Brighouse Rangers 18 Vs Moldgreen 18

Try Scores,

Danny McGrath (Available for sponsor)

Lucas Burts x 2 (Jeffery Greenwood)

Conversions,

Karl Frankland x 3 (The Prince Albert “Pop Inn”)

Players of the Match,

1st – Karl Frankland (The Prince Albert “Pop Inn”)

2nd – Cameron Bailey (LR Plubtech)

3rd – Matty Bailey (OverU)

Rangers were relieved to come away with a point in a match played in front of a huge crowd on Saturday, Boosted by the ex-players event being held at the club giving the first home fixture a special atmosphere, Rangers left matters late in the game to bring things level. The first 20 minutes were all Rangers, with incessant pressure and a couple of spurned chances keeping things all square, but Rangers broke the deadlock in the 16th minute, ex-Bulls and Hunslet winger Danny McGrath carving open the Moldgreen defence from deep in his own half, and leaving defenders grabbing fresh air in a race to the line for a try of the highest quality, converted by Karl Frankland to put Rangers 6-0 up.

Moldgreen battled back, a big experienced and battle-hardened pack mixing things up in the middle. Inevitably, tempers frayed, both sides were reduced to twelve in the first half, and Moldgreen converted a penalty on the stroke of halftime to make it 6-2 to Rangers at the break.

Moldgreen looked the much brighter side for most of the 2nd half, pressing the Rangers line, a brilliant last-ditch tackle by Lucas Birts (Jeffery Greenwood) preventing a score out wide, and resolute defence by the big men in the middle keeping a Moldgreen player on his back as he crossed the line. Moldgreen got the try they deserved soon after, Rangers at this stage reduced to eleven on the field, a superbly judged cross-field kick was regathered by an unchallenged winger for a try, and they added more points soon after with another try to lead 12-6.

That lead was increased further, a big burley forward allowed to run across the Brighouse defensive line and barge his way over, and at 18-6 down, Rangers were up against it with twenty minutes remaining.

The home side showed great character to comeback though, now back to the correct thirteen on-field players, Rangers started to reassert themselves.

Troy Ambler (Richard Hamer) was unlucky to have a try chalked off, grounding the ball after the Moldgreen defender spilt Ambler’s shrewd kick through, the ref adjudging a collision off the ball to be an obstruction, and the combination of Rangers not quite firing and stubborn Moldgreen defence looked as though it might have been enough to see them home.

With the clock ticking down, Rangers started to give the ball some air, and with four minutes remaining, fullback Birts crossed out wide after a smooth passing move gave him just enough space to squeeze in at the right corner, Frankland kicking the goal from out wide to make it 12-18. With time quickly dwindling, Rangers repeated the dose, again quick hands opening up the Moldgreen defence for Birts to slice through once again out wide, the touchline conversion from Frankland just creeping over the bar, for one the most dramatic finishes to a game, Rangers snatching the draw that had seemed impossible just a few minutes earlier.