Siddal 30 v 28 Leigh Miners
Leigh Miners were knocked out of the NCL playoffs yesterday afternoon when they lost a tight tussle 30-28 against Siddal. Miners made the perfect start to the game and where in front after only a couple of minutes when full back Jonny Youds got on the end of a Scott O'Brien grubber kick to score under the posts, Youds converting his try to give the score 6-0. The visitors where in again on fifteen minutes when winger Scott Travis went over in the right corner after some good build up play, giving the score 10-0. The home side hit back not long after with a try from prop Tom Garratt, who barged his way over to score to the left of the posts, Chris Brooke converting to make it 10-6. From this try Siddal was lifted, after being on the back foot for the opening twenty minutes it was them who was on top for the next twenty minutes before half time scoring tries from there returning skipper Shaun Garrod and winger Gareth Blackburn who finished well in the left corner, Brooke converting both tries to give the half time score 18-10 in favour of Siddal.
After the break Siddal continued from where they left off in the first half and come out strong, rolling forward well having Miners on the back foot. Full back Scott Caley increased Siddal's lead to fourteen points with a try on the left, Brook again adding the extras to make it 24-10. The game could have quiet easily run away from Miners after the home sides fourth try but they stuck at it and closed the gap back to eight points when Jimmy Muir made a half break to send in supporting prop Darryl Kay who scored to the left of the posts, Youds adding the extras to make it 24-16. From that try it was Miners turn to again have the upper hand and they continued to push forward, Scoring again through centre Adam Thomason, who wrestled his way over to score out wide, Youds converting off the touchline to make it 24-22. Against the run of play the home side made a big break from deep inside their own half, only to be tackled 10m short of the try line, with Miners scrambling back they had Matt Astley sin binned for a professional foul. Being a man down didn't seem to affect Miners as they continued to press for the winning score, attacking the Siddal line inside the final five minutes with the home side looking tired and out on there feet, Miners threw out an awful ball which was picked up by Shaun Garrod, Garrod racing down field to find his left wing man Gareth Blackburn who raced into score, Brooke landing his fifth conversion of the day to make it 30-22. Miners hit back straight away after winning the ball back from the restart, Mike O'Boyle going over to score with Youds converting to make it 30-28. Miners had one last chance with the last play of the game but it came to nothing as Siddal hanged on for victory and booked themselves another home tie next weekend against Lock Lane.
MINERS TEAM = Jonny Youds, Scott Travis, Ellis Grimes, Adam Thomason, Jack Probert, Tom Farrimond, Scott O'Brien, Chris Bower, Mathew Meaden, Darryl Kay, Mike O'Boyle, Danny Jackson,Martin Gray, Subs = Matt Wilkinson, Jimmy Muir, Dave Rowlands, Matt Astley
MINERS MOM = Scott O'Brien
SIDDAL TEAM = Scott Caley, Gareth Blackburn, Billy Hammond, Richard Lopag, Will Forsyth, Ste Illingworth, Chris Brooke, George Ambler, Craig Sanderson, Iain Davies, Danny Williams, Ross White, Nick Smith, Subs = Shaun Garrod, James Hanson, Jamie Sheperd, Tom Garratt
SIDDAL MOM = Craig Sanderson
