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NCL Division 3 Play-Off Semi-Final, Match Report - Underbank Rangers 50 Hindley 0

NCL Division 3 Play-Off Semi-Final, Match Report - Underbank Rangers 50 Hindley 0

Neil Farrell23 Sep 2014 - 06:56
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Underbank progress to Play-Off Final

Underbank progressed to the NCL Division 3 Play-Off Final in emphatic style as they swept aside the challenge of Wigan side Hindley with consumate ease in a comfortable 50-0 victory in the Semi-Final. In his after match analysis coach Richard Knight praised the efforts of their hard working opponents, but waxed lyrical over his side’s performance that was arguably their best of the season. Rangers now entertain Warrington side Crosfields in the Final next Saturday afternoon at the Cross Grounds with a 2-00pm kick off, the winner clinching the third promotion place.

Underbank welcomed back prop forward Dan Farrand and backrower Matt Adam from injury, but lacked the services of the injured Michael Lang and Tom Eidson, and the unavailable Lee St Hilaire, Luke Pogson, Corey Noel and Craig Williams.

The game started at a frenetic pace that wasn’t to let up for the whole of the first half as Underbank tore into their visitors from the first shrill of the referee’s whistle. A commanding 22-0 half time lead was built on the back of a powerful pack performance with prop forwards Dave Valentine, Jordan Williams, Farrand and Luke Karolczuk all putting in tremedous shifts at the ‘coal face’ and the Hindley six could not contain a rampant Rangers’ pack. Underbank could have scored after just 90 seconds when Alex Chatterton released winger Courtney Allette, but the pacy flier threw a loose inside pass as he was being tackled and the chance was lost. However, Rangers did not have wait long to open the scoring on just three minutes. Hindley conceded a penalty for interference at the play the ball 40 metres from their own line. Williams carted the ball strongly and from a quick play the ball, half back James Usher handed on to the strong running Adam to plunge over for a great score. Neil Barrett surprisingly pulled his conversion wide, but made amends of 15 minutes after centre Sam Hendrick intercepted a Hindley pass to race 60 metres to score. Barrett then crossed himself after picking up the ball following a smart Stephen Berry scoot from acting half. Hindley’s cause wasn’t helped by the dismissal on 26 minutes of stand off Sutcliffe for abusive language to the referee, and the game was near enough over as a contest just on the stroke of half time when Farrand went on a blockbusting 20 metre surge up the middle, bumping off several defenders for a tremendous score. Usher converted with Barrett in the sin bin and Rangers went to the sheds with a 22-0 half time lead.

Any hopes that Hindley had of getting back into the match at the start of the second period were quickly dashed as Underbank opened up Hindley’s left side defence with some scintillatiing handling to cross twice in the opening ten minutes. Firstly Adam superbly released Chatterton for the centre to touch down with Usher converting, and then Chatterton handed on to Allette with a lovely back flick pass for the winger to go on a mazy run to score. Barrett now returned to the field from the bin converted and Rangers led 34-0. Centre Hendrick then completed his brace swooping onto a perfectly weighted through kick from Barrett. Michael Murphy was next to score when quick hands to the left sent Hendrick on his way and he found the trailing Murphy on his right shoulder, and the the backrower did the rest, and then the final score went to Nelmes as he timed his barnstorming run to perfection to hit a great Andy Boothroyd flat pass. Barrett converted the final two scores as Rangers eased out to a 50-0 final score.

Prop Jordan Williams took the Bengal Spice MOM award for a powerful performance, but he was pushed hard for the award by the highly impressive Michael Murphy, Luke Nelmes, Alex Chatterton and Andy Boothroyd who Hindley just could not handle.

Rangers team: Richard Knight, Courtney Allette, Alex Chatterton, Sam Hendrick, Dan Pawson, Neil Barrett, James Usher, Dave Valentine, Stephen Berry, Jordan Williams, Michael Murphy, Matt Adam, Sam Rochford. Subs: Andy Boothroyd, Luke Nelmes, Luke Karolczuk, Dan Farrand.

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