Kirkby's revenge (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Kirkby's revenge

9:00am Friday 21st December 2007 in Sport By Dennis Aris

DESPITE their narrow loss at Oldham, Kirkby felt the situation could be reversed and, with the return of D.

Barton and R. Holmes, the team set off in determined fashion.

Kirkby applied the early pressure in this North Lancs Division One match and worked the blindside several times. This paid off when lock Hughes received a perfect pass and raced over behind the posts to score. Hadwin converted.

Kirkby attacked again, but a Oldham's Shearing intercepted a kick through and made good ground. He appeared to have only Hadwin in his path, but flanker Robinson raced back and smother-tackled him.

Oldham, with several Rugby League players in their backs, then put good passing moves together and full-back Wilkinson came into the line to score by the posts. Brogan added the extras and the match was all square at 7-7.

Kirkby came back with a second try when Barton's kick took play into the corner and they gained a penalty, which they elected to scrum.

Kirkby Lonsdale........41

Oldham.......19

Winning good ball, Storey released Barton to slip through the defence and score near the posts. Hadwin had taken a knock so Mallaband took the kick and put Kirkby into a 14-7 lead.

Despite treatment Hadwin had to leave the field, so Mallaband moved to full-back and Grant Clark went on to the wing.

Oldham flanker Farnham had been warned by the referee for killing the ball, but continued to do so and was yellow-carded.

Despite being out-weighed in the pack, the Kirkby forwards were enjoying themselves, with hooker Benson accurately throwing to captain Dowker and the front row giving their opposite numbers a hard time.

When another scrum was won, Barton again accelerated past the defence to score midway out, with Mallaband's kick just wide.

Despite Kirkby having the edge in lineouts and scrums, the opposition's bulk told in the maul and they kept play on the Kirkby 22 for a spell before mauling the ball over by the posts. Brogan converted to bring his side back into the match at 19-14 just before half-time.

Two penalties early in the second half took play into the Oldham 22, but Kirkby seemed to have lost the advantage when a throw was deemed not straight. They kept play on the Oldham line, however, and when a ball popped out of a maul ever-alert Storey leapt on it and, despite having most of the Oldham eight jump on him, he scored an unexpected try.

The conversion failed but it was now beginning to look as if the match was going Kirkby's way.

With Dowker winning all the Kirkby lineout ball, good possession led to Konczynski breaking through and passing to Groves, who scored by the posts. Mallaband converted for 31-14.

Earlier Kirkby had seemed reluctant to throw the ball wide, but with confidence growing they then moved the ball across the field and prop Holmes took the final pass on the wing to race down the touchline and score.

From the touchline the conversion attempt was short.

Despite their classy backs, Oldham continually turned the ball inside withoiut success, but at last they swung the ball along the back line to right winger Eddleston, who scored a fine try in the corner. The conversion failed and the match was now into its last minutes.

The cold was numbing, but Kirkby had one last effort with Grant Clark running the ball back at the opposition and Pickthall weaving his way towards the right hand corner flag.

When he was halted, the ball was moved quickly across to the left, where the lurking Ryan Holmes flew down the wing and scored in the corner.

Mallaband's kick hit the post at the junction with the crossbar but bounced out, but on this evidence Kirkby appear to have regained their early-season form.