THATTO Heath Crusaders will entertain Wath Brow Hornets on Saturday (21 October) in the Kingstone Press Cider National Conference League’s second Qualifying Semi-Final.
Wath Brow are 80 minutes away from an appearance in the Grand Final on Saturday 28 October, for which Minor Premiers Siddal have already qualified, following a 24-18 victory over Rochdale Mayfield last night in the Elimination Semi-Final.
The game, which had been postponed on Saturday because Hornets’ pitch was deemed by match officials to be waterlogged, was dominated in the early stages by Mayfield, who led 8-0 on 17 minutes through a try by fullback Jack Sampson, with stand-off Zac Baker adding the conversion and a subsequent penalty.
The hosts, though, went in at the break 14-8 ahead, having hit back with touchdowns for fullback Cole Walker-Taylor and stand-off Karl Dixon, the former improving both scores and landing a penalty.
Rochdale, with loose forward Paul Brearley outstanding, reduced the deficit to a couple of points when second row Luke Fowden crashed in three minutes after the resumption but three successive penalties by Walker-Taylor helped Hornets to a 20-12 lead by the hour.
Mayfield, whose cause wasn’t helped by the sin-binning of Fowden, pegged Wath Brow back to a couple of points when winger Matty Ashton nipped over on 66 minutes and Baker improved. But the Cumbrians, for whom centre Jamie Devine impressed, sealed victory with a try for winger Gregory Howland nine minutes from time.
