Thatto Heath v Leigh Miners

Thatto Heath 16 v 38 Leigh Miners

Leigh Miners finished the NCL Interim season the way they started it with a convincing victory against last season’s champions Thatto Heath Crusaders, after having a mixed short season this result was by far the most satisfying with having a large amount of lads unavailable to play the sixteen lads who took to the field yesterday afternoon did the club proud and produced an excellent team performance to run out comfortable 38-16 winners. Miners opened the scoring after about fifteen minutes when young u18s scrum half Luke Warburton put a nice kick over to the right corner to allow u18 team mate Ryan Monaghan to collect and finish, Leon Brennan converting to give Miners a 6-0 lead. Thatto responded a few minutes later to make the score 6-4 but that’s as good as it got for the home side in the first half. With Miners defending well and going forward strongly they scored their second try from the hard working Dave Rowlands who barged over from close range, Brennan converting at the side of the posts to open up an eight point gap at 12-4. That gap was increased to fourteen points right on half time when Leon Brennan finished off a good team try to score under the posts, Brennan converting his try to give Miners a well-deserved 18-4 half time advantage.

Early in the second period Thatto had a couple of chances to get back into the game but an eager Miners defence held firm twice preventing Thatto from scoring with last minute cover tackles holding the ball up over the line to keep the score at 18-4. After soaking up the early second half pressure Miners increased their lead when Leon Brennan cut through the Thatto defence to score his second try of the match, Brennan again converting to give the score 24-4. A few minutes later Miners scored their fifth try when Darryl Kay broke down the left to send full back Sean Pendlebury racing away to score and put the score at a commanding 30-4. With fifteen minutes to go Miners old boy Tom Eckersley crashed over for the first of four tries scored between the sides in the closing minutes. Dave Rowlands was next to score for Miners after breaking through the defence to fend off the full back to score out wide on the left for his second, followed by a late consolation try from the Thatto Stand off. The final try of the match was scored by Miners centre Martin Gray who intercepted to race away and finish off an excellent day for Miners to score their seventh try and give the final score 38-16.

MINERS TEAM = Pendlebury, Travis, Monaghan, Gray, Skinkis, Brennan, Warburton, Balmer, Harrison, D. Appleby, Kay, Marsh, Rowlands, SUBS = Reeve, Farrimond, G. Gittins

MOM = Darryl Kay

Leigh Miners A team play their final home game of the short season on Tuesday evening when they entertain Oldham St Annes A at Twist Lane, Kick Off 7-30pm.