Spirited Saints fall to defeat

Photo: Tim Bradley

KNEES UP . . . Waterhead's Dale Lowe tries make a break.

OLDHAM St Anne's suffered disappointment at Gateshead Storm, losing 44-24 despite a second-half fightback in Kingstone Press National Conference League Division Three.

The Storm put on a devastating second quarter to run up a 26-point advantage at half-time.

Mike Mitchell crossed for the hosts after two minutes, with scrum-half Chris Parker Jnr landing the first of his eight goals.

Saints' man-of-the-match Jonny Horton put Ryan Powell over the line five minutes later, but in having the advantage of the slope, Gateshead crossed a further four times.

Stephen Welton grabbed a brace, with Aiden McDermott and Liam Scott also adding tries and Parker kicking the goals for an emphatic 30-4 lead.

Centre Craig Basnett went over for St Anne's two minutes after the resumption of play for a unconverted try and a couple of minutes later, his wing partner Kieran McGinnity was denied a score in the corner.

Saints reduced the deficit to 10 points with their best spell of the game just before the hour mark when substitutes Carl Fields and Ollie Bryan crossed the line, Matthew Whitehead adding the goals.

Gateshead stepped up the tempo. Parker added a penalty before a try for full-back James Pocklinton and a second for prop forward Scott made sure of the points.

McGinnity closed Saints' account with a consolation try.

WATERHEAD Warriors let a lead slip at home to Clock Face Miners in Division Three, in a game featuring a red card for David Orwell for an alleged head butt.

The visitors had led 16-0 thanks to tries from Andrew Smith, Dale Lowe and Alan Williamson, with Terry Fitzgerald kicking a pair of goals.

Clock Face pulled it back to 16-12 at the interval, shortly before which Orwell got his marching orders, thanks to scores by Lewis Geraghty and Paul Hunt, with Shaun Costello converting twice.

After that, despite Jake O'Grady's try for the Peach Road club, the opposition from St Helens ran out winners thanks to tries in the final quarter from Jamie Lucas and Alex Burke, Costello ending up with four goals in total.