It was a good day for West Cumbria’s three leading National Conference League sides at the weekend as they all registered victories.
In the Premier Division Wath Brow Hornets beat a big York Acorn side, 28-16 with a top performance only spoiled by a sloppy final ten minutes.
In Division One Egremont Rangers left it late, and were probably fortunate to sneak a 10-8 home win over Stanningley, but a try and pressure conversion at the death saw them home.
Kells were good winners in Leeds against Oulton Raiders, dominating the game for long periods to win 30-6.
Hornets were backing up a good win at Lock Lane the previous week and the game plan was based around moving the big Acorn pack around the field and exploiting the home side’s extra pace.
The Brow had taken the lead inside 10 minutes with a try from one of their youngsters Kieran Eldon, which was converted by Sam Curwen.
The visitors hit back after 24 minutes with a converted try but Hornets regained the lead before half-time with an unconverted try by Jamie McAllister.
However, from a 10-6 interval lead the Brow pulled away in the second half to lead 28-6 and put the game beyond their York rivals.
Devon Sharp, Karl Dixon and Dean Rooney all crossed for tries with Curwen converted two of them.
It rather spoiled the performance when the home side allowed Acorn for two late tries in the last 10 minutes, one of them being converted. Owen McCartney was named man of the match.
Coach Ian Rooney gives his views on the performance below:
His opposite number at Egremont, Danny Barker was delighted with the win over Stanningley at Gillfoot but admitted he felt sorry for the visitors who were denied by a last gasp try and conversion.
It wasn’t really a deserved win, with their game littered by mistakes and wrong options, but they got their in the end and Barker praised his lads for their commitment to keep it going to the very end.
Stanningley had done what Egremont had failed to do and take their chances with an unconverted try in each half to lead 8-0.
It was six minutes from time when Egremont did manage to get over the Stanningley line through Connor Williams.
Time was running out after an injury stoppage when Egremont got the ball back and made the most of it with Williams holding-off the challenges to make the line for the equalising try.
It was all down to his Australian pal Joe Lewis and he nailed the conversion to spark relieved celebrations.
This is what Danny Barker had to say about the win:
Kells were always in control at Oulton and their third successive victory moved them up to second in the table.
Match hero was Clarke Chambers who helped himself to four tries, completing a hat-trick in the first half when Kells opened up a 16-0 lead with two conversions by Grant Gainford.
Oulton started the second-half well and pulled back six points but Kells were soon back in control as Chambers grabbed his fourth try.
Jacob Hodgson celebrated his debut by scoring the fifth Kells try and Gainford wrapped-up the points with a final try and conversion.
This is what coach Peter Smith had to say about it:
