Moldgreen Head Coach Kieran Rush says his side are embracing the challenge of facing NCRL Premier heavyweights Thatto Heath this weekend as the club prepares for one of its biggest occasions since reforming its open age team.
Rush, who has guided Moldgreen through a remarkable rise that includes two consecutive promotions, believes the National Cup tie arrives at exactly the right moment for a young squad that has started the season with real purpose.
“We’ve gone, I think it’s six wins from six now,” he said. “So confidence is a great thing and going into a game off the back of six wins can only help us.”
Rush’s coaching journey at Moldgreen began a few years ago, sparked by friendships built during his academy days at Huddersfield. Several of his former teammates had already joined the club, and when chairman Anthony invited him for a coffee and a chat, the decision came easily.
“I jumped at the chance really,” he recalled. “There were about six or seven players in that team that I used to play with, so yeah, it were a no brainer really.”
That familiarity has helped shape a young, ambitious squad, supported this year by the arrival of Rush’s Huddersfield teammate George Flanagan, who now assists him on the coaching staff.
“I just asked him, I said, do you want to come give me a hand this year? And he said yes,” Rush explained. “It’s been good to have an extra pair of hands at training and at games, like a different viewpoint.”
The rise through the divisions has been quick, but Rush insists it has been earned through consistency and standards rather than shortcuts.
The step up into the NCRL has brought tougher weekly challenges, but he feels the group has adapted well.
“We’ve got to be a solid seven or eight out of ten every week to get a result,” he said. “You could have a bad day and still get a win before, but in this league…you’ve got to have a solid performance every week.”
Thatto Heath represent another level again - a club with pedigree, depth and years of experience at the top of the community game. Rush is under no illusions about the size of the task.
“I just know that they’re a quality team and a quality club,” he said. “It’s probably a club that we look up to and we aspire to be like in the coming years.”
Despite that, Moldgreen’s preparation has remained inward focused. Rush believes that in games like this, obsessing over the opposition can be counter productive.
“You can preview a team as much as you want,” he said, “but if you don’t get your own performance right, you won’t get anywhere.”
And recent performances suggest Moldgreen are in a good place. They’ve been scoring freely, defending with discipline, and showing a clinical edge that has impressed their coach. “It shows the quality we’ve got in our attack, but also in our defence,” he said. “We like to take pride in our defence.”
Home advantage could prove crucial. The DRAM has become a genuine stronghold, something Rush is proud of.
“I can’t remember the last time we actually lost a league game or a cup game at home,” he said. “It’s a fortress for us and it’s something we take pride in.” The facilities themselves have become a selling point for the club’s growth. “We’re really proud of the facilities we’ve built at the DRAM,” Rush added. “It’s a great set up and it’s only getting better each and every week...we get a lot of great support down at the DRAM and following us away as well.”
The club’s depth has strengthened too, thanks to a developing second team that has already supplied players capable of stepping up. “We pulled four players up from the second team against Stanley and still put a good performance,” he said. “It shows the quality we’ve got all the way through the club.”
As for the longer term vision, Rush remains grounded but ambitious. Moldgreen want to grow steadily. “We just want to keep that slow build and keep progressing up the leagues,” he said. “Eventually be in a position like Thatto where we’re at the top of the amateur game with the best facilities and winning games at the top of that league.”
For now, though, the focus is on Saturday - a National Cup tie at home, a chance to test themselves against one of the best, and an opportunity to showcase a club that has rebuilt, re-energised and risen quickly. Moldgreen are 80 minutes away from an upset, but more importantly, they are 80 minutes away from showing exactly how far they’ve come.
Fixtures - Saturday 2 May 2026
National Cup
Ellenborough v Siddal, 2:30pm KO
Ince Rose Bridge v Clock Face Miners, 2:30pm KO
Featherstone Lions v Oldham St Annes, 2:30pm KO
Moldgreen v Thatto Heath Crusaders, 2:30pm KO
Oulton Raiders v Bentley, 2:30pm KO
