KIPPAX KNIGHTS 32 FEATHERSTONE LIONS 16 – Welfare Ground, Friday

Kippax maintained their top two challenge, and received the perfect boost for their clash with leaders Huddersfield next week, with a hard fought win over their local rivals.

 Knights made a blistering start with two tries in the opening five minutes, the first from stand off Andy Speake who ghosted through the Lions defence, quickly followed over by winger Danny Agar after a fumble from the visiting full back, Ian Jackson.

Speake added both conversions and that was a key factor as the Lions failed with all their kicks at goal. Featherstone settled after the initial blitz and began to play some good rugby but missed several guilt edge chances to get the scoreboard moving.

They were made to pay on 15 minutes when Agar scored again out wide following good work from Chris Redfearn and Stuart Biscomb and the game looked beyond the Lions three minutes later when hooker Paul Brown got his trademark try from dummy half.

This time Speake failed with both conversions but the hosts led 20-0 in as many minutes.

Lions dug in and were eventually rewarded with two tries of their own, the first from Andy Hepworth following a fumble by Agar as the rain intensified. Loose forward Scott Glassell then showed great pace to just reach a kick through before the dead ball line.

The second half began in identical fashion as the first with an early try from Speake following another fumble from the Jackson as the conditions worsened.

Again the Lions came back with two tries from Sam Wilson and Hepworth with his second, to close the gap to ten points.

Featherstone spent most of the second period in the Kippax half but were unable to add to their score on the back of resolute home defence led by man of the match Lee Williamson, Redfearn and Brown.

The Lions were then denied what would have been a deserved bonus point when Speake put full back Matty Bacon in for a try and then added the conversion with the last kick of the match.

KNIGHTS
1 Matthew Bacon
2 Danny Agar
3 Richard Stone
4 Stuart Biscomb
5 James Cryer
6 Andy Speake
7 Chris Redfearn
8 Lee Williamson
9 Paul Brown
10 Martin Taylor
11 Steve Scott
12 Robert Firth
13 Craig Calder
Subs (all used)
14 Craig Jones
15 Tom Field
16 Adam Withington
17 Dale Cogin
Tries: Speake (2, 42), Agar (5, 15), Brown (18), Bacon (79)
Goals: Speake 4

LIONS
1 Ian Jackson
2 Andy Hepworth
3 Dan Land
4 Danny Glassell
5 Sam Wilson
6 Richard Frankland
7 Kevin Eadie
8 Kyle Littlewood
9 Danny Milton
10 Danny Richardson
11 Ryan Mallinder
12 Pete Smith
13 Scott Glassell
Subs (all used)
14 Anthony Yates
15 Craig Barker
16 Josh Blackmore
17 Jamie Nicholson

Tries:  Hepwoth (25, 57), S. Glassell (24), Wilson (46)
Men of the match:    KNIGHTS – Lee Williamson    LIONS – Scott Glassell
Half time: 20-8
Referee: Jamie Bloem

WARRINGTON WIZARDS 54 NOTTINGHAM OUTLAWS 10 – Wilderspool, Saturday

Wizards bounced back to winning ways after last week’s home loss to Kippax in fine style with a ruthless performance to completely out play the valiant and, at times, inventive Outlaws.

Warrington got off to the perfect start in the first minute when a lovely ball from loose forward Jono Smith sent Darren Forshaw on a 40 metre break down the left and he found Chris Campbell in support to race over between the posts.

Hooker Warren Ayres added the conversion and eight minutes later Forshaw spotted a gap in the Outlaws defence and went on his own from acting half back to score on the left with Ayres again goaling.

Wizards continued to dominate and scored again when a clever interchange between stand off Alan Reddecliff and Jono Smith saw second rower Troy Brophy score at the side of the posts, Ayres converting.

On 26 minutes, a long ball from Ayres found Jono Smith who cracked the defence and raced away before finding Ayres back in support on the inside to make it 24-0.

Just after the half hour mark Jono Smith continued to torment the Nottingham defence when he made another break to put Campbell away.

He was held just short bit a quick play the ball saw Jono Smith go over on the left to give the Wizards a commanding half time lead.

Two minutes into the second half, Jono Smith was held up over the line but from the play the ball slick passing along the line saw Dave Yii put winger Craig Middlemore over in the right corner.

Six minutes later, a speculative kick down by Reddecliff saw Yii chase it down and hack on for Middlemore who picked up and scored on the right, Jono Smith taking over the goal kicking duties to add the conversion.

