Bridge battle past Fryston to move into NCRL's Cross Conference Championship Semi-Finals

Ince Rose Bridge had to withstand a second-half fightback from battling Fryston Warriors as they progressed to the NCRL's Cross Conference Championship Semi-Finals at Victoria Park following an attritional game on Saturday.

In a game that fizzed along from the start, Fryston came out with some excellent physicality, only to lose two outside backs (fullback Ben Knowles and winger Max Lambourne) and forward Brad Baines shortly after he came on as he attempted to stop a rampaging Jack Morrison in the first twenty minutes. The initial sets were brutal as both sides battled for control, with Bridge losing Reece Cunningham in the tenth minute to the sin-bin. Despite this, the hosts saw a try chalked off from Kieron Eccleston's kick despite Callum Hughes's athletic leap.

The game continued its frenetic pace until a melee erupted on the Fryston twenty-metre line. The visitors played on despite the commotion, and Mark Poppleton ran 70 metres to score under the posts after 24 minutes. Half-back Macauley Penney goaled to hand Warriors a 0-6 advantage. Fryston's Daniel Edwards was yellow-carded for his part in further shenanigans, and in his absence, Ince Rose Bridge scored three back-to-back tries.

The first came after 27 minutes when Callum Martin won the ball back and Kyle Malone charged over out wide on the left for Eccleston to convert. There appeared no danger to the Fryston defence five minutes later when Hughes ramped up to run from his own thirty-metre line; however, the long-striding winger bust a couple of tackles and raced away to score at the side of the posts, with Eccleston nudging over his second goal.

Bridge were rewarded by some excellent halfback play after 35 minutes when Max Fillingham got on the outside of his man, ran inside the twenty, and handed on to Hughes for him to make a difficult finish look easy with bodies converging from all angles.

The hosts led 16-6 at half-time and increased their advantage when Fryston lost possession in their first set after the break. Ince pushed the ball right from the scrum and Hughes sprinted down the wing from 25 metres for his hat-trick score.

Fryston came back into the contest well, with veteran prop Mark Castle - of former Doncaster and Leigh vintage - mixing it in the middle, supported by skipper Rhys Bonser, second row Ryan Joseph, and substitute Reuben Walker.

The visitors received an attacking scrum on the half-way line, and some sprightly play down the left released Tom Wright for an unconverted score wide out, bringing the game back in the balance at 20-10. Jack Morrison returned to cause more havoc and Kallem Rodgers was also good value from the bench before Eccleston turned architect again. His kick bounced back perfectly for Fillingham to collect and zip over the line, with Eccleston's third goal making it 26-10.

Again, Fryston brought tremendous spirit to the final quarter and were rewarded when industrious hooker Brad Moules weaved his way over from dummy half with a mazy 15-metre run. Penney converted, yet despite his and fellow half-back Calvin Sandhu's best efforts, the Warriors ran out of steam with no further subs available after Charlie Johnson left the field injured.

Ince Rose Bridge closed out the game to set up a clash against Featherstone Lions for a place in the Cross Championship Play-Off final on 10th October.

Ince Rose Bridge tries: Malone (27), Hughes (32, 35, 41), Fillingham (57).

Ince Rose Bridge goals: Eccleston 3/5.

Fryston Warriors tries: Poppleton (24), Wright (49), Moules (64).

Fryston Warriors goals: Penney 2/3.

Full-time: Ince Rose Bridge 26 Fryston Warriors 16

By Dave Parkinson

Photo Credit: 13 Pro Am RL