ORRELL ST JAMES 56 BRIGHOUSE RANGERS 0
PHIL HODGSON Millennium Stadium, Featherstone, Sunday 

ORRELL, runners-up to Thatto Heath Crusaders in last year’s final, expunged the memory with a ten-try victory in the 2025 decider.

The result went according to league status, the Saints having headed the North West Men’s Premier Division in addition to snaring the Top Four and North West Cup trophies. Brighouse, by contrast, closed the campaign in mid-table in the Yorkshire Men’s League First Division.

There was nothing between the sides in the opening quarter, however.

Orrell, playing down the pronounced Post Office Road slope, were unable to turn a couple of promising raids against heavier opponents into points in the first six minutes, Sam Burns and James Causey being unable to pouch passes with clear field ahead, although both incidents were some 40 or 50 metres out.

Rangers, in fact, went closest to scoring in the early stages, despite being on the wrong end of a 3-0 penalty count at that point, but Andrew Esmond was unable to ground the ball after been given a chance by Karl Frankland.

However, once Josh Wilde raced over on 19 minutes, courtesy of a raid involving James Dandy and Causey, the floodgates opened, with Tom Keaveney MBE Man of the Match winner Joe Charnock at the hub of much of Orrell’s best work.

Callum Taylor followed suit five minutes later, finishing off fine approach work by Sam Lewis and the outstanding Jack McHugh, and Orrell took a real grip when Burns sprinted down a touchline on the half-hour to dot down, Charnock missing the conversion in an eight-from-ten return from the tee.

Charnock himself popped up wide out on 34 minutes, this time landing the goal to help establish a 22-0 interval lead, and the procession continued in the second period.

Ryan Ellis crashed over within three minutes of the resumption (off Charnock’s ball) and, after Burns had a 90-metre score ruled out for not tapping a restart on the correct spot, Wilde raced away when Orrell tried again, correctly, with the supporting Ben Tordoff powering in.

Esmond, who defended superbly throughout in testing circumstances, was thwarted wide out by a phalanx of Orrell defenders before Lewis raced through a gap from 20 metres.

Charnock and Liam McLoughlin combined well to give Jack Gallagher the chance to round a defender as the game entered the closing quarter.

Brighouse, who resolutely refused to throw in the towel and who benefited from a 5-1 penalty count in the second period after having been behind 5-2 in that regard in the first half, put some late pressure on Orrell, and Jordan Sild was held up.

But the Wigan outfit duly breached the half-century when Gallagher crossed after a McLoughlin break and Charnock improved.

And, after Wilde was unable to find Causey following a 40-metre break – and after Burns had been hauled down by several Brighouse defenders headed by Esmond – Orrell closed in style when McLoughlin collected Gallagher’s return pass, the whistle sounding after Charnock’s conversion.

GAMESTAR. Orrell stand-off Joe Charnock, who conducted his side with style and scored a try and eight goals for good measure.

GAMEBREAKER: Four unanswered tries in the second quarter helped give the Saints an unassailable 22-0 lead at the break.

MATCHFACTS
SAINTS
1 Jack McHugh
5 Jack Gallagher
3 Liam McLoughlin
4 Callum Taylor
2 Sam Burns
6 Joe Charnock
7 James Causey
8 Tom Whittle
9 James Dandy
10 Jonny Griffiths
11 Chris Doran
12 Josh Wilde
13 Sam Lewis
Subs
14 Harry Mosley
15 Ben Tordoff
17 John Hutchings
16 Ryan Ellis

Tries: Wilde (19), Taylor (24), Burns (30), Charnock (34), Ellis (43), Tordoff (47), Lewis (53), Gallagher (61, 70), McLoughlin (79)
Goals: Charnock 8/10

RANGERS
1 Karl Frankland
2 Liam Jelfs
3 Andrew Esmond
4 William Oldroyd
5 Boguslaw Dziel
6 Lucas Birts
7 Jamie Barraclough
8 Cameron Bailey
9 William Clerehugh
10 Matthew Bailey
11 Joshua Riley
16 Charlie Walker
13 Caine Crotty
Subs
14 Jordan Sild
15 James Banks
18 Ben Wrightson
19 Ben Hirst

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 16-0, 22-0; 28-0, 34-0, 40-0, 44-0, 50-0, 56-0

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Saints: Joe Charnock; Rangers: Andrew Esmond

Half-time: 22-0
Referee: Dave Clark