On the hour, after Wizards winger Mike Stout had been held up over the line in the left corner, the ball was swept the width of the field for second rower Paul Reynolds to go over wide out on the right and then hard working prop Leighton Smith powered over at the side of the posts.

Almost immediately, the rampant Wizards brought up the half century when Stout broke clear down the left and he found Reddecliff in support to score at the posts and give Jono Smith a simple conversion.

The visitors, to their credit, were rewarded for their never-say-die attitude when great work by George Strachan down the right saw him find centre Christian Brew who cut inside superbly to score at the left of the posts, Greg Moore landing the conversion.

Right on the final whistle Nottingham gained another touchdown when good work close to the line saw Brew go over in the right corner for his brace.

WIZARDS
1    Chris Campbell
2    Craig Middlemore
3    Dave Yii
4    Darren Forshaw
5    Mike Stout
6    Alan Reddecliff
7    Graham Healey
8    Dan Stubbs
9    Warren Ayres
10    Leighton Smith
11    Paul Reynolds
12    Troy Brophy
13    Jono Smith
    Subs (all used)
14    Liam Walsh
15    Shaun Gilmour
16    Mike Rosson
17    Nick Owen

Tries: Campbell (1), Forshaw (9), Brophy (13), Ayres (26), J. Smith (32), Middlemore (42, 48), Reynolds (60), L. Smith (63), Reddecliff (65)
Goals:  Ayres 4/6, J. Smith 3/4

OUTLAWS
1    Greg Moore
2    Jake Want
14    Christian Brew
4    Eddie Shaw
5    Max Chetwyn
6    Dan Smith
7    Olly Beech
8    Adam Millward
9    Reece Needham
10    James Sadler
16    George Strachan
12    Oliver Dale
11    Bryn Waldram
    Subs (all used)
17    Jodi Spurgeon
19    Will Ephrain
13    Shane Wright
20    Sean Forrest

Tries: Brew (75, 79)
Goal: Moore 1/2
Men of the match:    WIZARDS – Jono Smith        OUTLAWS – George Strachan
Half time: 28-0
Referee: Michael Woodhead

DEWSBURY CELTIC 10 HUDDERSFIELD UNDERBANK RANGERS 24 – Crow Nest Park, Saturday

Rangers enhanced their place at the top, stretching their winning run to nine games against second placed Celtic and extending their lead at the summit to nine points.

The visitors were indebted to stand off Neil Barrett who finished with 16 points, his goal kicking in the second period, as Celtic gave away penalties, keeping the hosts at arms length.

The first half was a close encounter played at a blazing pace but it was the home team who broke the deadlock in the 15th minute with Josh West racing away 30 metres before releasing the ball to

Tom Kilroy who sped the last 20 metres to score in the corner, Niki Crabtree converting from near the touchline.  

Dewsbury nearly scored again eight minutes later when Alex Walmsley broke away with Tom Norris backing up only for the ball to be knocked out of his hands.

Rangers levelled in the 25th minute with Alex Chatterton breaking away and putting Rob Joyce in 10 metres from the corner, Barrett goaling.  

Alex Walmsley, having a storming match at prop, put Eddie Kilroy over at the corner, only for the centre to lose the ball as he was grounding it.

In response, the visitors had the chance to take an interval lead when Richard Aka sprinted down the wing only to be brilliantly tackled in to touch at the corner flag to leave it 6-all at half time.

Underbank, playing downhill in second half, took full advantage of the slope, Barrett knocking over his first penalty from 20 metres out.

Celtic thought that Eddie Kilroy had scored in the corner from 20 metres out, the touch judge giving the try but the referee disallowing it.

Just before the hour, Tom Kilroy spilt the ball in a heavy tackle allowing Adam Ryder to pick up and canter clear to the posts, Barrett goaling.

Barrett then took full advantage of some lax defending to score at the side of the posts and added the extras.

Two penalties in quick succession knocked over by the Rangers pivot made it 24-6 but a minute from time Celtic’s determination paid off with Eddie Kilory finally getting across in the corner, Niki Crabtree’s conversion attempt blown wide of the post to deny the home side a bonus point.

