West Hull 10 v 40 Leigh Miners Rangers
Leigh Miners moved themselves up into second place in the NCL Premier Divison on Saturday when they beat a relegation threatened West Hull side 40-10 on a boiling hot day on Humberside. Miners travelling up the M62 with 16 men, with two of those being u18s players in Jake Lloyd and Joe Lorimer after injuries, holidays, work and family commitments forced coaches Allan Coleman and Paul Whitworth into five changes from the Egremont game with Tom Farrimond, Harry Gagen, Joe Lorimer and Connor Ratcliffe coming into the side for Danny Jones, Mark Nicholson, Mike O’Boyle, Connor Partington and Charles Tyson. West Hull making changes as well with Louis Crowther, Jack Watts and Callum Windley missing from the side that beat top of the table Rochdale Mayfield the week before.
It was the home side that started the brighter, scoring early on out on the right with a try from second rower Paul Shaw, Dylan Price converting to make it 6-0. Miners soon after getting settled with Shaun Dowie and Jimmy Muir becoming influential for the visitors. Muir being involved in the first Miners try when he made a big break down the left to send makeshift centre Connor Ratcliffe in out wide, Jonny Youds adding the extras to make it 6-6. Shaun Dowie scored a second Miners try just after the twenty minute mark which Youds converting and right winger Harry Gagen went over out wide on the half hour to make it 16-6. Miners being on top from scoring their first try, playing some fast attractive rugby as the sides went in for the half time break.
Two early second half tries from Harry Gagen and captain Scott O’Brien put the Twist Lane outfit further in control as they led 24-6 and the game was put to bed with a three try blitz in five minutes just after the hour mark. The first coming on 65 minutes when hooker Shaun Dowie tapped to himself from a penalty and went through some weak West Hull defence to score on the left, Harry Gagen being next to score as he completed his hat-trick and that was quickly followed by a run away try from Jimmy Muir on seventy minutes. Jonny Youds adding the extras for two of the three tries to make the score 40-6. Wests scored a late consolation try from centre Callum King to give the final score 40-10.
Miners are at home on Thursday night in the league against Thatto Heath Crusaders, Kick off 7-30pm at Twist Lane.
MINERS TEAM = Andrew Groves, Harry Gagen, Jonny Youds, Connor Ratcliffe, Gareth Pain, Jimmy Muir, Scott O’Brien, Chris Bowers, Shaun Dowie, Darryl Kay, Tommy Parkinson, Martin Gray, Tom Farrimond, Subs = Jake Lloyd, Matt Astley, Joe Lorimer
MINERS MOM = Shaun Dowie
WESTS TEAM = Josh Nicklin, Lewis Brown, Callum King, Ash Rout, Dylan Price, Ian Kerman, Danny Nicklas, Scott Howlett, Ben Arbon, Lee Cator, Ryan Steen, Paul Shaw, Jacob Moore, Subs = Jamie Edwards, Calvin Parker, Reece Lazenby, James Garmston
WESTS MOM = Ryan Steen
Leigh Miners 2nd team suffered a heavy 48-18 defeat on Saturday away at league leaders Orrell St James.
