Keegan inspires a Borough blitz
AHAT-TRICK from Gary Keegan and a brace each from Andy Roberts and Alex West saw Littleborough hammer a Wigan Springview side 48-16 at Rakewood.
In the penultimate match of the season that crowned Littleborough Merit league champions for the second season running. Saturday’s contest had all the notions of a close affair as both sides swapped tries in the early exchanges.
Wigan scored a breakaway against the run of play after the man of the match Gary Keegan had put Littleborough ahead with a trademark bruising run from 15 yards out and while Wigan restored the advantage with a closerange effort on the right hand side. The second row would go on to get his second and third with yet another two direct bull dozing runs from the handy work of Adam Browne that left Wigan players grasping at thin air.
Such was the effect of the try, Littleborough would go on to blitz through a Wigan side struggling to keep up with the intensity, ferocity and intelligence of the big Boro attack. The former of those attributes would come to pass in one of the tries of the afternoon. Quick phases gave Alex West the time and opportunity to chip over the defence and collect the ball over the line.
Captain Murphy Holt made it a first half to remember with another powerful short range drive five metres out to take the lead to an insurmountable margin.
Strong words in the half time huddle for the home side against complacency had the desired effect as Littleborough went on to score another three quality tries.
Half-time substitute Andrew Roberts got his name on the scoresheet with two pieces of ruthless running and footwork. His first coming from great hands in the midfield for a straight burst to the line.
The winger’s second, a mesmerising run from his own half as Littleborough punished a tiring Wigan defence.
Adam West matched Roberts’ match tally with a ridiculous individual score. Seeing the smallest of gaps, the half back dinked a chip past the onrushing defender before kicking the ball past another two to glide in for his second.
With ten minutes remaining Wigan reduced the deficit with a short burst next to the right hand post, but it would not last as the home side finished with a bang. Great work again from the half back pairing of Browne and West gave James Muir plenty of space on the right hand side to dive in for his second in successive games.