CELTIC
1    Tom Kilroy
2    Jason Muranka
3    Liam Walmsley
4    Eddie Kilroy
5    Dave Townend
6    Josh West
7    Niki Crabtree
8    Alex Walmlsey
9    Joe Waters
10    Elliott Smith
11    Tom Norris
12    Jamie Milburn
13    Dom Byrne
    Subs (all used)
14    Danny Lee
15    Liam Edwards
16    Matthew Bailey
17    Josh Sykes

Tries: T. Kilroy (15), E. Kilroy (78)
Goal: Crabtree
RANGERS

1    Will Midgley
2    Courtney Allette
3    Rob Joyce
4    Adam Ryder
5    Richard Aka
6    Neil Barrett
7    Alex Chatterton
8    Chris Geoghegan
9    Adam Carroll
10    Sam Dalby
11    Sam Housley
12    Craig Williams
13    Lee St Hilaire
    Subs 9all used)
14    Stephen Berry
15    Jack Mitchell
16    Sam Cummings
17    Carl Leach

Tries: Joyce (25), Ryder (58), Barrett (62)
Goals: Barrett 6
Men of the match:    CELTIC – Alex Walmsley        RANGERS – Will Midgley
Half time: 6-6
Referee: Paul Stockman

VALLEY COUGARS 24 COVENTRY BEARS 28 – Caerphilly, Saturday

Coventry Bears picked up a priceless away victory, ending the Cougars’ 100% record at Caerphilly in the process.

A hard-fought and entertaining game was ultimately settled by two Coventry tries in the space of a minute - Simon Perry following Rhidian Booth’s score with a touchdown from the restart.

Yet it was the Cougars who opened the scoring on four minutes as Paul Emanuelli’s chip to the corner found Kevin James.

Having gone behind, the Bears strove hard in search for their first score and a Chad Grant break was curtailed by a try-saving tackle from Barrie Phillips.

Indiscipline from the home side increased the pressure on their try line and aer penalty for holding down gave the Bears a fresh set of six, from which Perry forced his way over.

Emanuelli’s return to the side saw the Cougars use the boot more frequently; the stand-off again kicked wide but the ball just skidded away from wing Ricky Allsopp and into touch.

Both teams struggled for an attacking foothold as the respective packs looked to dominate. Matt Cooper’s 40-20 for the Bears seemed to give them the platform but the same player knocked on from the resulting scrum.

The Cougars were similarly unable to maintain field position. With the Bears attacking the Cougars’ line, a stray pass was intercepted by James, and the full-back raced downfield. He linked up with Carl Thomas but a needless offload surrendered possession.

Both sides had a player sin binned as Cougars half-back Shaun Owens retaliated to a high tackle from Booth but three minutes later the home side regained the lead as Thomas’ wide pass found Allsopp unmarked in the corner.

There was plenty of air given to the ball, with Cougars and Bears looking to switch the focus of attack.

On the last tackle, Barrie Phillips’ neat offload released Owens but Bears full-back Tim Leishman scrambled to quell the danger.

From the turnover, Perry got his second after a fine angled run from the play-the-ball, Alex Brown converting to put the Bears 10-8 ahead.
Cougars started the second half the better thanks to Mark Jones and Ryan Sadler consistently getting over the gain line.

The pair then combined for the Cougars’ third try as Emanuelli slipped Sadler through a gap and the big prop turned the ball inside to Jones who crossed untouched, Emanuelli adding the conversion.

Cougars’ invention continued to pay dividends, Emanuelli’s miss pass released rookie wing Liam Watton who evaded a number of tackles before drawing the full-back to send Lewis Fox between the posts.

Michael Ryan hit back for the Bears after the visitors worked an overlap and the turning point came when Booth backed up strong running from Grant and powered through a despairing Cougars challenge on the try line to score. Grant converted to put edge the Bears back in front.

A short restart looked to have given Valley’s possession back as Matthew Crane approached the loose ball.

After failing to gather, Cougars protests of obstruction fell on deaf ears and the loose ball was picked up by Perry who scampered away with the defenders left flat-footed, to wrap up his hat-trick.

Another Emanuelli cross-kick found Allsopp for his second try two minutes from time but the Bears held on to come out on top in a pulsating contest.

