Birkenshaw Blue Dogs 16 vs Brighouse Rangers 35

Birkenshaw Blue Dogs 16 vs Brighouse Rangers 35

Try Scores,
Liam Jelfs (Alco Valves Group)
Adam Hirst (AJ Gastech)
Jordan Sild (RLC Plastering)
Ronnie Bailey (LR Plubtech)
Oliver Peterkin (24/7 Blinds) x 2

Players of the Match,
1st – Oliver Peterkin (24/7 Blinds)
2nd – Lucas Birts (Jeffrey Greenwood)
3rd –  Ronnie Bailey (LR Plumbtech)

Rangers claimed the 2 points on Saturday, but the game was closer than the scoreline suggested. Brighouse stormed to a 10-0 lead within six minutes, Liam Jelfs touching down out wide within two minutes, a clever Adam Hirst (AJ Gastech) chip tipped on to the winger by Lucas Birts (Jeffrey Greenwood) to make it 4-0, then Hirst switched from provider to scorer, a classic slow and go foxing the dog’s defence to go in under the sticks, Jimmy Banks (Yorkshire Brides) adding the extras.
A period of indiscipline and errors followed for Rangers, allowing Birkenshaw to get back into the game, Their elusive acting halfback slicing through for a try, and an unconverted effort out wide levelling it up on the half-hour mark to make it ten apiece.
Rangers regained momentum, Jordan Sild (RLC Plastering) with a trademark try, a difficult man to stop from close range to make it 16-10, then on the stroke of halftime.
Ronnie Bailey (LR Plubtech) got some reward for his gut-busting defensive efforts, touching down near the posts, Banks converting both, to put Rangers in the driving seat with a 22-10 lead.
The Blue Dogs hit back in the 47th minute though, a converted try making it 22-16, and we’re very much in the game, only excellent Rangers scramble defence keeping out the hosts.
A little bit of extra class gave Rangers the edge, Ollie Peterkin (24/7 Blinds) proving to be a difficult man to put down, and he finished off a sweet attacking move with swift hands from Callum Sutcliffe (Just Media) and Birts combining to release Peterkin on the left edge for a quality try to make it 28-16.
A dogged Birkenshaw still kept banging at the door though, until old head Hirst knocked over a monster drop goal in heavy traffic to kill the game in the 75th minute, meaning the hosts would have to score three times for any joy. On the stroke of time, Rangers scored the last points of the game, with a try that had Hirst written all over it, his fine kick gathered by Peterkin who got a well-deserved 2nd try, the extras added by prodigal son Jamie Barraclough, who looks like he’ll be great back up at prop for the rest of the season.
Despite not making the scoresheet, Birts had a good game at fullback, Matty Bailey (OvenU) put in a great shift up front, and returning winger Will Oldroyd looked as sharp as ever despite limited opportunity with the ball in hand.