blasted under the posts; then with the half ticking down, replacement hooker Evan Simons spotted his chance and went under the posts from close range. By this stage Hardcastle had found his shooting boots, converting both and Newcastle held a comfortable, if flattering advantage.
Leigh Miners Rangers knew they hadn’t been the real deal in the first half and the National Conference side certainly atoned in the first seven minutes, scoring twice to give themselves the chance of an upset.
Hill backed up his good first half with a sparkling try after good hands and feet from Tom Farrimond and Lee Gittins set the position. Unfortunately for Miners, Newcastle then went down the other end. Last ditch defence prevented Ruediger from getting a second try, but dangerous centre Derrell Olpherts plundered four points.
Parkinson then notched Miners second score, showing the sort of dribbling skills from ten metres any old fashioned rugby union forward would have been proud of, but Scott O’Brien couldn’t goal.
Again the Thunder response was quick and clinical. Evan Simons again threatened around the ruck and Cook Island international Vincent Rennie blasted over from close range. Hardcastle added his third goal to make it 30-8, but already, just twelve minutes into the new half the crowd had seen better standard of play from both sides.
Joe Brown was held up over the line for Thunder as they threatened to take the game away from the plucky amateurs but some O’Brien trickery inside the twenty allowed just enough space for Harry Gagen to wriggle over the line after 66 minutes. Once more the game fizzed to life in the last six minutes when Evan Simons dashed to the line and scored a controversial second after Miners fullback Andrew Groves seemed to fell him, then in the closing stages Gagen looked set to claim his second only for former England international Peter Fox to haul him in touch, ensuring Newcastle’s 36-12 success.
