23rd February 2008

THE clinical finishing of hat trick hero Mark Ashton inspired Pilks to victory in a thrilling North West Counties Premiership Cup semi final.
Two of the full back's tries midway through the second half swung the match in the visitors' favour in a tense struggle at Boardmans Lane.
It was Ashton who opened the scoring in the fifth minute when he touched down loose-forward Ste Rawsthorne's grubber kick.
Danny Davies added the straightforward conversion but Brook's reply was swift as second rower Ste Woods went on a diagonal charge which created a try for his younger brother Darren.
Recs enjoyed the better of the opening exchanges and it was their kicking game that again proved the home side's undoing.
This time Ryan Rogers' flighted chip to was gathered in by winger Mark Rigby, who held off the cover to score.
Rigby was at the heart of the next try when he intercepted and dashed 80metres before being pulled down inches short by Brook scrum half Scott Holland.
From the next attack though Recs put the ball through hands to the left flank and Andy Lyons jinked through to score.
Brook trailed by ten but they quickly re-grouped and closed the gap when ex-Saint Danny Arnold forced his way over from close range.
Stand off Chris Springford converted to leave the gap at four points at the interval and from the start of the second-half Mark Lee's troops appeared to be gaining the upper hand.
The pressure turned into points as Darren Woods leaped highest to claim a cross kick to score a try that Springford converted from wide out to give Brook a two point lead with 30-minutes left.
Pilks rallied though and after Rogers switched the play, Ashton somehow weaved through the defence for a try - converted by sub Mark Forber - to left the visitors.
Then the full back registered his hat trick and the cup tie's crucial try as a perfectly weighted Rawsthorne pass sent him racing through a gap.
Forber hit a successful conversion and later added a penalty to open a 12-point cushion. Although the home side cranked up the pressure Recs kept them at bay, even while skipper Rawsthorne spent 10 minutes in the sin bin.
A late Dave Llewellyn try in the final moments closed the gap, but it was merely consolation.
Brook's man of the match went to Llewellyn while Recs' men of the match awards went to Ashton and Nigel Pratt.

 

16th February 2008

 

ANDY Lyons and Danny Davies both scored braces of tries as Recs got their title challenge back on track with a workmanlike victory in Wigan.
The hard graft was done in the first half by the visiting team who defended resolutely and scored three times, thanks to some incisive attacking rugby.
Lyons was first on the scoresheet, crossing in the corner after second-row John Rees had broke free down the left and supplied him with a pass. Winger Davies added the conversion.
Second-row Gary Philbin was heavily involved in the opening stages and his industry also had an end product when he slipped a cheeky blind-side pass from acting half-back to send in winger Mark Rigby.
Strong defence in the middle of the park, particularly by stand-off Mark Forber and hooker Peter Cahalin - the latter pulling off a try-saving tackle on a towering St Cuthberts packman - kept the home side at bay, before Recs struck again.
This time Forber was the architect, picking out Nigel Pratt running a superb line to the whitewash.
Davies converted to make it 16-0 at half-time.
The lead was extended just moments into the second half when Recs' re-start took a deflection and was scooped up by Rogers who drew the defence before sending Davies in.
Then a Mark Ashton break paved the way for the pacy Lyons to surge 60 metres to score.
Recs relaxed allowing St Cuthberts to register two tries. But with sub Andy Fairhurst putting in a hard-working stint in the middle the visitors were never in any real danger.
And any threat of a fightback was extinguished when full-back Ashton again paved the way for Davies to claim his second try and Pilks' sixth of the afternoon.
Captain Ste Rawsthorne was at the heart of much of Recs' good work and he was named the Commhoist man of the match, while Lyons received the Taylor's Taxis award.

 

9th February 2008

 

BROOK took the spoils in a gripping derby battle to put a dent in Recs' league title hopes.
In a contest packed with speed, skill, and commitment the result was in doubt until the final whistle as a series of missed second half goalkicks cost the visitors dear.
Brook opened the scoring after just five minutes when Andy Rawsthorne switched play to the left channel where Mark Webster jinked over for an unconverted try.
An interception had Pilks sweeping downfield, and with the Brook defence stretched full back Mark Ashton scored out wide, Barry Pope converting.
Five minutes before half time Brook regained the lead, when they kept the ball alive and scrum half Scott Holland spotted a gap to race over at the side of the posts, with Chris Springford adding the conversion.
Pilks regained possession direct from the kick off and from the next play-the-ball scrum half Ryan Rogers stretched out of the tackle to score with Pope again converting to give his side a two point interval lead.
Pilks missed an early opportunity in the second half to increase their lead when a penalty kick sailed just wide of the mark, one of three crucial misses.
Brook came close to scoring 15 minutes into the half, Andy Dobson broke clear and released a pass to Dave Llewellyn with the line at his mercy, however a defender's hand diverted the ball away from the Brook man.
Llewellyn regained possession and the ball was swept to the opposite flank where Andy Bates was bundled into touch in goal.
Following Pilks second penalty miss, Brook regained the lead for a second time. Ste Moss did well to chase a Scott Holland kick and force Pilks to drop out from under their posts.
Sean Richardson again drove the ball to the try line, Scott Lyon went close before the ball was launched to Andy Dobson who scored in the corner.
The tension increased during the last ten minutes and winger Chris Bailey had a try ruled out for the visitors as the final pass from Rogers was adjudged forward.
Pilks missed the opportunity to come away with at least a point as a late penalty attempt was missed.
Sean Richardson's 80 minute stint thoroughly earned him the Motor House man of the match award with Dave Llewellyn and Mark Webster in contention. Stand off Jamie Smith picked up the accolade for the visitors.

2nd February 2008

 

Pilkington Recs 44 - 24 Rylands

CONFIDENT Recs took advantage of a City Road pitch in excellent condition to serve up a dazzling blend of open rugby in a free-scoring encounter.
The win maintains Pilks’ title push, although, as they seek a ruthless streak with vital games around the corner, a series of defensive lapses took the gloss of the victory.
Inside two minutes, swift handling by John Ford and Mark Ashton paved the way for centre Nigel Pratt to race over, and within minutes his winger Mark Rigby scored following more quick hands, as Recs caught the visitors cold.
Left side winger Barry Pope then cashed in on the space out wide with a quick-fire double, the first after an exquisite cut out pass from in-form scrum-half Ryan Rogers.
Pope struck his first successful goal of the afternoon after the fourth try to take the score to 18-0.
But the Warrington side were within 12 when they collected a short re-start and raced in while Recs’ defence stood like statues waiting for the referee’s whistle, claiming the kick had not gone 10-metres.
However, John Rees then rolled back the years as he raced 65 yards for a try after picking up a loose ball, with Rogers’ conversion leaving the score 24-6 at half time.
The turnaround saw Rylands strike twice, both which were converted, and with the gap just six points it was game on.
An angry Ledger urged Recs to lift their game and they responded with skipper Ste Rawsthorne sending in Pratt for his second. Then after the ball was kept alive brilliantly, sub Gaz Philbin lobbed the final pass to give the impressive centre his hat-trick.
Andy Lyons then rounded off a terrific passing move involving Ford and Rigby, before Andy Burns solo effort completed the home side’s scoring. Rylands’ late try, however, meant Pilks had conceded 20 points for the first time since November.
The Commhoist man of the match was Rees with the Taylors Taxis award going to Pratt.