Brighouse Rangers Under 12’s 8 vs 12 Lindley Swifts
Overall, it was a closely-fought match against a well-organised team.
Rangers started the match brilliantly, executing a superb passing sequence that led to a great try. Encouragingly the whole team delivered on the lessons learned at training great signs of progress, We know what to do and have the skills and talent to execute it, as the Ranger’s confidence in their ability grows hopefully, these sequences become a more regular occurrence within the side.
With the Rangers leading 4-0, Lindley showed just how well organised they are returned fire with two consecutive tries but failed to convert both, 4-8 Lindley.
Rangers ran downfield and on the 4th tackle, a quick scoot by Joel created the Rangers second try with the post denying a conversion. Lindley retaliated quickly with another unconverted try, 8-12 going into halftime.
The second half started strong from both sides and despite continuous drives for the line, the score remained Rangers 8 Lindley 12 for the entire second half with neither side’s defence willing to back down the match finished with every spectator leaving the side of the field thoroughly entertained despite there being no points scored.
Player of the match went to, Marcus for his hard work, communication and defence. Grafter awards to Austin, Jacob and Daniel C for organisation in the pack and around the field. Magic Moment went to Dominic for a superb tackle on a player three times his size. Opposition Player of the Match went to Joel for his organisational skills, defence and tackle technique.
Tryscores – Andrew Esmond (Brighouse Sports Ladies Football Club) Cameron Bailey (LR Plumbtech)
Conversions – Karl Frankland x 3 (The Prince Albert “Pop Inn”)
Players of the Match, 1st – Charlie Walker (Securimax Ltd) 2nd – Cameron Bailey (LR Plumbtech) 3rd – Will Clerehugh (Charlotte’s Driving School)
Rangers notched up their first win of the season in a gruelling battle up at a windy Queensbury on Saturday, In a tense encounter that could have gone either way. Queensbury was boosted by some seasoned big forwards, including recent ex-Bradford Bulls prop Steve Crossley, but the Rangers pack stood up and edged things in the middle, providing the platform for the win. Rangers opened the scoring, playing with the slope, in the 14th minute, Karl Frankland (The Prince Albert “Pop Inn”) slicing through the defensive line, linking up with Matty Bailey (OvenU) who then found Andy Esmond (Brighouse Sports Ladies Football Club) in support for the centre to score out wide, Frankland converting to go 6-0 up. That lead was extended on 30 minutes, Adam Hirst (AJ Gastech) off the bench producing another piece of magic, dummying, dancing, bumping off defenders and finding an exquisite pass to a marauding Cameron Bailey (LR Plumbtech) who dotted down, again, Frankland adding the goal to take the Rangers 12-0 up. On the cusp of halftime, Queensbury hit back with a good try, scored by their right winger, who was a constant danger all afternoon scoring out wide, with the teams going to the break with Rangers 12-4 up. Queensbury now with the slope advantage, must have fancied their chances, especially after 50 minutes when they scored on the right flank yet again, the conversion making it 12-10, but Rangers had other ideas. Robust defence, and hard yards made in the middle were order of the day. Massive credit to youngsters George Bannister (The Bannister Family), Archie Cresswell (Available to Sponsor), Jason Mcculloch (ShiftHero), the Bailey twins and Gav Midgley (AJ Gastech), who had even run a half marathon in the morning as his warm-up, for winning the arm wrestle in the middle. Their efforts highlighted when Queensbury got over the line, stopped only by a four-man tackle ensuring the ball couldn’t be grounded, and at the other end, Will Clerehugh (Charlotte’s Driving School) was stopped only inches short of the home side’s line, but the deadlock was broken with only 7 minutes remaining, a goal line drop out from Rangers catching the wind and travelling some twenty meters sideways went straight out, an easy penalty bringing the sides level at 12 apiece. Frankland’s agony soon turned to ecstasy, Queensbury conceding a penalty straight from the kickoff, Frankland showing all his experience by nailing a tricky attempt at goal in the gale force wind to restore Rangers’ lead with little time left on the clock. The last few minutes seemed to take an eternity, but the Ranger’s grit and determination saw them through to the end sealing their first league points of the campaign. Queensbury deserve credit for their efforts in making this first fixture a tightly fought battle, we wish them well for the rest of the year.
