BARLA UNDER 19S THREE COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIP
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CUMBRIA 22
LANCASHIRE 32
MILLOM ARLFC
Millom were looking to win their first ever Under 19’s BARLA Three Counties Championship in the history of the championship going into game to at the oldest rugby league club in the country at Millom ARLFC, but it ended in heartache with the ‘Red Rose’ coming away victors.
Lancashire who had eight England Community Lions players in their ranks showed their attacking skills from the off and opened the scoring as quick hands down the right channel saw winger Brad Holroyd swoop in at the corner and Gary McMahon added the extras.
After being denied a try through superb Lancashire defence Cumbria deservedly levelled the game up when fullback Sam Curwen scored out wide and Ellison Holgate levelled the game up.
Lancashire retook the lead and in the process found themselves down to twelve men. McMahon began a move and following quick hands tooke the ball again and drove over despite the best efforts of Jack Penrice who was injured in the process.
The game halted so an ambulance could take him to hospital were it was later revealed he was okay after the treatment. McMahon then added the extras and was sinbinned as a result of what happened in the course of him scoring the try.
Lancashire made some adjustments but the one man deficit didn’t affect them as they went over for quick-fire back to back tries.
Following a penalty skipper and man of the match Louie Brogan tapped it on the Cumbria 40 metre line drove through the middle bumping defenders in his wake before going clear to score out wide with Brad Holroyd adding the extras to make it 18-6. Lancashire’s handling was pleasing to the eye as winger Ethan Jones went in at the corner for a four pointer.
Cumbria tried to gain a foothold with their forwards driving down the middle but just couldn’t get the final pass to hand but on the stroke of half time Cumbria got the try their efforts deserved as standoff Owen Hoyles went over but the conversion hit the post making it 22-10.
Cumbria came out of the traps quicker and with penalties going in their favour sought the next try but Lancashire held firm and after soaking it up hit the hosts again with back to back tries as McMahon completed his brace and adding the extras to second row Andrew Bardrocks try and the home supporters feared the worst.
But Cumbria battled on as the rain came down from the Cumbria hills, none more so than prop Charlie Elmsley who ‘hit’ everything that came at him and drove purposely throughout. They were helped by penalties but Lancashire held firm despite another sinbinning until the final five minutes of the game.
Substitute Brad Long got his rewards as he drove over by the posts with Holgate adding the extras. Lancashire found themselves down to twelve again as Josh Yates was sinbinned as Cumbria pressed for more points. Minutes later Holgate had the last word as he drove over and added the extras, which saw them go down by ten points and their dream ended by an exciting impressive Lancashire performance for another year.
Those who watched the game streamed live on the OurLeague would have enjoyed the ten try attacking extravaganza.
CUMBRIA: Sam Curwen, Jack Penrice, Louis Fearon, Aaron Burns, Cameron Taylor, Owen Hoyles, Kia Sheperd, Charlie Elmsley, Ellison Holgate, Connor Terrell, Zac Steel, John Irving, Rhys Burr. Subs: Shane Sanderson, Kieron Eldon, Casey Chambers, Brad Long.
Tries: Penrice, Hoyles, Long, Holgate
Goals: Holgate 3/4
LANCASHIRE: Lewis Gartland, Brad Holroyd, Oliver Crompton, Brandon Wood, Ethan Jones, Gary McMahon, Calum Coleman, Harry Darby, Josh Yates, Ben Holmes, Keiron Taylor, Andrew Badrock, Louie Brogan. Subs: Mike Wynn, Matty McGowan, Keiron Moore, Adam Carr
Tries, Holroyd, McMahon 2, Brogan, Jones, Badrock
Goals: McMahon 3/5, Holroyd 1/2
Half-time: 10-22
Man of the Match: Louie Brogan (Lancashire)
Steve Manning
BARLA Media Manager
BARLA OPEN AGE THREE COUNTIES CHAMPIONSHIP
CUMBRIA 16
LANCASHIRE 14
MILLOM ARLFC
Its fifty years since the famous water splash Challenge Cup Final at Wembley when Don Fox had the chance to kick the goal in front of the posts to give Wakefield Trinity the victory and spoils.
