Published at 11:06, Thursday, 16 August 2012

WATH Brow Hornets maintained their push for National Conference Premier League honours with a 46-20 home win over Saddleworth Rangers.

But it took a forceful second-half show from the Hornets to complete the comprehensive victory as they only led 18-14 at the break.

It had only taken six minutes for Wath Brow to go in front when Greg Dawson swept in at the corner to open the scoring. Stand-in kicker Francis King added the conversion.

But the lead was short-lived as Saddleworth’s big pack worked the ball up field before releasing scrum-half Eathan Langhorn and he burst through the Hornets defence to score before adding the extras himself.

That inspired the visitors and they scored two tries in a three-minute spell to go 14-6 clear. Adam Walker and Matt Botton both crossed for unconverted tries.

With only three minutes of the first half remaining, a clever long kick from Leroy Joe from his own 20 was chased down by teenage winger Scott Pink.

The youngster chipped it over the whitewash before touching down. King converted.

Then, former Seaton star Callum Phillips, brother of Workington Town forward Brett Phillips, got over for another try which King improved to put Hornets ahead again.

With 55 minutes on the clock, it was centre Terry Whalley who looked to have made the breakthrough but Callum Farrer and Pink managed to close him down quickly to avert a score.

On 61 minutes, King extended the Hornets’ lead with his second try and he also added the extras.

Phillips and Ryan Doran were combing well, with the Huby brothers and James Dixon making the big yards, but the Saddleworth defence was holding strong and when they managed to exert some pressure of their own they got over.

Wood sliced through the home side’s defence to score and Langhorn’s conversion narrowed the lead to four points again.

Those seemed to act as a wake-up call for the home team and, in the last 15 minutes, they ran in four tries.

Jason Connery (2), Ryan Amor and Greg Dawson all crossed the Saddleworth line, with King converting three of them.

Wath Brow travel to East Hull on Saturday.

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk