Rangers score tense victory over play-off rivals Hornets
Courtney Allette delayed the restart and the referee had no option but to despatch him to the sin bin. Hooker Danny Hirst joined him for disputing the decision too vigorously for Mr Stearne’s liking, and Underbank were reduced to 11 players for the next ten minutes.
A couple of scores in this period could have severely dented the home side’s chances, but they scrambled for their lives several times to defend their line superbly well and actually reduced the Brow lead by kicking a penalty goal through Luke Pogson just before the sinners returned to the fray.
After they did, Rangers took the lead slightly against the run of play. Wath were playing some great expansive footy and stretching the home defence from one touchline to the other, and just as they looked likely to turn this dominance into points, Pogson intercepted and returned the ball 30 metres.
The ensuing possession ended with a towering kick that the Brow fullback couldn’t take and Pogson regathered to score. He kicked the extras and Rangers led 8-6 after 20 minutes.
The remainder of the half belonged to the home side as they dominated possession, forcing the visitors into numerous mistakes allowing Will Broadbent-Allan and Allette to touch down in the 28th and 35th minutes. With Pogson converting both scores they were deservedly leading by 20-6 as halftime approached, but just on the whistle Hornets reduced the deficit to 12 as Weatheral converted a penalty, with Underbank found guilty of interference.
Head coach Richard Knight challenged his side to complete their sets, dominate the field position and put the game to bed early in the second period. However, they confounded everyone by conceding ten penalties (two before the break) and Wath grew in confidence. The visitors were right back in it on 48 minutes as halfback Daniel Burns sold an outrageous dummy to two defenders and crashed over the line in a three man tackle for a tremendous individual try.
Crucially the conversion attempt from Weatheral drifted wide.
The game breaker then came on 55 minutes as Rangers once more spilled possession in their quarter to give Brow great field position, but in the resulting scrum the Hornets’ back rower Dave Bell struck out at a Rangers opponent and a great chance for Wath had gone.
To rub salt in the wound, Underbank marched downfield through a blistering Owen Restall break and fullback Jakob Garside crashed over from a play-the-ball scoot. Pogson missed the conversion, but Rangers now had a two point lead.
The visitors continued to press as Underbank squandered a couple of guilt edged chances, and after receiving back to back penalties, Brow’s impressive centre Derry Eilbeck raced through a huge gap in the Rangers defensive line to score. The conversion was again missed and Underbank led by eight points with 15 minutes remaining.
The visitors were kept from adding to their tally by some desperate scrambling from Rangers as the tension grew, but finally the result was clinched as Allette completed his brace with a typically strong surge from acting half back following a bustling clearing run by him that earned a penalty for holding down.
With Pogson off the field injured, Garside couldn’t convert the difficult kick from the touchline, but the home side then ran down the clock to seal a superb win.
Influential half back Luke Pogson was the winner of the coaches’ Bengal Spice Man of the Match for his massive contribution to the game of 12 points and three try assists.
Owen Restall won the match sponsors’ (Andy Baimbridge of Baimbridge Flooring) Man of the Match, and hard working back row forward Will Broadbent-Allan was awarded Rose & Crown Players’ Player of the Match.