We all in rugby league know what happened next, fast forward 50 years, closing minutes at the oldest rugby league club in the world, torrential rain, gloomy light with darkness setting in, no floodlights, car lights shining onto the pitch behind the goals.
Lancashire trailing 16-14 to hosts Cumbria awarded a penalty 20 metres out in front of the posts for a ball steal. Step up standoff Matt Whitehead who kicking game and leading his side around the field had been immaculate throughout with a chance to level the game. But with the condition and fading light getting worse car headlights shining towards him and after a great connection the ball narrowly passes outside the pots and the chance is gone.
Although Lancashire had a great chance disallowed in the closing seconds of the game the game will be remembered by the pitch and no floodlights at this ground, were Wembley would be in awe of Milloms playing surface although they have the lights.
Before that seminal moment of the game supporters attending and those watching the game streamed live on the OurLeague app had been treated to a magnificent game of rugby league.
All the players showed what it meant to play for the county as the lead changed hands four times with Cumbria winning for the first time since the last five years and sets up a ‘War of the Roses’ next Sunday at Leigh Miners ARLFC clash, again being streamed live on the OurLeague app to decide who will be champions.
In the opening quarter both sets of forwards went at fast and furious with quarter given or taken and it took sublime individual skills and footwork of Lancashire’s Whitehead to cross the whitewash for a 4-0 lead.
Following back to back penalties Cumbria marched upfield and in a great handling move Russ Bolton joined the line to crash over and the influential Connor Saunders added the extras to give his side a two point lead
Cumbria forwards began to get on top none more so than man of the match prop Liam Saunders who just edged it over his hooker Blain Marwood who took control of the pack.
On the stroke of halftime Cumbria increased their lead when from 20 metres out Connors Saunders struck an angled grubber to the corner and winger Jonathan Walsh won the footrace to touch down.
The second half continued with both sides going for it and Lancashire hit back with two back to back tries to regain the lead. The first one saw great handling down the line involving the halfbacks and finished off by winger Deacon Monks and from the next set Gavin Roddan who had a great game made an arching run slicing through the Cumbria defence before passing outside to the supporting Ryan Hilyard to score making it 14-10.
On the hour the torrential rain started and lighting began to fade and it looked that that would be it as both struggled to keep hold of the slippery ball.
As the minutes ticked down Cumbria began to gain ascendancy and Conner Saunders made a great break down the right channel before passing inside to the diminutive Marwood who went under the posts and Connor Saunders converted what proved to be the crucial two pointer.
After Whiteheads miss and the last seconds Zac Baker took the ball 15 metres out and to the posts, he bumped off Cumbria defenders and drove for the line and thought he had scored. The referee close to play disallowed the try and Lancashire’s frustration showed with a spot of handbags with Cumbria before time was close.
Will this be remembered in 50years time only time will tell?
CUMBRIA: Russ Bolton, Jonathan Walsh, Luke Penrice, Bobby Wright, Emerson Allen, Adam Jackson, Connor Saunders, Liam Saunders, Blain Marwood, Carl McBain, Peter Rimmer, Liam McNicholas, Callum Kinrade. Subs Jonny Hodgson, Josh Banham, Jason Graham, Steve Ryan.
Tries: Bolton, Walsh, Marwood
Goals: C Saunders 2/3
LANCASHIRE: Ryan Hilyard, Nathan Taylor, Conor Parkinson, Deane Meadows, Deacon Monks, Matt Whitehead, Adam Holland, Jimmy Kanorton, Matthew Meaden, Johnny Rae, Gavin Roddan, Liam Whalley, Zac Baker. Subs: Hayden James, Josh Donague, Ryan Braddock, Aaron Smith.
Tries: Whitehead, Morris, Hilyard
Goals: Whitehead 0/4
Half time: 10-4
Man of the Match: Liam Saunders (Cumbria)
Steve Manning
BARLA Media Manager
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