Ince Rose Bridge power past Featherstone Lions to set up Blackbrook Championship Finale in NCRL's National Leagues

Six-try Ince Rose Bridge underlined their credentials with a strong performance in the NCRL's second Cross Conference Championship Semi-Final at Victoria Park on Saturday.

Bridge scored four tries during a dominant second quarter and had to withstand a late fightback from the Lions, who never went away in the contest.

Featherstone Lions made the best of starts when stand-off Richard Frankland took on the defence and kicked intelligently into the left corner for winger Jack Brears to sweep up after some ferocious early forward play from front rowers Leo Brown and Chris Bingham. Frankland also goaled to ensure a 6-0 advantage after five minutes. The rest of the first quarter also belonged to the Lions as Ian Jackson schemed and Elliott Bell and centre Will Smith provided a running threat. A turning point came when skipper Jordan Walker was forced off with an injury, and although he later returned to the field, Rose Bridge had made their impact.

Key to the Wigan side wrestling control of the game was hooker Byron Aspinall, who underlined his credentials as a North West Conference player of the year contender with two close-range tries after 20 and 25 minutes respectively. His intelligent choices of when to run and pass helped Ince Rose Bridge find their rhythm, and with Casey Shaw, Kallem Rogers and Jack Morrison making inroads, Featherstone Lions tackled well. The Yorkshire side had an opportunity when James Metcalfe dropped the ball over the line after a great cover tackle and looked likely to score as the ball was fanned left in the 28th minute, only for Ince halfback Mason Fillingham to intercept and go 70 metres down the other end for Kieron Eccleston to goal and make it 6-16.

Five minutes from half-time, more positive play from Rose Bridge was rewarded when an intelligent kick from second-row Lee Jones sat up to outfox Bell, and Calum Hughes collected for a customary try. Eccleston nudged over his third goal and it was 6-22 at the interval.

Ince Rose Bridge settled into the second half and drew first blood in the 52nd minute when Eccleston scored an individual try from twenty metres after dummying to kick and then pass before surging to the line and grounding despite the attention of a couple of defenders. It looked like there was no way back after Eccleston converted his own try, but the Lions deserve immense credit and with Walker returning, they were a different proposition.

The workrate of Kian Fisher also helped and two tries in four minutes threatened an upset. The first came after a back-handed offload from Bell created some space on the right and Smith put Metcalfe over for Frankland to goal. Then after more good play on the right, Smith was dragged down on the line before Danny Johnson plunged over and managed to wriggle out of the challenge to ground the ball. Frankland's third goal made it 18-34.

Rose Bridge made good inroads of their own near the end and after Eccleston set the position with a run, the next play saw Ince unleash Shaw and his brute strength and footwork brought him the final score with Eccleston adding his fifth goal to net another fourteen-point haul and send them into the final at Bradford on Saturday 17th October.

Full-time: Featherstone Lions 18 Ince Rose Bridge 34

Featherstone Lions

Tries: Jack Brears (5), James Metcalfe (69), Danny Johnson (73).

Goals: Richard Frankland 3/3

Ince Rose Bridge

Tries: Byron Aspinall 2 (20, 25), Mason Fillingham (28), Calum Hughes (35), Kieron Eccleston (52), Casey Shaw (78).

Goals: Kieron Eccleston 5/6    

By Dave Parkinson

Photo Credit: 13 Pro-Am Community RL