Kingstone Press Cider National Conference League round-up
CONFERENCE CHALLENGE TROPHY QUARTER-FINALS
A superb display from LEIGH MINERS RANGERS saw them run out 48-16 winners over WIGAN ST PATRICKS.
Tries from Jimmy Muir, Brad Hargreaves, Connor Ratcliffe and Shaun Dowie helped the hosts ease into a 22-4 half-time lead, before Ratcliffe, Dowie and a late brace from winger Gareth Pain made the game safe.
Scrum-half Scott O’Brien helped himself to a six-goal haul.
St Pats – despite an impressive display from scrum-half Joe Prior – were never really in the contest as the registered touchdowns from Ban Birkett (2) and Jonny Brown.
Birkett and Mike Scrivens added a goal a-piece.
EGREMONT RANGERS proved to be too strong for Division One hosts SALFORD CITY ROOSTERS easing to a 38-12 victory.
Ross Brookes gave the perfect start with a first minute try and the Cumbrian side were 26-0 up just before the break following further four-pointers from Matthew Henson, Jack Stainton, Anthony Leak and Matt Bewsher, with Brookes adding the first three of his five-goal haul.
Salford reduced the deficit when Joe Connor went over and Jordan Parker improved matters, but Rangers took full control in the second period thanks to a second effort from Brookes a Blake Mahovic effort.
The home side kept battling away and got some consolation when Parker improved his own try.
Division Three THORNHILL TROJANS pulled of a major upset as they demolished ROCHDALE MAYFIELD 42-10.
Ryan Fenton and Sam Ratcliffe both grabbed a brace as the Dewsbury-based side made a mockery of the league standings to book a place in the semi-final draw.
Ratcliffe capped a great afternoon’s work with five goals whilst Adam Bird, Liam Morley, Mason Bailey and Scott Green picked up the other Trojan touchdowns.
The visitors – who had trailed 18-10 at the interval – were in the contest for most of the first half before been totally outplayed in the second period.
Sam Butterworth and Liam Whalley crossed for their tries with Lewis Sheridan improving the first effort.
WATH BROW HORNETS eased into the last-four thanks to a 36-8 victory over EAST LEEDS.
Centre Scott Pink opened the Hornets account in the second minute, with Jamie Devine racing over just five minutes later and Cole Walker-Taylor adding the second of his six-goals.
Jason Priestly hit back for Easts but his effort was cancelled out by Mark Watson as the home side took an 18-4 lead in the break.
The dismissal of Priestley for alleged dissent made the visitors task even harder, and when James Forsell was sin-binned for repeat offending the writing was on the wall.
Devine, Matty Huby and Karl Dixon all touched down as the Hornets took control meaning a late effort from Jack Ely was mere consolation.
Saturday July 4:
Leigh Miners Rangers 48 v 16 Wigan St Patricks
Salford City Roosters 12 v 38 Egremont Rangers
Thornhill Trojans 42 v 10 Rochdale Mayfield
Wath Brow Hornets 36 v 8 East Leeds
DIVISION ONE
NORMANTON KNIGHTS moved to the top of the table following a 40-12 success over SADDLEWORTH RANGERS.
James Evans and Adie Mulcahy both touched down in the opening five minutes, with the latter also kicking the first two of his eventual six goals.
Richard Blakeway, Stuart Biscombe and Connor Wilson all added their names to the scorers list before the break, although the visitors replied in the second period with Ben Whitehead’s conversions of tries by Josh Bradbury and Liam Hall.
The Knights however, stayed well out of reach with further four-pointers from Paul Seal and a second from Biscombe.
ELLAND ground out a 28-18 victory over YORK ACORN.
The Halifax sides six win of the campaign came thanks to tries by Richard Crawshaw, Jorge Fairbank, Ben Anderson, Tom Harnett and Joe Fradgley, with the extras been supplied by Cayci Pearson (3) and Phil Taylor.
Acorn – who remain fifth – were just 10-6 down at half-time but came up short despite Anthony Chilton improving touchdowns from Andrew Gargan, Joe Porter and Ryan Gallagher.
SKIRLAUGH passed the half-century mark as they accounted for WIGAN ST JUDES 52-4.
The struggling visitors only managed a Nathan Jones effort and that came in the second half when they well adrift at 30-0 down.
Carl Puckering and James Higginbotham both scored twice for the hosts, with Puckering’s eight goals completing an impressive 24-point display.
Ian Russell, John Gay, Tom Saltmer, Ben Peterson and Scott Mountain claimed the other tries as Skirlaugh picked up their sixth win of the season.
Saturday July 4:
Elland 28 v 18 York Acorn
Normanton Knights 40 v 12 Saddleworth Rangers
Skirlaugh 52 v 4 Wigan St Judes
DIVISION THREE
WATERHEAD moved off the foot of the table following their 22-20 win at CROSFIELDS.
Jamie Mayall converted a last minute Luke Defue try to give the Oldham-based side just their second win of the season.
Darren Nixon, Chris Brown and Mayall – who ended with three conversions – supplied the other points to see off the hosts who thought they’d done enough thanks to a try and two goals from Jack Reid, plus efforts from Declan Clarke, Jack Gibbins and John Whittaker.
HUNSLET CLUB PARKSIDE were given a scare by DRIGHLINTON before picking up the two points with a 40-26 triumph.
The hosts led 26-10 at half-time after tries to Kieran Roche (2), Gary Smith and Ben Nabozny, plus five Josh Milne goals.
However, they couldn’t add to their tally in the second period as the league leaders stormed back to maintain their 100% record with a twelfth win.
Mark Stubley and Kieran Murphy picked up the first half tries, with Jamie Fields (2), Luke O’Malley, Jack Carvill, Craig Miles and Tom Sykes joining them on the score sheet in the second forty.
Fields (3) and O’Malley added the extras.
A late Adam Bielby try – improved by Zack Clarke – gave GATESHEAD STORM a 26-14 victory over DEWSBURY MOOR MAROONS.
Martin Scott had earlier crossed twice for the Storm with Iain Murray also touching down and Adam Houston landing four goals.
Jacob Flathers led the Moor reply with a try and conversion, whilst George Croisdale and Jordan Fisher also crossed the whitewash for a visiting side who found themselves 14-4 behind at the break.
WIBSEY WARRIORS led throughout their clash with EASTMOOR DRAGONS and eventually came home 38-22 winners against the bottom-placed side.
The lowly visitors were only 28-22 down as the game entered its final stages but were eventually undone by late scores from James Mann and Nicholas Fontaine, with Lewis Barrett lading his fifth conversion.
Craig Barker, Nicholas Walker, Fontaine, Danny McDonald and Chris Vogel had touched down for the Warriors earlier in the contest.
The Dragons remained in the contest before the final late points flurry thanks to efforts from Joe Burns, Michael Jedynak, Lewis Kear and Luke Scott, three of which Nathan Slater improved.
Saturday July 4:
Drighlington 26 v 40 Hunslet Club Parkside
Gateshead Storm 26 v 14 Dewsbury Moor Maroons
Waterhead 22 v 20 Crosfields
Wibsey Warriors 38 v 22 Eastmoor Dragons