Dudley Hill 28 Saddleworth Rangers 22

A late try from second-row forward Marco Rossi two minutes from the final whistle secured Dudley Hill's second success of the season in the National Conference Division Two clash against Saddleworth Rangers at Parry Lane.

Hill were quickly out of the blocks and should have taken an early lead but wingman Jamie Brentley took the wrong option by cutting inside when his path to the corner flag was wide open.

Centre Alex Dickinson however made no mistake when he raced over shortly afterwards when the ball was spread wide, leaving Neil Wall to add the extras.

Rangers hit back immediately when second-row forward Paul Iberson danced clear to set up the chance for wingman Steve Jagger to race under the uprights and loose forward Dan Atherton levelled the scores with an easy conversion.

Hill's powerful wingman Jason Lee came to the party in great style when he shot through a leaden-footed Saddleworth defence to cross.

He then posted his second when he finished off a splendid raking run from Wall. The commanding centre added a conversion to put Hill into clear water but two dumb penalties for talking back put Rangers back in the hunt for a 16-10 half-time scoreline.

Hill hit the gas straight from the restart when full back Louis Evans charged the length of the field and, with support in numbers, he found hooker Liam Brentley, who sprinted to the uprights for a try straight out of the top drawer.

Wall slotted over the extras and Hill appeared to be coasting home at 22-10.

Saddleworth had other ideas and only a timely interception from veteran prop Richard Bingley kept the home line intact. Then the resourceful Jagger kicked over the defence when he had nowhere to go, taking advantage of a wicked bounce to touch down.

When scrum half Chris Garforth latched on to a delayed pass to burrow his way to the chalk, leaving Atherton to convert again, the scores were 22-22.

Evans narrowly failed to gather a kick for what would have been the killer blow but the visitors shot themselves in the foot when they were caught ball-stealing bang in front and Wall slotted over the penalty.

It was left to the vastly experienced Rossi to settle the home nerves when he spun out of two tackles to plant the ball on the whitewash and put the result beyond any doubt.

  • Full round-up of amateur rugby league action in Wednesday's Telegraph & Argus