Thatto Heath Crusaders 38 Leigh Miners Rangers 6
Miners Rangers’ season ended in the elimination play-offs as a slick Thatto Heath were too strong for the Leigh side. The exertions of a long and enjoyable season caught up with Miners as this was unmistakably a game too far in 2012 but take nothing away from a very strong Crusaders team who could well prove dark horses to defend their title over the coming weeks.
Miners’ injury woes saw Ross Bradley and John Woods added to the absentee list from the previous weekend whilst Aaron Gorton and Tom Farrimond were also unavailable. In came Jonny Youds at centre and Stephen Grundy as stand-off whilst Danny Galvin made his first appearance of the season on the bench and Sean Pendlebury was summoned from his sick-bed to play on the wing. Crusaders entered the game on the back of their forty point flogging of then-league leaders Myton and with the NCL’s top tryscorer Darren Woods in their side alongside GB under-18 scrum-half Jack Jones they were a potent attacking threat.
On a cold but clear autumn afternoon there was a tight opening to the game and Miners had enjoyed the best chance when Scott O’Brien lofted a kick to the left wing for Gareth Paine to gather but the Miners’ man was bundled into touch by opposite number Adam Walsh before he could get the pass away. Miners paid for that missed opportunity when Crusaders opened the scoring with a typically-classy try, Danny Davies breaking from inside his own half and storming down the left channel, dummying the fullback and going on to score a fine solo try converted by the expert boot of Shaun Quinn. The lead was doubled on the quarter hour as Thatto regained possession inside the Miners’ half and after taking play to the visitors’ line the former Leigh Centurions’ hooker Kieron Maddocks dived over at the right corner from acting half, Quinn again goaling. Miners threatened a response with O’Brien inevitably the architect as he broke clear on half way, finding Jimmy Muir in support, but the return pass to O’Brien went to ground and Quinn was able to snuff out the danger. Thatto turned the screw with three tries in the final ten minutes as they blew through the Miners’ defence, first when another Miners’ attack broke down on half-way and Jones gathered the loose ball to sprint in unopposed. Then the dangerman Woods – who was actually destined to finish without a score – proved the architect as his break was finished by Chris Frodsham. On the whistle it was 28-0 as Matt Holding brushed off the tackles and stormed in for the try.
It was damage limitation and salvaging of pride for Miners after the break and to their credit the weary Miners side achieved both in a far tighter second half. After a prolonged stalemate when Darryl Kay and the outstanding Jonny Carroll worked hard for the visitors, it was Thatto who scored again when Frodsham dummied and cut through for his second try. However Miners were on the scoresheet when Maddocks threw out an intercept on half-way and Muir picked the pass off to sprint in for a try goaled by Youds. The Leigh side though were denied the minor consolation of drawing the second half when Frodsham drilled a kick into the right hand corner and the Miners’ defence spilled the bobbling ball for Walsh to gather and score. It meant Miners’ first-team season ended with defeat, but with plenty of positives and success to draw upon for 2013.
Thatto – Shaun Quinn, Darren Woods, David Hull, Matt Holding, Adam Walsh, Andy Stott, Jack Jones, Mick Ledger, Kieron Maddocks, Mark Beech, Luke Bradshaw, Anthony Bate, Danny Davies Subs – Chris Frodsham, Andy Lea, James Clarke, Steve Woods
Tries – Davies (7), Maddocks (15), Jones (26), Frodsham (37, 62), Holding (39), Walsh (75)
Goals – Quinn 5
MoM – Shaun Quinn
Miners – Jimmy Muir, Sean Pendlebury, Jonny Youds, Adam Thomason, Gareth Paine, Stephen Grundy, Scott O’Brien, Kevin Howells, Danny Jones, Darryl Kay, Lee Gittins, Jonny Carroll, David Rowlands Subs – Josh Ward, Todd Appleby, Stephen Tooze, Danny Galvin
Try – Muir (64)
Goal – Youds
MoM – Jonny Carroll
Referee – Craig Kay
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