Waterhead’s 24–24 draw at Thatto Heath felt like one of those results you can look at two ways. A point away from home is never something to dismiss, but the players knew they hadn’t hit their usual standards.
“It’s hard to say,” hooker James Perks admitted afterwards when asked if it was a point gained or a point lost. “To come away to Thatto and get a point when we didn’t really play our best, I’d probably say a point gained…but we’re still disappointed we didn’t get the win.”
At 20–6 down, they were in real trouble. But the fightback that followed showed the same resilience they’ve been building over recent weeks.
“We’ve showed a lot of resilience when we’ve played the likes of Hunslet and Siddle,” Perks said. “I think we showed it again today.”
A big part of that turnaround came from Perks himself. His running game and sharpness around the ruck gave Waterhead the spark they needed in the second half. He doesn’t like talking about himself, but his influence was clear.
“I think for myself it’s playing with a bit more confidence this year,” he said. “With a couple of lads stepping down, you take on a bit more of a senior role.”
He also pointed to the pack for giving him the platform to play.
“We’ve got the likes of Nathan (Mason) and Matty Fletcher and Scott (Parnaby) who can generate them quick play balls, so I’m going to scoot all the time. They make it easy for me.”
Perks and Kegan Brennan have long been seen as the “young lads” in the side, but that’s changing fast.
“We’ve always been the young lads in the team,” he said, “but now we’re at a stage where we’ve got to take a bit more responsibility.”
Waterhead’s second half improvement came from tightening up and playing smarter, something they’ve been working on since last season.
“Last year we tried to gung ho our way out of danger,” Perks said. “This year it’s about completions and being a bit smarter.
In the first half we let ourselves down with penalties and not completing, but we turned it around.”
He felt the second phase play was what really opened the game up.
“Instead of just going shape left to right, we were getting them quick play balls and getting offloads, going at a staggered defence. It’s always a lot easier.”
Off the field, Perks says the team’s strength comes from how close they are.
“What we’ve always based our performance on is hard work, but most importantly friendship,” he said. “When you’re a group of mates like us, it makes working hard for each other so easy because you don’t want to let anyone down.”
Next week brings another tough trip, this time to Wigan St Jude’s—another promoted side who’ve settled well in the Prem.
“They’re a good side,” Perks said. “All the teams in this league are. When we played them at home they were really physical. We stayed in the grind, and we’ll be looking to do the same away at their place.”
NCRL National Leagues results:
Friday 19 June
Cumbria
Maryport 30 Ellenborough Rangers 10
Saturday 20 June
Premier Division
Heworth 16 Wigan St Judes 17
Rochdale Mayfield 6 Siddal 40
Thatto Heath Crusaders 24 Waterhead Warriors 24
Wath Brow Hornets 28 West Bowling 18
West Hull 36 Lock Lane 16
York Acorn 0 Hunslet ARLFC 26
Division One
Dewsbury Moor Maroons 26 Kells 4
East Leeds 22 Dewsbury Celtic 22
Leigh Miners Rangers 28 Oldham St Annes 24
Oulton Raiders 38 Wigan St Patricks 8
Pilkington Recs 16 Shaw Cross Sharks 6
Stanningley 36 Egremont Rangers 24
Cumbria
Hindpool Tigers 28 Barrow Island 32
Millom 14 Hensingham 18
North West
Blackbrook 12 Saddleworth Rangers 46
Crosfields 30 Leigh East 30
Woolston Rovers 18 Orrell St James 42
South
Brentwood Eels 10 London Chargers 14
North Herts Crusaders 24 Bedford Tigers 46
Hammersmith Hill Hoists 0 Wests Warriors 0
Yorkshire A
Beverley 20 King Cross Park 32
Keighley Albion 58 Bradford Dudley Hill 16
Myton Warriors 18 Mirfield Spartans 20
Stanley Rangers 6 Moldgreen 62
Thornhill Trojans 18 Drighlington 12
Yorkshire B
Bentley 86 Hull Dockers 4
Milford 16 Kippax Welfare 10
Newsome Panthers 20 Skirlaugh 18
Siddal Academy 4 Featherstone Lions 26
