Cumbria will host Yorkshire in a double-header at Open Age and Under 19s levels when the BARLA Inter-County Tri-Series resumes on Sunday 15 November.
BARLA Three-County bosses have yet to determine the venue, with Egremont Rangers and Wath Brow Hornets being suggested as possibilities in the immediate aftermath of the competition openers between Yorkshire and Lancashire last Sunday.
Lancashire will entertain Cumbria on the last day of the championships, on Sunday 22 November; the host club, again, has yet to be announced.
Ian Greenwood reports on last Sunday’s games…
BARLA OPEN AGE INTER-COUNTY TRI-SERIES
YORKSHIRE 16
LANCASHIRE 28
IAN GREENWOOD
Stanningley, Sunday
LANCASHIRE had much the better of the second half to get off to a winning start on the first day of the 2015 BARLA County Championship.
The Red Rose side were, however, under the cosh at the interval, Yorkshire having bounced back from 12-0 down on seven minutes to lead 16-12.
But the visitors were not to be denied, going back in front five minutes after the resumption when captain and loose forward Mick Ledger, of Thatto Heath Crusaders, crashed over, Blackbrook winger Ste Parkinson improving.
Lancashire eased further ahead some nine minutes later when Ledger’s club team mate, centre Sean Leicester, swept in and Parkinson again converted. And it fell to Parkinson to seal victory with a clinching try five minutes from time.
The Blackbrook winger was a key figure, having claimed touchdowns on four and seven minutes, adding the extras on both occasions on his way to a 20-point contribution.
Yorkshire, meanwhile, had battled back with tries by Lock Lane fullback Mikey Hayward, Hull Dockers centre Ross Kemp and, on the stroke of half-time, substitute Luke Thompson of Skirlaugh, Kemp improving the last two scores.
YORKSHIRE: Mike Hayward (Lock Lane), Tom Moorby (Drighlington), Tom Norris (Dewsbury Celtic), Ross Kemp (Hull Dockers), James Cryer (Lock Lane), Jordan Foster (Dewsbury Moor), Danny Rowse (Lock Lane), John Elkington (Milford Marlins), John Gay (Skirlaugh), Allan Dunham (Myton Warriors), Jordan Siddons (Lock Lane), Luke Tagg (Lock Lane), Chris Cullimore (Elland). Subs: Jensen Okhovat (Drighlington), Craig Savage (Oulton Raiders), Lee Mulhern (Drighlington), Luke Thompson (Skirlaugh).
LANCASHIRE: Deon Cross (Blackbrook), Ste Parkinson (Blackbrook), Sam Grainey (Leigh East), Sean Leicester (Thatto Heath Crusaders), Niall Allen (Thatto Heath Crusaders), Greg Smith (Pilkington Recs), Jimmy Muir (Leigh Miners Rangers), Jack Sharratt (Woolston Rovers), Danny Fairhurst (Blackbrook), Dean Balmer (Leigh East), Scott Davidson (Blackbrook), Adam Prendergast (Widnes St Marie’s), Mick Ledger (Thatto Heath Crusaders). Subs: Greg Hale (Blackbrook), Ryan Ashall (Wigan St Patrick’s), Ryan Brown (Woolston Rovers), Aidy Gleeson (Rochdale Mayfield).
Referee: Kevin Moore
BARLA UNDER 19S INTER-COUNTY TRI-SERIES
YORKSHIRE 20
LANCASHIRE 14
IAN GREENWOOD
Stanningley, Sunday
A try two minutes from time by Featherstone Lions centre Jack Townend helped seal victory for the Tykes, who had been given a pre-match pep talk by former Leeds and Great Britain star and Bradford Bulls coach Francis Cummins, in a hard-fought affair.
Townend’s touchdown was needed by the hosts, Lancashire having posted a touchdown a couple of minutes earlier by Leigh East substitute Callum Houghton which, with Wigan St Jude’s scrum-half Rob Collier’s third goal, had pegged Yorkshire back to a couple of points.
The Tykes had, in an eventful closing quarter which opened with the sin-binnings of home loose forward Kean Hiscock (Lock Lane) and Wigan St Patrick’s second row Jack Sharrett, forged an eight-point lead with a penalty by Skirlaugh stand-off Kieron Jones and a touchdown by Myton Warriors winger Nathan Hill, who had opened the scoring with a try on four minutes.
Lancashire went in at the break 8-4 ahead, Rochdale Mayfield substitute Declan Sheridan crossing a minute from time, Collier adding the conversion and a subsequent penalty. But a try on 53 minutes by West Hull second row Calvin Parker which Jones improved gave Yorkshire a lead which they were destined not to relinquish.
YORKSHIRE U19S: Sam Ottewell (Shaw Cross Sharks), Nathan Hill (Myton Warriors), Jack Townend (Featherstone Lions), Brandon French (Shaw Cross Sharks), Jack Smith (Oulton Raiders), Kieron Jones (Skirlaugh), Ben Arbon (West Hull), Cain Crotty (Dewsbury Moor), Harvey Gotts (captain, Skirlaugh), Ethan Hallas (Drighlington), Callum Wilkins (Dewsbury Celtic), Calvin Parker (West Hull), Kean Hiscock (Lock Lane). Subs: McCauley Parker (West Hull), John Bownass (Dewsbury Moor), Connor Jordan (Kippax), Kingsley Overton (Cottingham Tigers).
LANCASHIRE U19S: Connor Parkinson (Wigan St Jude’s), Ryan Gray (Leigh East), Joey Brady (Wigan St Jude’s), Jordan Darwin (Blackbrook Royals), Alex Riley-Prince (Leigh Miners Rangers), Josh Oakes (Portico Vine), Rob Collier (Wigan St Jude’s), Ramon Morley-Samuels (Wigan St Jude’s), Callum Fletcher (Oldham St Anne’s), Danny Lynch (Blackbrook Royals), Jordan Blakeley (Ince Rose Bridge), Jack Sharrett (Wigan St Patrick’s), Gavin Rodden (Wigan St Jude’s). Subs: John Whittaker (Crosfields), Declan Sheridan (Rochdale Mayfield), Tom Brown (Crosfields), Callum Houghton (Leigh East).
Referee: Andy Barnaby
