West Cumbrian duo Wath Brow Hornets and Kells have National Conference finals to look forward to on October 16.
The Cumbria regional winners Wath Brow will play Thatto Heath at Featherstone on Saturday, October 16 in the Championship play-off final.
The Crusaders squeezed home 18-16 against Hunslet Club Parkside while the Hornets were comfortable 44-8 winners at home to Pilkington Recs. Early whispers suggest Wath Brow will be hot favourites as the St Helens side will have a number of players missing on a stag weekend.
In the Shield competition Kells will also be contesting the final at Featherstone on the same day and will be up against West Hull.
At the Brow, Pilkington Recs made the mistake of scoring first – a penalty in the opening minute – but by half-time the Hornets had opened-up a 20-2 advantage.
It took to the tenth minute mark for Wath Brow to take the lead when Ellison Holgate got over for an unconverted try and that score was duplicated by Joe Power after 20 minutes.
Sam Curwen’s first successful conversion followed Dean Rooney’s try on 25 minutes and the pair repeated the double act on the stroke of half-time.
It was business as usual five minutes into the second-half when Fran King scored and Curwen converted, with the visitors having no real answers to the Hornets’ fast and flowing rugby.
Power scored his second try after 50 minutes; Curtis Teare got in on the action five minutes later and 10 minutes from time King notched his second. All three tries were converted by Curwen.
The one brief flurry by Pilkington’s came on 62 minutes when second-row forward Jordan Morris got in for a try and Kyran Knapper landed his second goal.
Peter Caddy, the Hornets’ second row forward was awarded Wath Brow’s man of the match award with full-back Ryan Hilliard taking the Pilkington’s nomination.
Meanwhile at Kells, the home side built steadily on a 14-0 lead to see off the challenge of their old rivals Rochdale Mayfield who have often gone away with the points.
Not on this occasion as Kells scored eight tries to the visitors’ three and were generally in charge, particularly in the second-half when they were able to turn the screw.
Winger Aaron Burns and man of the match hooker Jake Parker both scored two tries apiece with the other touchdowns coming from Jordan Burns, Tyrone Dalton, Mason Lewthwaite and Jack Ainley. Grant Gainford kicked four goals and Jordan Burns landed the other.
