Standing pitch side after completing their second game in the space of 42 hours, Ashton Bears head coach Neil Ireland admitted he’d never experienced anything like it.
“I don’t think we’ve ever had to do that, through junior level or open age level.” He said following his sides 24-46 defeat of Clock Face Miners.
Thursday night had brought a bruising encounter with Orrell St James, a performance full of effort but ultimately a defeat to the league leaders. By Saturday afternoon, the Bears were back together again, stitched together with fresh legs and the lads who had backed up from midweek.
“We had a really tough game on Thursday against Orrell, who were flying high at top of the league, and then obviously we’ve come here today…we’ve freshened up a little bit with a couple of lads coming in who didn’t play on Thursday, but we’ve had the squad to be able to rotate today.”
What followed was arguably their most complete spell of rugby all season. Ireland watched his side absorb pressure, fall behind, and then unleash a devastating run of tries that blew the game wide open.
“When they scored and went 18–16 in front, heads could have dropped but they stuck to the game plan. And they showed with a pitch like that what we can do. We’re a young team, fit team, quick. We played how we wanted to play and then we just went back to back with numerous tries, which was a fantastic 15 minute spell for us.”
That momentum came down a left edge that is finally beginning to settle and threaten consistently.
“We’re getting a bit of continuity now. Our spine has pretty much been the same these last few months. We’ve got our centres and wingers pretty much set and we’ve got Connor Ashley back in the team… he’s come back into the second row on this left hand side. You’ve got Conor, Matty Ward and Danny Hill - all of them have got pace, good rugby players, and once they’re through they finish the try.”
And in the middle of it all, the calming influence of long serving half-back Tom Hopkins.
“He’s just turned 35 now and this season I think he’s playing some of the best rugby he’s ever played. He guides us around the field…he’s showing no sign of slowing down at all.”
Ireland’s reflections on the NCRL North West Conference season are frank. The Bears didn’t start perfectly, but they have built something meaningful.
“We won at Ince Rose Bridge in May, then had a bad result the week after against Leigh East at home. We got beat by two points and that was a game we should have won, really.”
From that point, the Bears began to climb.
“Since then, we’ve had good wins against Blackbrook, Saddleworth, went close against Crosfields. We had a good win against Leigh East and then obviously we had a good performance against Orrell. Teams have been beaten by an awful lot more against Orrell this year and then obviously we backed it up today.”
Ireland believes the Bears are developing a clear identity - fast, youthful, and increasingly confident.
“We’re finding our feet…since that mid part of the season, we’ve just gone from strength to strength. Hopefully it’s a good indicator for next year and the years to come that we’re going to be someone that people don’t want to play against because of the pace that we play.”
But he remains grounded.
“We also need to not get too far ahead of ourselves and think if we do the basics right, we’ll be all right.”
One of the club’s biggest strengths is the steady flow of young players stepping into open age.
“We’ve had a good influx of lads who have come up from the under 18s over the last three years. The club’s starting to show now the rewards for the work that was put in 10, 15 years ago. It’s only a young club still, but we’ve got teams playing at every age and that’s something that we want.”
Competition for places is now fierce, and welcomed.
“The lads who are playing now, they’ve got the shirts, and it’s up to the players who are coming through to want that shirt. I want people banging my door down saying, ‘I want to play, I want to play,’ because that’s what it’s all about.”
For Ireland, that hunger is essential.
“I don’t want excuses being made why they can’t play. I want people calling me names, telling me I should be picked… that’s showing enthusiasm and the right attitude to want to pull the shirt on for Ashton.”
Results – Saturday 15 August 2026
Premier Division
Lock Lane 32–48 Siddal
Heworth 20–38 Thatto Heath Crusaders
Division One
Dewsbury Moor Maroons 52–4 Wigan St Patricks
Shaw Cross Sharks 10–26 Dewsbury Celtic
National Conference – North West
Clock Face Miners 24–46 Ashton Bears
National Conference – Cumbria
Ellenborough 0–64 Dalton
National Conference – Yorkshire A
Mirfield Spartans 34–12 Moldgreen
National Conference – Yorkshire B
Kippax Welfare 56–0 Normanton Knights
BARLA National Cup
West Hull 36–12 Featherstone Lions
