The outstanding BARLA National Cup semi-final was played on Friday night in front of a big crowd at Twist Lane.
This game should originally have taken place in August but was rearranged after the hot weather had baked the playing surface.
It was Ince Rose Bridge who celebrated derby delight, having got one over near neighbours Leigh Miners Rangers to set up a Halloween Final showdown with West Hull at Castleford. Key to their seven-try victory was an opening twenty minutes that saw them take a 0-18 advantage. Miners Rangers rallied after the break, but ultimately had too much ground to make up.
Casey Shaw opened the scoring for the visitors with a strong finish on the left from dummy-half on ten minutes after Kieron Eccleston did all the running. Eccleston stepped up to kick the first of five goals. Eccleston continues to be a significant figure for Ince Rose Bridge and showed tremendous smarts again moments later when he stabbed a kick forward and won the race.
His conversion made it 0-12, and by the time the 20th minute had rolled round, Bridge were in again thanks to a hulking close-range effort from Kallem Rogers, and Eccleston added his third goal.
A high ball was spilled by Miners Rangers as they struggled to build any momentum while Rogers was held up over the line again. Eccleston linked play perfectly after 35 minutes with Mason Fillingham carving through the defence before Leigh Miners Rangers gave themselves something to build on in the second half when Marco Williamson, Lucas Tyrer and Tom Burnett combined, and second row Ben Turner crossed.
It was 4-22 at the break. The hosts needed a good start.
It was Ince Rose Bridge who were again quickest out of the blocks when Eccleston kicked left after the forwards established good field position. Lucas Coan rose higher than Diego Walker to score in the 46th minute. Eccleston was once again on song with the conversion.
Spiritedly, Miners Rangers struck back after 50 minutes when Noah Lancelott skipped right and fed Walker into the corner for Lucas Tyrer to goal brilliantly from the touchline. The hosts thought they had registered another score when Brad Lewis scampered over on the left, but the final ball from Burnett was forward.
Clinically, Rose Bridge moved upfield before Fillingham added the speed for his second score of the game, before Leigh Miners Rangers enjoyed an excellent spell that straddled the hour and brought the best out of the visitors' scrambling defence. Lewis grabbed the third try for the home side, and hopes were raised after Ince Rose Bridge prop Reece Cunningham, who set an excellent lead early in the game, was sin-binned for a challenge on Andy Philbin.
Straight away, Miners Rangers looked to capitalise, but the ball was lost, and instead it was Rose Bridge who secured their final berth when Matty Gaskell scored from a dummy-half scoot. Eccleston completed a fourteen-point haul with his fifth goal.
Miners Rangers claimed a deserved consolation for a much-improved second half when Turner ran over for his second try, and Tyrer converted. There was almost another score right at the end when Shaw burst through the line, but some excellent last-ditch defence prevented Rose Bridge from adding to their tally.
Attention now turns to other competition duties, where Ince Rose Bridge play Featherstone Lions in the second semi-final of the NCRL's Cross Conference Championship on Saturday, 10th October at Victoria Park, Warrington, 3pm, following what should be an equally thrilling clash between Orrell St James and Blackbrook at noon.
Leigh Miners Rangers
Tries: Ben Turner 2 (39, 78), Diego Walker (50), Brad Lewis (65)
Goals: Lucas Tyrer 2/4
Ince Rose Bridge
Tries: Casey Shaw (10), Kieron Eccleston (16), Kallem Rogers (20), Mason Fillingham 2 (35, 56), Lucas Coan (46), Matty Gaskell (76)
Ince Rose Bridge Goals: Kieron Eccleston 5/7
By Dave Parkinson
Photo Credit: 13 Pro-Am Community RL
