Saints seal cup final place after a thriller

CRUNCH: St Annes' Callum Fletcher clashes with Waterhead's Martyn Sarsfield

OLDHAM St Anne's claimed a place in the final of the Napier Windows Oldham Amateur League Standard Cup thanks to a narrow 26-24 last-four win at Waterhead Warriors.

Matthew Fogarty was named as substitute on the team sheet for the home side, but he started on the wing and was a driving force in much of the action.

Having a try chalked off for a forward pass, Saints fell behind in the 18th minute when Fogarty broke clear down the right to score in the corner, with Jamie Mayall landing the conversion.

Five minutes later, the scores were level when stand-off Matthew Whitehead chipped the ball to the posts for Sam Akeroyd to touch down.

Martyn Sarsfield, Danny Earley and Jack Pemberton were putting in some hard hits for the home side, while John Deakin, Rhys Wareing and Carl Fields did likewise for the visitors.

Approaching the half-hour mark, Fogarty was again involved in Waterhead's second try.

Breaking down the right to off-load to centre Neil Gooding, he found Jonny Aspin in support to score, with Mayall landing the touchline conversion.

On the cusp of half-time, Saints' hooker Callum Fletcher produced a perfect grubber kick and with the home defence unable to clear, loose-forward Akeroyd claimed a second try, Whitehead adding the goal to level at 12-12.

The Warriors regained the lead just after the break with a Danny Wheeler try.

Saints then took the lead for the first time when some neat ball handling skills helped Craig Basnett to touch down, and Whitehead again added the conversion.

The Saints defence was challenged when Fogarty was held up twice over the line, but they hung on.

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