Colts into final after tense struggle

HEATON Moor Junior Colts reached the final of the County Cup when they sneaked past the stern challenge of Liverpool Collegiate.

In a tense and tight game, it was remarkably a much-improved discipline that saw them eke out a one-point victory, gaining a measure of revenge for their narrow defeat to the same opposition on the opening day of the season.

Jonno Glanfield inspired his team with a seismic performance, winning crucial ball all afternoon, perfectly capped off with two tries.

Though it was the Liverpool side who started brightest, running in two early tries under the posts with some of Moor’s tackling not quite to their usual standard. Glanfield scored his first in between but it was a healthy 14-5 lead for the visitors after twenty minutes played.

Nick Tenney slotted a penalty to reduce the lead to six but Collegiate grabbed another try after some serious pressure, the lead now a convincing eleven points.

On the stroke of half time, after some great work by Asa Bottomley and Dylan Starkie, Joe Kilbride touched down and Tenney converted to reduce the arrears to 15-19.

That score turned out to be pivotal as Heaton Moor came out second half, winning all their personal battles and Glanfield got what turned out to be the winning score with ten minutes gone.

The remainder of the game was a fantastic defensive effort by both sides, no quarter asked or given and perhaps the telling factor was the disciplinary attitude shown by the young Moor lads in the face of deserved recent criticism.

Their efforts now being rewarded with a Cup Final against Blackburn in 2018.

They can now put this to the one side and concentrate on the Conference League season which gets underway with an away fixture at Altrincham Kersal next Sunday.