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Review of Underbank's 2016, NCL Season

Review of Underbank's 2016, NCL Season

Neil Farrell28 Dec 2016 - 12:14
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Squad and staff more than happy with final placing in Division One debut season

January and February – witnessed arguably the greatest Underbank victory ever as we beat the reigning NCL Premier Division champions Leigh Miners Rangers in the Challenge Cup First Round. Daz Turner made a cameo appearance from the bench, his first in Rangers colours. The old guy went well in ten minute spells and he provoked a Leigh player to be sent off, plus he copped a dislocated shoulder to call a halt to his Underbank career. We then travelled to Cumbria in good spirits for the Challenge Cup Round 2 tie at Kells, but after the Lord Mayor’s show at Leigh we came back down to earth with a massive bump as Kells dumped us out of the Cup with a 42-6 drubbing. Nathan Chappell score Rangers only try and we were well in the game at the break, but we never troubled the kells try line in the second period. By heck it was a long bus journey home after that game!!
March – a trip to Elland to open the campaign and a very disappointing 24-22 defeat resulted, their only victory of the season. The less said the better. On our travels again to Wigan the following week to the delightful Ince Rose Bridge where we were given a right spanking by 46-4 in possibly our worst performance of the season. Somehow we completed March with a win on the road at Millom with Michael Murphy and Dennis Tomarchio outstanding in the 24-15 win.
April – a close 22-14 defeat at Myton commenced the month. The scoreline was close, but the performance was not great as two late scores flattered us massively in Blake Hewitt’s final game as he flew home to be with his seriously ill mum. A home match at last against Normanton, but another close defeat as the Knights scored in the dying moments to clinch the points by 18-16 after we had been penalised whilst in possession of the footy. Someone was going to cop for a beating from the boys and we entertained eventual champions Thatto Heath. A great team performance saw Rangers home 22-14. A trip to the league’s early pace setters Oulton Raiders saw Rangers on the up early doors, but after Tomo suffered a season ending injury and we finished the game with no bench, it was a case of damage limitation in the latter stages as we were well second best in the 26-12 defeat. A morale boosting 34-12 beating of Skirlaugh in the Trophy Round 1 showed what the squad were capable of and gave them the required lift as we entered May.
May – Skirlaugh were the visitors again on the first round in May this time in the league, but the result was the same with another Rangers victory 38-24, Will England bagging three scores. A weakened Rangers’ selection then travelled to East Leeds and won comfortably 34-24 against a side who wanted to scrap rather than play the game. Kris Harrop scored a sparkling hat trick of tries from full back. I’m glad that they got relegated, but hang on we get Hunslet Club Pakside in exchange!! Rangers were in on a great run of form and beat up Hunslet Warriors 46-34 at The Cross Grounds to complete an impressive month.
June – Nick Briggs was back in Blighty for a short stay (one game) and easily took the man of the match honours with two scores as we beat Milford 26-10, but the Marlins gained ample revenge the following weekend with a last gasp 15-14 win in the Trophy Round 2. Rangers led 12-0 at half time, but ran out of juice in the second half. The usual result (loss by 32-16) at the highly intimidating Featherstone rounded off the month.
July – gained massive revenge for the early season debacle at Ince by smashing them 56-20 playing some great handling footy. Hosted the rapidly improving Myton in the next round and they taught us a lesson in how to play our ground and how to defend their own quarter as they gave us a bit of a lesson by 29-6. The score was harsh on Rangers, but was a precursor for the Warriors finishing runners-up in the division. Aisea ‘Ace’ Taholo played like a man possessed in his final outing for the club before venturing on a European road trip before going home with his injured mate Tomo. We needed comp points and lots of game points to pull away from the relegation dogfight and we achieved that in shed loads in the second half of July as we put to the sword strugglers Elland, Millom and East Leeds to get the valuable six comp points running in 198 points in the three games whilst only conceding 10. Courtney Allette grabbed a five-timer against Elland, ten different players crossed the stripe versus Millom, and centres Adam Ryder and Alex Chatterton both ran riot with hat tricks of tries against the hapless East Leeds.
August – hopes of challenging for the top two automatic promotion spots went West with a comprehensive 34-14 defeat to the impressive Thatto outfit. We were in the game at 60 minutes, but a far more composed Heath confirmed the win with three late scores. However, Rangers bounced back the following week with Jordan Higo grabbing two tries in only his second outing in the 20-12 win at Milford, but the wheels well and truly came off the week after in an unexpected 26-12 defeat at local rivals Shaw Cross Sharks with Courtney Allette receiving his marching orders for running in and trying to punch someone.
September – our play-off hopes were rekindled with a ‘ground out’ 24-6 victory over the Sharks in monsoon-like conditions with Higo again scoring twice, but he missed the 50-6 battering of Hunslet Warriors as Sam Ansell crossing three times on debut, all from at least 40 metres. Knighty, while having a reasonable game, was highly embarrassed to receive the home side’s man of the match accolade in the face of Ansell’s individual performance. Rangers were now in a great place to make a concerted bid for the play-offs, but faced a tough three week spell against teams incumbent in those play-off berths. Skirlaugh took their chances with the imperious Carl Puckering in great form whilst Rangers squandered plenty especially in the first half on the road to a 31-6 defeat. Stevo scored for Underbank thus avoiding the end of season, naked run once again although it has been reported that Lewis Peet and Jonlee Sanderson are still to complete theirs. Rangers’ play-off hopes were fading quickly and a 50-28 reverse to Featherstone Lions confirmed that Underbank would have to win at Normanton in the next game to stand a real chance of making the six. Paul ‘Spuggy’ Horsfall scored three tries in defeat the furthest from three yards out. The wily old forward had bizarrely only scored twice previously for Rangers in 48 appearances.
October – a Normanton try two minutes from time condemned Underbank to their loss on the trot, but Rangers only had themselves to blame as they led three times. Both sides scored five tries apiece, but with goal kicker Luke Pogson missing, suffering from ‘Normanton shoulder ‘, Rangers could only convert one of six attempts in the game. Defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, but nothing like that for Hull KR fans later that day. Eh Stevo?!? The defeat meant that Rangers had to win on the last day and hope that Normanton would slip up at the desperate, relegation threatened Shaw Cross. Underbank fulfilled their part of the conundrum with a 46-10 pummelling of Oulton Raiders, but the Knights managed a draw at the Sharks with the home side missing a last minute conversion that would have resulted in Underbank and not Normanton clinching the final play-off berth.
Highs for the season – Chattz playing all 30 games; Poggy kicking 104 goals to set a new club record; Beefy playing for England Lions in Fiji; Val playing for Yorkshire in the County Championship; Bravz signing pro for Batley and playing for Jamaica; Chappo signing pro at Sheffield; record sponsorship for the team; consolidating in Division One after successive promotion seasons from Divisions Two and Three; being one of only 3 sides to beat the champions Thatto Heath; the best win in the club’s history with the Challenge Cup first round win at Leigh Miners Rangers, who are arguably the best team in the country at this level.
Lows for the season – Royder missing the Fiji trip through injury; Krissy missing Yorkshire selection through politics; Courts receiving a five match ban (the highest in the past 15 seasons for the club); overseas players Blake, Ace and Tomo unfortunately all having to return home early; massive injury problems throughout the season; losing to Elland on the opening day of the season in March; only one win in the first five games as we had to play on the road due to storm damage at the club.
Further reading