Brow close in on promotion
Last updated 15:56, Wednesday, 07 May 2008
WATH Brow Hornets will seal a return to the National Conference League’s Premier Division at the first attempt, following relegation last year, if they can avoid defeat in their final Division One fixture of the campaign at Thatto Heath Crusaders on Saturday.
Hornets are on the verge of promotion after beating Wigan St Jude’s, the section’s champions, 32-24 on Saturday, to go into the all-important third spot – two points above Bradford Dudley Hill, who have completed their programme, and the Crusaders.
Thatto, who have a superior points difference to Wath Brow’s, will go up if they manage to beat the Cumbrians.
Wigan, playing their last match of the season, marked the occasion at Red Beck Road by having the Championship Cup presented by NCL administrator David Lowe, but Wath Brow went on to poop the party with a superb display in which the double was recorded after the 27-26 victory at Parson’s Meadow.
Hornets owed their victory to a sizzling nine-minute spell midway through the second period in which a 14-point deficit was overturned with three tries and two goals.
Second row Gary Elliot and stand-off Craig Johnstone grabbed the first two, centre Francis King converting both scores, and the Brow were ahead for the first time when Elliot’s back row partner Mick McAllister crashed over on the hour.
Wigan levelled with a penalty but Hornets went back in front with McAllister’s second try in four minutes, King again improving. And although the Saints threatened with another touchdown, Wath Brow sealed their victory when Johnstone nipped over two minutes from time, King opening an eight-point gap with his conversion.
St Jude’s had, however, looked like extending their nine-match winning run in the first half, keeping Hornets at bay throughout the opening quarter and easing to a 12-point lead with a couple of converted touchdowns.
Centre Ryan Amor, who had already been outstanding in defence, got Wath Brow back into contention when he crossed a minute before the break, only for Wigan to go even further ahead with another try and goal. But that three-try salvo proved to be the seminal spell of a rousing affair.
Stand-off Paul Evans scored 38 points, with four tries and 11 goals, as Millom won the Division Two championship with an 86-12 victory over Heworth.
The Woollybacks went level with previous leaders Normanton as a result of the win, taking the title by virtue of an already-superior points difference.
Evans, who has closed the campaign with 341 points from 134 goals, 18 tries and a drop goal – including those recorded against expelled Brighouse – has eased past previous pacesetter Jordan Precious, who has scored 307 points for Skirlaugh.
Full-back Warren Lloyd also grabbed four tries, and hooker Graham Lupton and winger Steve Dawson both had hat-tricks, with loose forward Paul Lupton and second row Curtis Mossop adding touchdowns.
