Rangers respond in perfect fashion

SADDLEWORTH Rangers under-14s bounced back from their cup final heartbreak to record a well-deserved 22-12 win against North-West Counties League title rivals Leigh East.

Early on, a succession of unforced errors and poor concentration saw the big Leigh outfit camped in Saddleworth’s half and, despite the big defensive efforts of Eribe Doro and Eddie Adams, Rangers conceded a converted try.

Saddleworth snapped out of their daze almost immediately and quickly responded through player-of-the-match Jack Harrison-Brown.

He bustled his way through a crowd of players and touched down to make it 6-4.

Tom Healy and Jordan Bolton were menacing in attack, while Billy England and Will Mortimer produced some defensive heroics to keep the game in the balance.

Alex Gardener continued to terrorise the Leigh tacklers round the ruck, and he burrowed over from acting half to push Rangers into the lead. Ben Forster converted to make it 10-6 at half time.

Saddleworth went from strength to strength in the second half.

Harrison-Brown supported another England break to overpower the full back and score a nice try under the sticks, with Forster adding the extras to stretch Rangers’ lead to 10 points.

The game was made safe as England danced through the defence to touch down and relieve the pressure.

Dan South’s conversion made it 22-6.

Despite Leigh’s late try, Rangers hung on comfortably to go back to the top of the table in style.