29th November 2008

ON a day when a book celebrating their club’s proud history was launched, Pilks came up with the result, though not necessarily the performance, to mark the occasion.

With freezing fog still hanging over City Road on Saturday afternoon, the conditions were hardly conducive to slick rugby, but this was a display in which Recs showed their ability to grind out a result.

The afternoon did begin with a sparkling try for Pilks, with centre Danny Davies charging through a gap after swift handling and then drawing the cover before sending scrum half Danny Lynch racing beneath the posts for a try converted by Ste Rawsthorne.

But for much of the first half the Bears - improved from when the teams met the previous weekend - had a grip on the ball and territory, meaning Recs’ defence had to be on their mettle.

They cracked once allowing Ashton to close the gap to 6-4, but just before the break, and against the run of play, Pilks struck again as stand-off Ryan Rogers intercepted and sprinted 90-metres to the tryline.

Rawsthorne, whose excellent goalkicking is proving a big plus for Pilks, slotted the conversion over from wide out to give the home side an undeserved 12-4 half time lead.

With the hill in their favour, Pilks were never in any danger in the second half, and a try by sub Richard Rafferty secured the two points. Then oustanding second row Danny Mason slipped an offload deep inside his own half to Greg Smith who sent Andy Lyons over.

Rawsthorne kicked his fourth conversion before winger James Lacey scored following a fine Rogers pass.

The Commhoist man of the match was Mason and Lacey was voted the C&S Tyres players’ player of the match.

Following the match, a number of iconic figures from Recs’ illusturious past gathered with current players at the launch of the book All Local Lads in the Windle Hotel.

Former Recs greats will be signing copies of the book, written by local historians Alex Service and Denis Whittle, at Wardleworths book shop in Westfield Street, St Helens, from 12-2pm on Saturday, December 6.