Kells paid tribute to one of their local heroes before their National Conference Division One match – and he would have approved of how they saw off the opposition.
The club staged a minute’s applause ahead of their game with Saddleworth Rangers for Arnold ‘Boxer’ Walker, who started his career at Kells before becoming a legend at both Workington Town and Whitehaven.
It finished 40-16 to Kells after they had scored the opening try in 35 seconds but were still all square 16-16 at the break.
“We weren’t particularly good in the first-half when our completion rate was only at 50 per cent. It was even worse in the second-half but we got the job done and they didn’t score another point,” said coach Peter Smith.
Mason Lewthwaite scored the early try and was followed over by Jordan Burns and Lewis Smith, two converted by Ross Gainford.
In the second-half man of the match James Ennis scored two tries; Lewthwaite grabbed his second and there was a try for James Parker with Gainford converting all four.
There was disappointment for Wath Brow in the Premier Division’s Match of the Day as they lost their big clash at West Hull, 24-4.
It was the Hornets’ third defeat in a row although they remain in fifth place but six points behind West Hull who have a one-point advantage over Hunslet Club Parkside.
After their long trek the Cumbrians didn’t seem affected by the time spent on the bus as they made a great start and were ahead after six minutes with an unconverted try by Sam Curwen.
The Hornets held that advantage until the last ten minutes of the half when their hosts scored two converted tries for a 12-4 lead at the break.
It was still anyone’s game but West Hull scored the next crucial try just over the hour and completed the win with a converted try in the last minute.
Egremont are also on a tough run and only have York Acorn below them in the table as they went down 24-10 at Siddal.
It was a welcome win for the hosts as they had suffered four successive defeats and this put them mid-table six points better than the Cumbrians.
There was nothing in at until the 65th minute as they had changed round all square at 10-10. But a converted try, followed soon after by a penalty, swung the game Siddal’s way. The win was confirmed three minutes from time with another converted try.
Egremont had scored two first-half tries to keep in the contest. James Newton and Aaron Turnbull touched down with one converted by Matty Bewsher.
In Division Two there was an important win for Barrow Island as they held off a second-half challenge from Clock Face Miners. It finished 27-20 after they had led 18-8 at half-time.
Indeed with ten minutes left the visitors had fought back to trail 24-20 and it needed a penalty from Max Anderson-Moore and field goal from Adam Jackson to give them the breathing space to see it out.
Dan Wright (2), Blain Marwood and Carl McBain scored tries for the Islanders with Jackson (2) and Sam Jones kicking the earlier goals.
Five teams share second spot in Division Three, and one of them Seaton Rangers have a game in hand of the other four.
They chalked up an important and convincing 38-10 home win over Shaw Cross Sharks one of the sides they are now level on points with.
Although not at their best in the first-half against a lively Sharks outfit Seaton led 14-0 at the break with tries from Grant Reid and Ryan Heron, converted by Dominic Smallwood who also landed a penalty.
Seaton were on their game in the second-half and scored further tries by Evan Nicholson, JJ Key and Ellis Nixon all converted by Smallwood to build a big lead.
Although the Sharks did come back with a couple of tries, one converted, Seaton were back on top at the end and Jordan Pitts crossed for the sixth try which Smallwood improved.
Hensingham remain next to bottom, although they could feel happier with their performance in a 42-36 defeat at Drighlington, which followed a 90-point pasting at East Leeds last week.
It hadn’t looked good late in the first-half when the Cumbrians trailed 30-6 but they scored a converted try before the break and continued the fight-back to lead 32-30.
But it was the home side who came back strongly to lead again and a late converted try wasn’t enough for the Cumbrians.
Hensingham scored seven tries, two of them from player coach Jessie Joe Parker, with the others from Koby Conway, Logan Holgate, Steven Hodgson, Andrew Middleton and Jamie Lewthwaite. Noel Branthwaite kicked four goals.
Millom were all square 12-12 at half-time on their visit to Bentley and got in front with a Jack Newbegin penalty but it was the home side who finished best to run out winners 28-14.
Tom Sibley and Aiden Wilson scored the Millom tries both converted by Newbegin.
