Wigan St Judes 16 v 24 Leigh Miners

Leigh Miners picked up their first away victory of the short season yesterday afternoon with a 24-16 victory against Wigan St Judes but know they will need to be much better over the next couple of weeks if they are to have any chance of coming away with victories against Wigan St Pats & Thatto Heath. On a windy afternoon at Parsons Meadow it was the home side that opened the scoring in their first attacking set, Miners turning the ball over cheaply deep inside their own half to give Judes possession, Judes taking full advantage to score at the side of the post, the kick surprisingly missed to leave the score at 4-0. Miners responded with plenty of field position and had chances to draw level but with the pass not sticking it took until the fifteen minute mark to level the score at 4-4 with full back Kieron Dainty going over on the left. A second Miners try followed five minutes later with Gary Gittins going forward strongly to pop up a nice offload for Ryan Smith to beat the full back in a foot race to the corner to give the score 8-4. No further points followed for the remainder of the half in what was a scrappy affair with both teams spilling the ball to cheaply but St Judes will have been the happier of the teams going into the break after playing against the strong wind in the first half and only trailing by four points.

The second half started similar to the first with the home side coming out stronger and were again rewarded with an early try to put them back in front at 10-8 after the kick was converted. Miners responded with some strong defence and after putting the home side under a lot of pressure in their own twenty Danny Jones picked up a loose pass to put in Craig Connor from close range to put them back in front at 12-10. Dean Balmer scored the fourth Miners try with just over an hour of the game gone, Leon Brennan landing the conversion to open up an eight point gap at 18-10. Ryan Smith wrapped up the two points in the final few minutes stepping through the Judes defence to score under the posts, Brennan again converting to give the score 24-10. St Judes scored a consolation try in the final minute of the match to give a final score of 24-16.

Next week Miners are away to Wigan St Pats.

Leigh Miners A beat Eccles A 38-22.

MINERS TEAM = Dainty, Monaghan, Hodson, Gray, Skinkis, Brennan, Smith, Balmer, Harrison, Connor, Thomason, Marsh, Jones, SUBS = T.Appleby, D.Appleby, Gittins

MOM = Ryan Smith

Just coming good when the short season is at an end well done Miners.

Yes well done Miners.