HATTONS SOLICITORS NATIONAL CONFERENCE LEAGUE Minor Premiers
LEIGH EAST are through to the 2009/10 Grand Final.
East will appear in the decider, at the Stobart Stadium, Widnes, on Saturday 22 May, after beating second-placed
SIDDAL 30-22 in today’s
QUALIFYING SEMI-FINAL.
The visitors went in front with a try in the fourth minute by scrum-half Lee Gudor which winger Gareth Blackburn improved, but a couple of touchdowns by the 13th minute – by second row Adam Holland and winger Kevin Murphy, both converted by stand-off Ryan Peters – gave Leigh a lead they were destined not to lose.
East went in at the break 24-6 ahead, Peters goaling his own late score and a try by loose forward Gary Middlehurst in the closing seconds, and the deficit was too much for Siddal to make up.
The Halifax outfit made a brave attempt, Gudor and substitute Richard Pearson crossing and Blackburn adding a conversion. But fullback Ryan Fieldhouse’s touchdown in response, plus Peters’ fifth goal, meant that benchman Luke Garnett’s try three minutes for time, improved by Blackburn, was nothing more than a consolation effort.
Siddal will, however, have another bite of the cherry with the visit of
LEIGH MINERS RANGERS next Saturday in the second Qualifying Semi-final. Rangers are 80 minutes away from creating a `derby’ to remember after winning 27-12 at
SKIRLAUGH in the second
ELIMINATION SEMI-FINAL.
The Miners were 12-0 ahead at the break through a try and two goals by scrum-half Ryan Peters and a touchdown for centre Leon Brennan.
Matters got worse for Skirlaugh after the restart, Peters adding his second penalty and again converting his own lead to stretch the lead to 20 points.
Skirlaugh threatened to retrieve the situation when winger Adie Wadforth and stand-off Matty Danville crossed in a three-minute spell before the hour mark, scrum-half Jordan Precious adding the extras on each occasion. But the Miners stopped the rot when stand-off Scott O’Brien crossed, Smith improving and kicking a drop goal.
Records tumbled in the
DIVISON ONE game at
THATTO HEATH CRUSADERS, where the champions overwhelmed
NORMANTON KNIGHTS 78-16. Heath winger Darren Woods’ touchdown took his total for the campaign to 41 (a new high for the section) while fullback Shaun Quinn notched 30 points with two tries and 11 goals. Thatto have registered 1,006 points in the section this time, and loose forward Mick Ledger’s touchdown – the last of the game, and a `gift’ from Darren Woods, who was already over the tryline – meant that every member of the squad has scored this season.
Second row Mark Beech claimed a hat-trick, there were two tries by hooker Kieron Maddocks, and other touchdowns went to centre Mike Woods, centre David Johnson, scrum-half Chris Frodsham, and benchmen Carl Lamb and Glen Holland. Fullback Mick Butterfield bagged a brace for the Knights, young hooker Craig Wright popped over, and stand-off Liam Atkinson landed a couple of goals.
HATTONS SOLICITORS NATIONAL CONFERENCE LEAGUE
Results
Saturday 8 May 2010
PREMIER DIVISION
GRAND FINAL PLAY-OFFS
QUALIFYING SEMI-FINAL: Leigh East 30 Siddal 22.
ELIMINATION SEMI-FINAL: Skirlaugh 12 Leigh Miners Rangers 27.
DIVISION ONE: Thatto Heath Crusaders 78 Normanton Knights 16.
Fixture
Saturday 15 May 2010
QUALIFYING SEMI-FINAL: Siddal v Leigh Miners Rangers.
