Revenge for super Saints

OLDHAM St Anne's gained a comprehensive 40-20 success over Barrow Island in Division Three of the National Conference League ­- having been nilled earlier in the season in south Cumbria.

The visitors looked like they intended to carry on where they left off as Saints had to defend four consecutive sets in as many minutes in the opening stages.

It was St Anne's, though, who broke the deadlock in the fifth minute.

Prop-forward Matty Parkinson was held up short of the line and when Barrow stand-off Jamie Curtis floated a high ball to the right, opposite number Luke Skilling snatched it out of mid-air and went the length of the field to score.

St Anne's continued to gain confidence and went on to add three further tries in the opening quarter.

LINKED UP

The first came when Kieran McGinnity, Saints' man-of-the-match, linked up in the line to send in John Deakin, with the later returning the compliment after 15 minutes for a 12-0 lead.

The Saints full-back was again involved in his side's fourth try, breaking through tackles to release Matthew Whitehead in at the left corner. Skilling took over the goal kicking duties after Whitehead was unable to convert the earlier scores due to a foot injury.

Just before the half-hour mark, Curtis made the opening for substitute Josh Banham to go in at the side of the posts for Barrow. Parkinson added the goal.

The hosts responded immediately. A grubber kick to the line was chased down by Carl Fields and Sammy Akeroyd, with the latter just managing to get a fingertip on the ball before going out of play. Skilling improved the score to hand Saints a 24-6 lead at half time.

Within a minute of play resuming, Callum Cashin collected the short kick-off to race away to touchdown under the posts.

The visitors claimed that Cashin was off-side and also stepped in touch, but the score stood with Skilling again finding the target.

Saints lost prop-forward Chris Yarwood with a bad facial injury before Barrow ran in two tries in a four-minute spell through centre Ben Jones and Curtis. Parkinson converted the first effort.

PROBING

Hooker Jonny Horton was a contender for the man-of-the-match award with his probing runs from dummy-half, while Powell and Whitehead combined in a mazy run to the line with the latter crossing for his second try of the afternoon.

Jones wrapped up the visitors' scoring, before Fields went in after Chris Carter was held short of the line.

Skilling added the conversion to put Saints within two points of a play-off place.