LIVERPOOL BUCCANEERS 12 FEATHERSTONE LIONS 22 - Fleet Lane
Featherstone Lions picked up their first win for six matches, and a first for new coach Gordon Long, thanks to a grandstand last ten minutes against Liverpool Buccaneers.
It was hard luck on bottom side Buccaneers who had led for most of the match and enjoyed possession and territory until that point.
But their failure to turn that dominance into points proved very costly and meant the heroics of Brett Longstaffe, Paul Johnson and Sean Forber were in vain.
Featherstone perhaps lacked the expansive rugby that their hosts tried to produce but in Steve Lawrie and the outstanding John Smith had the strong and direct runners to punch holes in the home defence and ultimately turn the game on its head.
Both sides made a number of changes, Buccaneers unveiling three more debutants in eye-catching wingers Matt Wilson and Ian Webster, the latter scoring a maiden try, whilst the wily Dave Scott also impressed when he entered the fray.
Long named himself amongst the substitutes for injury-hit Lions with Wakefield Trinity target Danny Glassell in the centres and Steve Coutts coming in at scrum-half.
It was the Lions who started brighter, Luke Beecher almost scoring inside the first minute but unable to take a pass with the line open, before Danny Richardson's strong break down the middle was halted by a brave tackle from Anthony Bate.
The breakthrough was not long in coming, though, as Smith proved unstoppable running the perfect angle from close range to score in the corner.
Liverpool began to click through the gears with the partnership between Wilson and his centre Steve Lynch looking promising.
After the winger had been denied a try for forward pass he linked up again with Lynch in some sparkling play down the left, Lynch finishing off to level matters.
The home side dominated the remainder of the half, Beecher reacting first to palm Sean Forber's dangerous kick dead and then the Liverpool stand-off again creative with the boot, re-gathering his own chip over but the final pass to Tom Tunstall was ruled forward.
Three minutes into the second half, the hosts took the lead, Mike Forber with the expertly-timed ball and Webster with the run to match, charging over the line for Sean Forber to add the extras.
With Featherstone largely struggling to get out of their own half Liverpool tried to turn the screw but the only other reward for their efforts was a further Sean Forber goal after the Lions were found guilty of reefing the ball in front of their own posts.
That failure to put the game to bed proved costly for Liverpool, who began to lose their momentum following a double sin-binning of Jack Griffiths and Longstaffe for a brief scuffle.
Within minutes the Lions were back in contention, Smith once more unstoppable from close range to narrow the gap to four points and the powerhouse second-row was involved again in the leveller, driving to the line and getting the ball away for Ian Jackson to send Coutts over by the posts.
Incredibly the conversion attempt hit the post and bounced away to leave the scores level but the force was very much with Featherstone, who pounded at the Buccaneers’ line.
Although Liverpool repelled that set of six the home side then knocked on as they tried to clear their lines and a from that error Smith charged over for his hat-trick and the game breaking score.
In stoppage time the Lions scored a fine try, Richard Frankland gathering Martin Gambles' kick through and storming downfield before throwing a superb pass inside for the supporting Lawrie to finish between the posts, Smith taking the kicking duties to round off a much-needed win.
WARRINGTON WIZARDS 52 DEWSBURY CELTIC 16 - Wilderspool
Warrington kept the pressure up on league leaders Bramley with a comprehensive victory over Dewsbury Celtic.
Wizards produced a devastating opening period that saw them move well clear of their brave opponents but a spirited second half comeback by Celtic saw them get rewarded for their efforts with three well worked tries.
The hosts opened the scoring in the third minute when hooker Warren Ayres landed a penalty goal on a perfect afternoon with the boot for him and, shortly afterwards, Ian Stephenson went over for a well manufactured try that Ayres converted and he also added a further penalty after Celtic were punished for lying on.
Just before the half hour some very quick play the balls put Celtic on the back foot and Stephenson threw out a lovely pass to supporting loose forward Jono Smith who scored between the posts.
Almost immediately, a 40/20 from Ayres put the Wizards deep in the Celtic half and from the scrum, Smith found Stephenson who went over.
Wizards moved further clear when in-form winger Graham Healey went over for his fifth try in four games and a minute before the break substitute Dan Faulkner broke through from thirty metres and raced over to give his side a deserved 34-0 half time lead.
Four minutes into the second half, a high kick on the last tackle by the Wizards was palmed back by them but Celtic full back Danny Thomas pounced on the loose ball and raced away before putting stand off Niki Crabtree over at the side of the posts for a try that he goaled himself.
Soon after, Celtic went down the blind side and centre Danny Crabtree put winger Liam Edwards over in the right corner.
Warrington regained their composure and second rower Danny Burgan went on his own from acting half back and brushed off four defenders on a thirty metre run to score at the side of the posts.
On the hour, good work down the left by Matt Wilson saw him send Alan Reddecliff, this week operating at stand off, clear and he put Smith over by the posts.
Celtic responded five minutes later when, from a penalty close to the Wizards line, the ball found Liam Walmsley who powered over at the side of the posts.
