INCE ROSE BRIDGE produced a huge upset in beating Rochdale Mayfield 18-12 to earn a home tie with Swinton Lions this week.

Mayfield, who will operate in the inaugural National Premier League this summer after having been mainstays of the National Conference League’s top flight for many years, went into the game as firm favourites against a side that had also earned Premier League status via last autumn’s Division One promotion play-offs. 

However Ince, following a number of player retirements, had been given the nod by the RFL to drop into the fledgling North West Conference.

On this performance, the Bridge will be a real power in the lower tier. 

In an attritional contest, the Wigan side went in front on 15 minutes through Mason Fillingham, Kieron Eccleston adding the extras. 

That was how it stayed until four minutes into the second period, when Eccleston landed a penalty to help forge an eight-point lead. 

Jack Heaton crossed as the hour beckoned to give the visitors a twelve-point cushion, which appeared to be needed when Reece Hamlett opened Mayfield’s account on 70 minutes and Cole Connolly improved.

Ince, however, quickly hit back through man of the match Casey Shaw – Eccleston appending his third goal – and Connolly’s last-minute try and conversion was simply too little, too late for the hosts. 

A close contest was always in prospect between STANNINGLEY and DEWSBURY MOOR MAROONS.

Stanningley had, after all, only missed out on promotion to the National Conference League’s top flight through an 18-14 defeat at the hands of Ince Rose Bridge in last October’s Division One Promotion Final, while the Moor had been relegated from the Premier Division. 

The old rivals will therefore lock horns in this year’s inaugural National Division One. 

However, it looked, at the interval, as though the Moor would be hosting Championship side Hunslet in round two. 

Will Clarkson had crossed for the visitors on 28 minutes, George Woodcock converting; and, after the hosts’ Sam Peel had been sin-binned for dissent, Taireeq Garrick dotted down for Dewsbury to establish a 10-0 interval lead.

Stanningley, however, were 20-10 in front by the hour, thanks to tries by Dylan MacAndrew, Jeremy Wiscombe, Jack Vincent and Jack Sykes, two of which Zac Clayton improved.

Former Leeds and York star Levi Edwards replied for the Maroons on 62 minutes, Woodcock’s goal pegging Stanningley back to four points, only for McAndrew to claim his second try by way of response.

Dewsbury were given a lifeline when former Hunslet player Fraser Stroud was sin-binned on 75 minutes for a dangerous lift and, a minute later, were only 24-22 behind when Woodcock converted his own score. 

But Stanningley held out despite being reduced to eleven men when Alfie Peach copped a yellow card for high contact with two minutes remaining.

WIGAN ST JUDES edged LEIGH MINERS RANGERS 17-12 in a derby clash between sides due to operate in the National Premier League and National Division One respectively, Judes having lifted the NCL’s Division One championship last year while the Miners finished bottom of the Premier Division.

Also at stake was the coveted Gary McMahon Memorial Trophy, in memory of the former coach at both clubs who died in September 2022.

Judes will now entertain Barrow Raiders in round two; Danny Fallon opened the scoring for Judes on 20 minutes, Adam Holt goaling, although the Miners’ Tom Burnett responded seven minutes later to reduce the arrears by the break to 6-4.

Judes’ Josh Hill and Leigh’s Andy Philbin traded tries on the restart, Dec Parkinson and Lucas Tyler adding the respective extras, before Brogan Turner nipped over for the hosts.

A superb cover-tackle on Noah Lancelot by Judes’ Reece McNally kept the Miners at bay before a field-goal by Dec Parkinson earned Wigan a seven-point cushion with ten minutes left.

Leigh, despite sustained pressure, were limited to a Tyrer penalty in response.

BRIGHOUSE RANGERS, who are likely to feature in the Yorkshire Men’s League this year, hosted LOCK LANE – who remain in the grassroots game’s top flight through Ince Rose Bridge’s decision not to play in the National Premier – and went in front in the fifth minute through Andrew Esmond’s try.

Karl Frankland’s conversion, however, proved to be Rangers’ last acquaintance with the scoreboard.

The Castleford outfit, who afterwards paid fulsome tribute to Brighouse’s hospitality, eased to a 14-6 interval lead through a Lewis Price brace, a Kyle Cranswick effort and a Connor Jordan conversion. 

And, in a one-sided second period, Jordan, Morgan Jones, Rob Jowett, Cranswick again and, for his hat-trick, Price raced over, with Nathan Fozzard improving four scores in a 42-6 success. 

TELFORD RAIDERS of the Midlands League pushed Southern Conference League outfit LONDON CHARGERS hard before losing 38-18.

The Raiders were, in fact, 6-4 ahead midway through the first half, having replied to Joseph Briggs’ try with Dan Robinson’s conversion of Harry Stokes’ touchdown.

The Chargers, though, went in at the break 14-6 ahead through a Josh Catlett brace, and were 14 points clear a couple of minutes into the second period when Douglas Churnside popped over and Jack Gordon landed his second goal.

Telford hit back with Robinson’s conversions of touchdowns for Harry Housley and Andrew Holloway-Prosser. 

But between-times Jordan Allen and Shay Flanagan powered over for London, who sealed a trip to Halifax Panthers with a Gordon try, the same player adding his fifth goal.

KING CROSS PARK, who have been denied probable inclusion in the National Conference League through the launch of the National Community Rugby League initiative, had a point to prove against reigning NCL champions WEST HULL. 

The Park arguably did that with a quick-fire brace around the hour mark for James Speechley, Callum Dunne adding both goals. 

Unfortunately for the Halifax outfit, though, Wests were already 30 points clear, and duly wrapped up a mouthwatering trip to Dewsbury Rams with the last two of Jack Sanderson’s three tries, Eli Wilkinson completing a seven-goal contribution. 

Sam Rokonalewa, Benn Arbon, Elliott Jones and Wilkinson had crossed earlier for the visitors.

MIRFIELD SPARTANS, who are scheduled to feature in the National Conference Yorkshire A, were too strong for WOODHOUSE WARRIORS, who appear to be destined for the Yorkshire Men’s Entry League.

The Spartans, who were 18-4 ahead at the interval, closed as 38-4 winners to book a home second-round clash with Goole Vikings.

Lewis Toner and Jamie McCarthy bagged a brace apiece and there were touchdowns for Dylan Waterworth (who kicked a couple of goals), James Pickering, Kian Morgan and Spencer Peel. 

Brad Jones improved one score while Woodhouse were limited to a Lathaniel Fowler try.

The RAF were, for logistical reasons, unable to raise a team for the tie at Heworth, which had been postponed seven days earlier through an unfit pitch.