Pilkington Recs 38 Leigh Miners Rangers 20
Miners Rangers’ first visit to Pilkington Recs in over twenty years didn’t prove an enjoyable one as the home side secured their second win of the campaign against a lacklustre Miners side. In hot and overcast conditions Miners made heavy weather as Pilks exploited every inch of a pocket-sized pitch to fully merit their victory.
With Brad Hargreaves ruled out for some time following his neck injury Danny Halliwell switched to centre and there was a debut for Alan Nuttall alongside the returning Mitch Cox on the bench, the pair helping spark Miners belatedly into life during the second half. By then though much of the damage had been done, with Pilks roaring to a dream start inside four minutes, Ian Stanley slipping the pass out and winger Jake Hodson diving in despite the desperate cover tackle by Scott O’Brien. With Greg Smith adding the first conversion of what was an outstanding afternoon’s place-kicking with the boot Miners needed to respond but they were dealt a further blow when Tommy Parkinson had to be withdrawn with a knee injury. The visitors tried to claw their way back, Andrew Groves almost over the whitewash but opting for the pass when the line appeared to be gaping, the ball too high for a startled Ian Mort to collect. Pilks rode out the pressure and extended their advantage when a towering bomb bounced back in-field from the goal-line and perfectly for Danny Lynch to catch and cross for the try and another six-pointer. Miners though found their way back into the game on the twenty minute mark when O’Brien put Halliwell surging through the tackles to score out wide and now the visitors appeared set to take control of the game as they enjoyed good territory but just as the momentum was going their way they were undone once again, Hodson intercepting a pass on his own line and sprinting the length of the pitch to score. Worse was the follow as Miners fell away towards half time, coughing up a repeat set on their own line and the ball spread left for Stanley to score and after Smith had added the conversion he extended the advantage with a penalty from the halfway line as Miners’ short restart didn’t travel the 10 metres.
Miners needed an early try in the second half but despite their early endeavours they couldn’t break through and it was Pilks who extended their advantage when Mike Garrity stretched through the tackles to touch down. With fifteen minutes remaining and Nuttall and Cox looking by far the liveliest for Miners the visitors finally came to life, Jimmy Muir kicking to the right wing and Halliwell palming the ball down for Mort to touch down. Within minutes an improbable comeback was looking that slight shade less improbable as O’Brien dummied his way through for a try goaled by Jonny Youds, and had Muir’s pass to Youds from the restart – sending the centre sprinting clear down the wing – not been ruled forward who knows what might have happened in the closing ten minutes. As it was Pilks were able to exert some pressure of their own and they killed off any faint hopes for the visitors when the diminutive Lynch forced his way through two tackles to touch down. In the closing minutes Miners had the final word as Halliwell went in at the corner off a Muir pass but it was scant consolation.
Pilks – Kyran Knapper, Andy Nesbit, John Rees, Ian Stanley, Jake Hodson, Greg Smith, Danny Lynch, John Keys, Ryan Liptrot, Jamie Smith, Mike Garrity, Mark Briody, Liam Bostock Subs – Josh Lynch, John Peers, Ben Gravener, Tom Roughley
Tries – Hodson (4, 29), Lynch (15, 75), Stanley (36), Garrity (54)
Goals – Smith 7
Miners – Andrew Groves, Ian Mort, Jonny Youds, Danny Halliwell, Jamie King, Jimmy Muir, Scott O’Brien, Mark Nicholson, Tom Farrimond, Martin Gray, Tommy Parkinson, Sam Peet, Darryl Kay Subs – Mitch Cox, Alan Nuttall, Frankie Halton, Chris Bower
Tries – Halliwell (21, 79), Mort (66), O’Brien (69)
Goals – Youds 2
Referee – Liam Staveley