A minute from time from a scrum on the Celtic twenty metre line, Stephenson found Reddecliff who broke through an attempted tackle to score at the side of the posts.
KIPPAX KNIGHTS 14 HUDDERSFIELD UNDERBANK RANGERS 20 – Welfare Ground
Three tries in the final 12 minutes, achieved with 12 men, saw Rangers sweep to a dramatic victory and close in on the Knights in the race for a top four spot.
The home side led 14-4 going into the closing stages but with loose forward Lee St Hilaire outstanding, Rangers summoned up sufficient grit, reserve and no little skill to take the plaudits leaving the Knights with just a bonus point for their efforts.
Kippax got off to a great start, winger Chris Hall crossing out wide after being uncovered by a fine pass from full back Andy Tillett.
Rangers responded when good hands close to the line saw centre Nathan Chappell find a gap to ghost through to level.
Approaching the half hour, the home side were in front again, winger Steve Gill’s one on one ball steal seeing him shoot clear and away, Gavin Adkin adding the extras.
That blow was made worse for Rangers when Chappell was dismissed for alleged foul play but the dogged visitors refused to buckle.
On 51 minutes, Gill knocked on with line beckoning after a fine Adkin break but that did not seem costly when, on the hour, centre Chris Knowles was set free by a superb pass from Chris Redfearn and he scampered to the corner to make it 14-4.
That seemed to galvanise the visitors into one last effort, led by St Hilaire and their belief and tenacity shocked the hosts as the fight back began.
St Hilaire went over in the 68th minute, Nathan Williams goaling to bring the sides to within a try and the hosts went into their shells.
Completing their sets and maintaining position in the Kippax quarter, the constant Huddersfield pressure paid off when St Hilaire again spotted a breach in the home defence and powered over in the 74th minute, Williams’ second goal putting Rangers ahead for the first time.
Three minutes later, victory was effectively secured when second rower Sam Horsley was put through a hole out wide and he romped over.
Williams missed the conversion attempt to set up a nervy finish but the 12 men stood firm to record a highly impressive win in adversity.
NOTTINGHAM OUTLAWS 0 BRAMLEY BUFFALOES 28 – The Bay
Despite a gutsy defensive performance, a badly-depleted team Outlaws were out-gunned by the impressive league leaders who were at their defensive best.
The early exchanges were for forward ascendancy in the middle of the park but it was an uneven battle in terms of size and power as the big Bramley pack began to make dents in the Outlaws defensive line.
They almost opened their account on the third minute but a strong cover tackle by returning Dom Walsh kept the marauding Buffaloes out when a try seemed certain.
A score was not long in coming, however, and Bramley capitalised with a penalty on the last tackle to build yet more pressure and finally punctured the Outlaws line when Andy McGann crossed.
Home forwards George Strachan and Adam Millward tried their hardest to breach the Bramley line but a series of big hits and gang-tackles stopped the Outlaws attackers in their tracks.
By contrast, the Bramley pack continued to make good progress down the centre of the field, but desperate Outlaws scrambling defence kept them out despite being under the cosh for most of the opening quarter.
Having taken a pounding, Nottingham managed to move the ball upfield with the help of a penalty and good work from Adam Cassettari but a powerful drive to the line by prop Bryn Waldram was just held up by desperate Bramley defence and then a fine run and chip over the top by Ali Waring nearly paid dividends but Steve Page was hauled down in the tackle.
Outlaws’ purple patch had failed to give them the score that they deserved and they were soon given a lesson in converting chances when Bramley opened up from deep and an offload in the tackle saw hooker Richard Hulme dart over, Paul Drake goaling.
Buffaloes looked to have swept in at the corner, only for the rampant visitors to drop the ball with a three to one overlap close to the line.
The second half started in much the same vein with the powerful Buffaloes forwards keeping a tight rein on the Outlaws six.
Prop Millward, in particular, tried his hardest to break through with a series of charges but with the visitors well on top, it seemed likely that the flood gates would open.
Bramley looked like they would score again on the 45th minute but they somehow managed to drop the ball in the act of scoring.
It proved to be a short respite however when two minutes later a pass back inside opened up the Outlaws defence and John Elliker charged through to make it 16-0 with 25 minutes still to play.
With the mid-way point of the second half reached, Outlaws were yet to cross the half-way line but as the match moved into the final quarter the home attack finally got some field position.
Once again Millward made good metres before off-loading in the tackle, the ball went through the backs to Waring and the young winger dived for the corner, only to be pushed into touch by desperate Bramley defence.
That proved to be only a short interlude, however, and as the match entered the closing a tiring Outlaws defence let in two quick-fire Bramley tries.
Scrum half Graham Harrison was on hand to nip over and that was followed up by a length of the field effort by pacy full back Jimmy Waddington, straight from a scrum.
To their credit, Outlaws refused to give in and led full back Page, they were nearly rewarded for their efforts.
A fine move down the line from 20 meters out saw winger Melbourn Weir squeeze in at the corner but the celebrations were short lived as the touch judge intervened to disallow the try for a foot in touch and it proved to be the last act of the game as the referee drew proceedings to a close.
