After being iced off last weekend, along with the majority of the round one Challenge Cup fixtures, the game between the Waterhead Warriors and Leigh Miners Rangers finally got underway at Waterhead Park in Oldham this afternoon in the early kick-off, streamed on the BBC Sport website.
Both sides National Conference League Premier Division after being promoted at the end of the 2024 season after finishing top and second in Division One after an almighty tussle last season.
It was an early chance for the two sides to get a hot-out and look to progress into the second round and a game at home against Championship side Featherstone Rovers next weekend,
After making a mistake from the kick-off, Waterhead regained their composure and pressed downfield with Matt Holland crashing over the defence to force the ball to the ground with just three minutes on the clock. Kegan Brennan added the conversion from close for a 6-0 lead.
In the opening quarter od an hour the kicking game became king as cold hands were failing to function under the high ball and grubber alike, both sides making errors.
A late tackle on twenty-four gifted Brennan a penalty in front of the uprights to extend the lead by two points.
It was an intense game but as the half wore on the sides tired and the errors started to come thick and fast.
It took Andy Philbin just eighty seconds of the second half to get his side on the scoresheet, the half time talk working wonders as the big man walked through the attempted tackle and spun over the line. Lewis Grimes added the conversion to reduce the gap to just two points.
It was a real arm-wrestle and a tight game and with ten minutes to play it was still anyone’s for the taking.
With seven minutes remaining Leigh were awarded a penalty under the Waterhead sticks, Grimes adding the two points to level the scores. A nail-biting end to the eighty saw the sides all tied as the game went into golden point sudden death.
Waterhead had first use of the ball and a kick to goal was chased but knocked dead. A Leigh attempted drop goal on eighty-two went wide, despite his team-mates raising their arms in celebration.
A minute later Marcus Geener took an awkward pass but grounded for the winning points to secure progress and a game against the Featherstone Rovers next weekend.
Waterhead Warriors: Hamilton, Lynch, Murphy, Robinson, Owen, Dodd, Brennan (G 2/2), Dean, Perks, Joy, Birch, Holland (T), Cameron. Subs: Barker, O’Grady, Geener (T), Spence. 18th Man: .
Leigh Miners Rangers: Lancelott, Tyrer, Hoyles, Grimes (G 2/2), Lewis, Darby, Youds, Parkes, Hamer, Reed, Kenyon, Turner, Maloney. Subs: Molyneux, Philbin (T), Disley, Iles. 18th Man:.
Half-Time: 8-0.
Full-Time: 8-8. Golden Point: 12-8.
Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 8-0: HT: 8-4, 8-6, 8-8 :FT: 12-8: GP.
Lead Exchanges: Waterhead – Square - Waterhead.
Referee: Adam Williams.
