After being defeated in their first game of the season, Egremont Rangers bounced back to winning ways with a big win over youthful Thornhill Trojans could only name 15 players and pressed coach Anthony Broadhead out of retirement to take a spot on the bench.
Thornhill handed a debut to 2022 England Community Lions Under-16 skipper Harvey Roberts while Bailey Lee also impressed and Joel Gibson again did well claiming their only try, but largely the visitors were outclassed.
Egremont opened the scoring after only two minutes after a high tackle penalty. A missed tackle created the perfect opening for Leon Crellin to race through and go over for an unconverted try.
Thornhill replied with Gibson's try from Jake Wilson's flicked offload to level the score.
For much of the first quarter there was little to choose between the sides, and then Egremont's extra experience, personnel and muscle began to tell.
Tom Horner burrowed over from close range and Kris Tyson added his first goal. Then straight from the restart, Egremont opened up Thornhill with an inside pass and Toby Corrie to raced through for a long-range try that Tyson converted.
Tyson followed up for a try of his own after 31 minutes and two more scores before the break from youngster Brad Olganby and Crellin, and Tyson's fourth goal stretched the lead to 32-4.
After the Olganby try, Thornhill had Taylor Potts sin-binned for dissent.
Egremont showed no mercy in the second half, scoring five further tries without reply.
Crellin completed his hat-trick after 46 minutes before Tyson scored his second and Matt Bewsher also got in on the act for Tyson to bring up the half century. Quinn Wright took a short pass to step though and score a try which Tyson converted.
Two tries in the final five minutes took Egremont's tally to eleven with subs Quinn Wright and Jak Conway getting in on the act while Tyson took his tallies to nine goals and twenty-six points to ensure a comfortable 62-4 home start for Rangers.
Heavy snowfall wreaked havoc with the Impact Performance National Conference League programme as the only Premier Division tie scheduled for the weekend, Hull Dockers v West Hull was postponed. Myton Warriors v East Leeds, Dewsbury Moor Maroons v Dewsbury Celtic, Shaw Cross Sharks v Woolston Rovers, Milford v Normanton and Saddleworth Rangers v Waterhead Warriors never got underway in Division Two and Eastmoor Dragons saw their game with Drighlington called off in Division Three.
Five games in Division One, one in Division Two and four from Division Three survived. Here are their results:
Results - 11th March 2023
Division One
- Egremont Rangers 62 Thornhill Trojans 4
- Oulton Raiders 38 Featherstone Lions 0
- Heworth 12 Skirlaugh 16
- Crosfields 34 Ince Rose Bridge 0
- Clock Face Miners 18 Pilkington Recs 12
Division Two
- Barrow Island 24 Wigan St Judes 20
Division Three
- Millom 40 Seaton Rangers 6
- Leigh East 24 Oldham St Annes 20
- Beverley 32 Bentley 4
- Ellenborough Rangers 40 Hensingham 14
By Dave Parkinson.
