THE Saturday evening meeting of Southern Conference League champions HAMMERSMITH HILLS HOISTS and National Conference League Minor Premiers SIDDAL went the way of the Halifax outfit, who will travel to League One outfit Midlands Hurricanes in the second round.
Chiswick RUFC’s 4G pitch ensured that the match was the only Saturday tie to beat the freezing weather and the Hoists were firmly in contention until the closing stages.
Hammersmith’s hopes were hit by the sin-binning on 19 minutes, for a foul tackle, of James Duchatel; within five minutes the visitors opened their account when Henry Turner raced over.
As Duchatel waited to return to the action, Siddal extended their lead to ten points, Oliver Lewis dotting down and Lewis Hosty adding the extras.
The Blue and Whites nosed further ahead when Hosty landed a penalty on the half-hour, only for the Hills Hoists to force their way back into issue four minutes before the break, James Russell touching down shortly after the visitors’ Harry Milnes had been yellow-carded for running in.
And that, despite plenty of effort by the hosts – principally centre Charlie Beatty – was how it stayed until ten minutes from time, when Milnes grabbed the clinching try and Hosty, the Yorkshire outfit’s man of the match, booted his third goal to seal an 18-4 victory.
Saturday’s games between the British Army and the RAF, Crosfields and Maryport, Dewsbury Moor and Haresfinch, Lock Lane and Doncaster Toll Bar, London Chargers and Oulton Raiders, Longhorns and Ince Rose Bridge, Mirfield and the Royal Navy, Rochdale Mayfield and Telford, Stanley Rangers and Hunslet ARLFC, Thatto Heath Crusaders and Orrell St James, Waterhead Warriors and Leigh Miners Rangers, West Bowling and Cutsyke Raiders and West Hull and Edinburgh Eagles were all postponed because of frozen pitches.
