Siddal must raise game for bigger Challenge
Siddal are set to host Newcastle Thunder in the third round of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup on Sunday week (1.30). The Chevinedge men were paired with Kingstone Press League One side, the only professional rugby league team in the North East, in Tuesday evening’s draw.
Siddal will be facing opposition from Newcastle for the second round running, having edged past Northumbria University by 18-16 last Saturday.
National Conference side Siddal have performed well against paid opponents in the past, notably winning 26-0 at Doncaster in 2010. However, coach Gareth Greenwood knows they will have to play much better than last weekend to compete with Thunder.
Last season’s beaten Grand Finalists trailed 16-10 before Shaun Garrod scored one try and created another for winger Gareth Blackburn early in the second half.
The home side missed chances after that, ensuring that the plucky visitors, for whom ex-Siddal junior Tom Shaw was an influential playmaker, were in the hunt right to the final whistle.
Greenwood described the game as “dire”, accused his players of not being in the right frame of mind and was grateful for Garrod’s intervention.
“It has taken the class of one player to get us out of trouble. He has come up with a couple of tries out of his back pocket,” said Greenwood.
The suspect state of mind of the Siddal players was probably not helped when it took them less than two minutes to go 6-0 ahead through Mark Boothroyd’s try, converted by Gareth Blackburn.
The live l y s tudent s stormed back with two tries from second rower Liam Richmond. Blackburn squeezed in at the corner on 24 minutes but Scott Harrison scored the hosts further embarrassment when touching down wide out.
Siddal’s forwards managed to get some fire in their bellies for 10 minutes after the break. Garrod scampered over and his long floated pass enabled Blackburn to score. The home side then missed chances to land a killer blow. Greetland AR kept up their winning ways at Spring Rock with a 28-4 home win over CK Vikings in the Pennine League.
They took a 10-0 lead with tries from winger Gaz Walker and man of the match Ben Hildred, plus one Jordan Whippey conversion.
Vikings hit back with a try and the game was even but Greetland ran away with it in the final 25 minutes with tries from Claughan, Ben Hildred and sub Jordan Sykes plus three more Whippey goals.
Saturday - Pennine League, Championship:
Division One:
Division Two: Division Three West:
Division Four West: