SADDLEWORTH RANGERS 30 LEIGH EAST 28

 

Leigh East went to Shaw Hall Bank Road hopeful of success and in the mood to spoil a party but following a topsy turvy game neither goal was achieved with Saddleworth edging the contest to send out their old clubhouse into history in style.

 

East made the better start, going in front after three minutes when good hands realeased Chris Dootson at the corner. Although Adam Holland missed the goal, the visitors were a team running high on confidence. Saddleworth Rangers picked up the pace of their game, and East conceded a couple of penalties. This put them on the back foot and Saddleworth capitalised when late footwork from prop Gareth Morgan took him to the line and Ben Whitehead goaled after 12 minutes.

 

Five minutes after that, Rangers again flooded forward with former professional Gavin Dodd breaking. Saddleworth were twenty metres from the line and got a penalty after Ihaka Watene's challenge rose up. Within a couple of plays, fullback Ethan Langhorn burst over at the side of the posts. Whitehead was on target again and the hosts led 12-4.

 

East responded positively and Watene kicked to the line and regathering brilliantly to canter under the posts for his 16th try of the season. Holland goaled and it was 12-10. Saddleworth then hit back with a lovely try as the ball sailed through three pairs of hands before Matt Fogerty handed on to James Whalley in the corner. Whitehead again goaled to make it 18-10 in the hosts favour but Leigh East struck twice before half-time to take a narrow lead. First Lee Rowley pounced on a Holland kick before a neatly worked scrum play got Dootson over the line on the overlap for his seventh try in five first team outings. Holland goaled superbly to make it 22-18 to East at half-time.

 

It proved a shaky opening by both teams in the second half with Saddleworth making the most of it when Fogerty bowled over the line after 48 minutes. Tyron Mafi was penalised five minutes later for lying on with Whitehead nudging over the penalty from twenty five metres. From their next possession, Rangers struck again when Josh Bradbury chipped into space following a good run by Whitehead. Dodd followed through to sail beyond Josh Adudwumaa's despairing tackle. Whitehead again goaled and the hosts held a 30-22 advantage heading into the final twenty five minutes.

 

Despite being handed opportunities, East couldn't quite take advantage until five minutes from the end when prolific hooker Andrew Ball slid through from close range and Holland goaled. It wasn't enough however and Saddleworth Rangers hung on to secure victory.