Speaking to Head Coach Terry Moon after the game, “After last week’s disappointment in the cup, it would have been very easy for the boys to roll over and feel sorry for themselves coming into this weekend’s game, But to my delight, they did the opposite turning up to training midweek in good numbers and producing what was probably our best session of the year, We came to Queensbury ready to go and I believe that showed today”
“We had to spend large periods of that game defencing our line from some very sizable forwards so to come away not only with the result in hand but knowing that they didn’t break us down the middle, Is a double result for me that we will be looking to build on in the coming weeks”
The Rangers welcomed local side Siddal Academy down to Russell Way for the first pre-season match-up of 2024, as expected, Siddal provided a tough opponent the Rangers wanted for the first friendly. There was a large crowd down at the Sports Club, who hoped to watch some entertaining Rugby League.
The friendly aspect of this fixture was quickly forgotten as straight from the kick-off Matty Bailey timed his kick chase to perfection hitting Siddal’s receiver with a monster hit forcing a mistake and giving Brighouse the early position. Despite that, it was Siddal who opened the scoring. This lead didn’t last too long when the Rangers managed to hit back, through Bailey who pounced on a fine cross-field kick from Troy Ambler to even things up. The rest of the half was evenly matched, but against the run of play after a Brighouse mistake from a goal line drop out, Siddal extended their lead on the cusp of half time to go into the break at 12-6 up.
Early into the second half, Siddal extended their lead to 18-6, but the Rangers hadn’t given up. As expected in a local derby between these two proud clubs, things got a bit heated and the two teams muscled up in defence, but the referee maintained good control throughout. After building some pressure the Rangers had what they hoped would be the game-changing score when Lucas Birts was unlucky not to be awarded a try in the corner after a superb wide cut-out pass found him on the edge, in space, with a stylish dive and midair finish going unrewarded. Maintaning the pressure the Rangers kept knocking on the door when finally captain Karl Frankland broke the Siddal defence with a quick side step and 20-yard dart to the line, converting his try, to make it 12-18 for what proved to be the final evenful play of the game.
Brighouse Rangers 12 Siddal Acadamy 18
Youngster Charlie Walker was outstanding on his return to the field, Ambler and Ben Wickings showed some real class in the halves. Club captains Frankland and Bailey put in impressive games, Ronny Bailey fighting illness and Nicky Barraclough rolled back the years stepped up for the Rangers pack.
Head coach Terry Moon has selected his captain and vice-captain for the coming season naming Karl Frankland (Sponsored for 2024 by (The Prince Albert) and Matty Bailey (Sponsored for 2024 by OvenU) respectively both players have been at the Rangers since playing junior rugby, we spoke to Terry after breaking the news to the squad,
“This was an easy decision for me to make both of these guys have been at Brighouse Rangers for 10/15 years playing for this club as juniors before moving up to the open age, they both have the club at heart and both without question wear the badge with pride”
Speaking about Karl,
“Karl hangs his passion for the Rangers out for everyone to see playing every game like a must-win cup final and although I love this in him my reasoning for once again naming him “Club Captain” is more for the unseen effort he puts in for Brighouse you can count his missed training session on one hand over the last 15 years there have been even fewer games missed, There hasn’t been a social event held at the club that Karl hasn’t had a hand in organising he is Rangers through and through”
Matty,
“Matty despite his young age has been a part of the Rangers open age for what feels like forever over recent years probably having to shoulder a little too much responsibility on the playing field, I have spent a lot of time chatting with Matt over this offseason and he has shown real maturity in his approach to both the rugby club and his game for this season setting himself high targets before returning to the field and he is well on his way to achieving them”
we were lucky enough to catch both Karl and Matty after training this week they both added the below,
Karl – “I love being Captain of this club, and I’m proud to be given the nod again this year, Having played in every open age season since I was 16 for Brighouse, I’ve seen some good and bad times and teams, but the young lads we’ve got down this year and a game plan to allow them to show off is going to make us really strong and I think we’ll be back to winning ways in no time, My best mates have and do play for this club and that’s what makes it special to me, and creating an environment for that to happen for the young squad is what I want as well as winning everything we can possibly win”
Matty – “I’m very proud to be a part of this team and more personally to be named vice-captain for the season I’ve been a part of this club for nearly 20 years now, and I’ve seen firsthand the dedication and passion that’s brought to the club by each player and member of the back room staff, We have strong aims this year to be back at our best on and off the field and we have been working hard in pre-season to make sure that happens. We are all looking forward to the new season under TJ and the opportunity that are in place, Thank you to all the sponsors who have supported us so far and we look forward to seeing you down at Russell Way”
BRIGHOUSE RANGERS RLFC 
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