Rangers keep up pressure
UNDERBANK Rangers maintained their top spot in the NCL Division One league table with a comfortable 44-28 victory at York Acorn.
It was Rangers 12th win in 13 games and the visitors had eased to a match-winning 24-0 lead by halftime.
The home side scored four tries in the third quarter of the game, but Underbank then reasserted control with two tries to ensure the two points.
Closest rivals second placed Hunslet Club Parkside and third placed Milford Marlins both won to keep the pressure on Rangers, who are top by points difference over the Hunslet outfit.
Winger Sam Ansell crossed for another three tries with some fine finishing, and it was his sixth hat trick of a very productive season for the winger.
Back row forward Billy Rogers breezed in for a brace, with other tries added by half back Luke Pogson, replacement front row forward Luke Roberts, back rower Craig Williams and left wing Courtney Allette.
Four Pogson conversions on a difficult day for kickers in the breezy conditions completed the Rangers scoring.
Rangers fielded the same squad of 17 as the previous week, except for debutant Frazer Morris – who had been surprisingly released by Wakefield Trinity – replacing the unavailable Mikey Holmes on the bench.
The first half was literally a breeze for Underbank as they dominated the middle of the field with strong defence splitting surges from the big and mobile pack of forwards followed by scintillating wide play on the back of it.
Acorn had plenty of possession and made few handling errors, but they were stifled on attack by superb Rangers defensive work coupled with blistering attack from the Underbank backs and back row forwards.
Rangers took an early lead after just two minutes.
The opening kick-off deceived the receivers in the strong breeze and a goalline drop out was conceded by the hosts, and in the following set full-back Kris Harrop combined with centre Alex Chatterton to send Ansell flying over in the corner.
Pogson missed the conversion attempt as he did on 17 minutes as Ansell grabbed his second in equally spectacular style after being fed a pass from half back Danny Hirst.
Ansell completed his first quarter treble on 20 minutes as he and Chatterton interchanged five passes after the winger had returned a goal line drop out.
Still Pogson couldn’t add the extras in the blustery conditions, but he did so twice in the later in the half.
First a towering kick from Pogson deceived the Acorn full-back, the ball bounced off the goalpost into the grateful arms of Rogers who crossed the line, and then back row forward Casey Clark sent Roberts over.
Pogson’s two goals that completed the first half scoring, but it should have been far more for Underbank.
The second half started badly for Underbank as Morris spilled the ball and Acorn made Rangers pay the price as centre Gareth Singleton crashed through to score.
Half back Antony Chilton added the conversion as he did so again on 47 minutes as Brandon Harris strode through to score.
A Pogson touchdown, plus conversion, settled the visitors nerves, but then the hosts scored twice more on 54 and 56 minutes through hooker Nick Speck and right centre Ryan Gallacher.
With a further Chilton conversion suddenly the score board read 30-22 in the visitors favour.
However, Underbank finally put their gallant opponents to the sword as Craig Williams, Rogers and Allette all registered tries in the last quarter making Speck’s second a mere consolation score.
Rogers took the Rose & Crown, Thurstonland Players’ Player of the Match award, Williams was selected as the Bengal Spice, Holmfirth Player of the Match, and Harrop was selected as the official man of the match selected by the referee. UNDERBANK RANGERS 13 Hunslet Club Parkside .13 Milford Marlins ................ 13 Normanton Knights ....... 13 Lock Lane ........................... 13 York Acorn ......................... 13 Shaw Cross Sharks ........ 13 Hunslet Warriors ............ 13 Ince Rose Bridge ............ 13 Hull Dockers ..................... 13 Featherstone Lions ....... 13 Blackbrook ........................ 13