COUGARS
1 Kevin James
2 Liam Watton
3 Lewis Fox
4 James Thatcher
5 Ricky Allsopp
6 Paul Emanuelli
7 Shaun Owens
8 Mark Jones
9 Ben Thomas
10 Chris Speck
11 Alan Pope
12 Barrie Phillips
13 Phil Carleton
Subs(all used)
14 Matthew Crane
15 Ryan Sadler
16 Carl Thomas
17 Lee Jenkins

Tries: James (4), Allsopp (25, 78), Jones (44), Fox (50)
Goals: Emanuelli 2/5

BEARS
1 Tim Leishman
2 Michael Ryan
3 Matt Cooper
4 Steve Coleman
5 Tanaka Chamunokara
6 Tom Tsang
7 Alex Brown
8 Mike Venn
9 Barry McGuffog
10 Rhidian Booth
11 Chad Grant
12 Harry Kaufman
13 Simon Perry
Subs (all used)
14 Ken Dowling
15 Tawanda Chipadze
16 Adam Barnett
17 Tom Watts

Tries: Perry (10, 31, 72), Ryan (63), Booth (72)
Goals: Brown 1/2, Grant 3/3

Men of the match:    COUGARS – Barrie Phillips    BEARS – Simon Perry
Half time: 8-10
Referee: Ian Curzon

HEMEL STAGS 60 BRAMLEY BUFFALOES 14 – Pennine Way, Sunday

A virtuoso performance by Stags young hooker Martin Smith for the second successive week – which saw him bag a hat trick - enabled the Stags to register their biggest win of the campaign.

Both sides were desperate to turn around their fortunes, Hemel looking to end a three match losing run in the searing heat.

Smith served notice of intent in the seventh minute, Illia Radan getting the ball away for the supporting rake who jinked away from two tacklers to scamper over unopposed.

Bramley lost Nathan Smith to a leg injury as each side carved out chances, Hemel kicking through on last but ball going dead and a penalty to Bramley for holding down giving them good field position which was spoiled by a forward pass.

Smith’s second try five minutes after his first was a carbon copy and another mercurial run saw him weave and spin away from the cover over 60 metres  before sending Ash Fyson in at the corner,

Ryan Butcher adding the touchline conversion.

Danny Stocks was yellow carded for punching but that did not derail the Stags, Lameck Juma stampeding clear and working the ball out to Jerry Rice who went over by the posts.

A Buffaloes kick on the last then won a repeat set and hooker Ross Peel sneaked across to open their account.

Two minutes before the break, back to back penalties put the Stags back in the ascendancy and second rower Juna forced his way over to make it 28-6 at the interval.

Smith poached his third try two minutes after the oranges as Hemel began the second half strongly, resolute Bramley defence just denying the hosts after a high kick was fumbled but Matthew Brooke then sin binned for a dangerous tackle.

Good work by the Hemel backs saw the ball go out to the left and Eddie M’Baraga offloaded to Alex Anthony who touched down in the corner.
Bramley were still struggling to break out their own half but an accurate Barrett kick forced a drop out and on the last the ball ricocheted off Tim Thompson-Essex and Sam Mathews seized the chance to drop on it to score, Barrett’s touchline conversion attempt hitting the post.

With ten minutes to go, a superb bomb by Butcher hung in the air allowing Fyson to out jump his marker and touch down in the corner but from another short re-start, Hemel fumbled and Matthew Brook rumbled over in immediate response.

Juma finished the game in unstoppable form, with two tries in as many minutes to complete his hat trick, the first illustrating his power and the second set up by a great run from Mitch Henderson, Graham Nash sin binned for a high tackle on Juma as he went over.

In the final minute, Radan kicked ball through, it rebounded back to him off the Bramley defence, he hacked on again and Butcher gathered to skip clear and claim a 20 point personal haul.

STAGS
1    Mitch Henderson
2    Oscar O’Mara
3    Jerry Rice
4    Alex Anthony
5    Ash Fyson
6    Conor Boyd Barnes
7    Ryan Butcher
8    Adam Hill
9    Martin Smith
10    Illia Radan
11    Eddie M’Baraga
12    Tom Thompson-Essex
13    Dave Madigan
    Subs (all used)
14    Tom Sadler
15    Lameck Juma
16    Connar Farrell
17    Danny Stocks

Tries: Smith (7, 12, 42), Fyson (22, 70), Rice (33), Juna (38, 74, 76), Anthony (56), Butcher (79)
Goals: Butcher 8

BUFFALOES
1    Duane Platt
2    Steve Suddards
3    Shaun Flynn
4    Tony Langton
5    Reece Spur
6    Louie Barrett
7    Graham Harrison
8    Matthew Brook
9    Ross Peel
10    Dave Parker
11    Sam Matthews
12    Ash Taylor
13    Nathan Smith           
    Subs (all used)
14    Hafeez Yesubu
15    Joe Bartle
16    Sam Booker
17    Graham Nash

Tries: Peel (36), Matthews (64), Brook (72)
Goal: Barrett
Men of the match:    STAGS – Martin Smith        BUFFALOES – Louie Barrett
Half time: 28-6
Referee: Darren Hayes