Siddal 32 Leigh Miners Rangers 8
Miners Rangers went down to defeat at Siddal as their league toils continue. Despite a dogged effort Miners could only muster one try – scant reward for the spells of pressure and possession they enjoyed, whilst the points against counter ticked past thirty for the fifth time in eight games this term. Twelve of those points came in an unfathomable ten minutes stoppage time added on by referee Tom Hudson, giving an unfair balance to the scoreline, but Siddal deserved their success following a seven minute blitz early in the second half.. Kevin Howells performed sterling service to land the match award with front row partner Luke Murfin also enjoying a fine game and Jonny Youds and Scott O’Brien both stood out but Miners have to regroup swiftly ahead of another tough test against Egremont.
Owing to injuries and with the Alliance side preparing for a big home derby match, Miners travelled with sixteen men, Darryl Kay absent with family commitments and Danny Jones ill. Luke Murfin came in to the front row with Joe Harrison on the bench. Siddal handed a debut to their Australian recruit Travis Feichtner whilst coach Gareth Greenwood named himself at hooker-cum-loose forward. Having negotiated a stray flock of sheep on the M62, Miners found Chevinedge in cold and drizzly conditions as they played down the slight slope in the first half. Both defences were on top in the early stages with Andrew Groves producing a fine tackle to deny Steve Hope but Siddal found the way through from their ever-dangerous stand-off Shaun Garrod, splitting the defence on half way before finding Dan Patrice in support for the opening score out wide. Miners responded strongly though and on twenty five minutes they were in front, O’Brien dummying and darting through from inside the Siddal half and Murfin with the supporting run to take the scoring pass and go under the posts, Youds converting. A Youds penalty struck from the left touchline extended Miners’ advantage as they ended the half 8-4 ahead.
As the Leigh side had found on their previous two visits to Chevinedge, it is one thing to lead at half time but another to close the job out as Siddal roar down the slope towards their own supporters and so it proved again this time. However things could have been so much different had Miners taken a clear scoring opportunity early in the second half as Groves and Adam Thomason were unable to finish off an opening just minutes after the restart, the ball slipping dead when Miners appeared certain to score. Instead it was Siddal who seized the initiative as they ran in three tries in seven devastating minutes to turn the game on its head. Patrice almost broke through for his second but O’Brien produced a fine tackle to halt the giant Siddal centre. The Miners’ captain felt he had performed similar heroics to deny Gareth Blackburn as he broke through off Garrod’s pass but the Siddal player had managed to force his way over the whitewash. Siddal had the wind in their sails and Hope stormed down the wing only to be stopped in his tracks by Youds but from the next play Chris Brooke’s kick was spilled back into Siddal possession for Blackburn to put Garrod over the line beside the posts. The turnaround was complete just before the hour, Youds again stalwart as he halted Danny Williams but it was merely delaying the inevitable with Miners’ defence scattered from the break and Emmerson Newburn scoring out wide to put his side 20-8 ahead.
The visitors did steady the ship somewhat and continued to create some chances of their own as Tom Farrimond and Andrew Hodson both missed opportunities to score but Miners were struggling to make much impression on the Siddal defence. The game finished with another burst of points to make the scoreline take on an unforgiving appearance, referee Hudson paying his own tribute to the retiring Sir Alex Ferguson by adding on ten minutes of stoppage time and Siddal capitalising as they slipped through a tiring defence to score twice more, Jaymes Chapman finishing off as Siddal broke through the left and Richard Lopag slicing through at the corner to complete Miners’ woe.
Siddal – Gareth Blackburn, Steven Hope, Daniel Patrice, Richard Lopag, Emmerson Newburn, Shaun Garrod, Chris Brooke, Danny Keane, Gareth Greenwood, Ross White, Danny Williams, Nick Smith, Travis Fiechtner Subs – Andrew Fox, Jaymes Chapman, Luke Garnett, Rob Bradley
Tries – Patrice (13), Blackburn (52), Garrod (56), Newburn (59), Chapman (80), Lopag (80)
Goals – Blackburn 4
MoM – Shaun Garrod
Miners – Jonny Youds, Andrew Groves, Shaun McDonald, Adam Thomason, Andrew Hodson, Steven Marsh, Scott O’Brien, Kevin Howells, Tom Farrimond, Luke Murfin, Jonny Carroll, Liam Coleman, Todd Appleby Subs – Joe Harrison, Dave Rowlands, Danny Jackson
Try – Murfin (25)
Goals – Youds 2
MoM – Kevin Howells
Referee – Tom Hudson
