Calland off as Rangers roar to cup success

WINNERS . . . Saddleworth Rangers celebrate their Standard Cup success.

A SENSATIONAL start and an exciting end meant quite a contest at Manor Park as Saddleworth Rangers defeated holders Rochdale Mayfield 20-18 in the Napier Windows Standard Cup final.

With only four minutes gone, Mayfield player-coach Matt Calland — last year’s man of the match — was sent off by referee Ian Scott for an off-the-ball punch to the head.

Despite being down to 12 men for most of the contest, the Castleton outfit appeared on course for a third straight victory in the final of the Oldham Amateur League competition.

But with time almost up, full-back Ben Whitehead crashed over for the winning score.

Rangers coach Paul Geener, who lost Anthony Morrison to a facial wound during the incident involving Calland, said: “The passion and desire from the players was unbelievable. No amount of coaching could instil that.

“It was the longest 90 seconds of my life after Ben scored. I thought he was going to suffocate under all those bodies.”

Rangers, who play two tiers below Mayfield in the National Conference League, had fallen behind to a Rhys Carruth try.

After Calland’s dismissal and with a one-man advantage, Rangers nosed ahead when James Whalley dived in and Whitehead kicked the extras.

Back came Mayfield with a try from Declan Sheridan, only for replacement Harry Godfrey to reply.

It was an enthralling contest in which both sides displayed good defence, and with only two points separating the teams at half-time it was all to play for.

The lead changed hands again when Mayfield’s Jack Sampson touched down six minutes after the restart. Back came Rangers, with man of the match Josh Brown scoring and Whitehead kicking the goal.

Mayfield thought they had won with Aidy Gleeson’s 75th-minute effort and Lewis Sheridan’s conversion, but they had not factored in a final twist. Rangers worked the ball through a number of hands 30 metres from the Mayfield line.

On the last tackle, substitute Jack Bradbury launched a high, speculative kick towards the posts.

The ball bounced off the left-hand upright. Whitehead was first to react, and after rounding three would-be tacklers and taking two more with him, he dived in at the left corner to clinch a magnificent victory for Rangers.