WOOLSTON Rovers will be aiming to clinch promotion when they make the short trip to St Helens to face Clock Face Miners in the National Conference League Division Two Play-Off Final on Saturday afternoon.
Kick-off is 2.30pm at Crawford Street Community Club, Clock Face, St Helens, WA9 4XL.
Rovers, who finished sixth in the league table, claimed an excellent 30-16 win at third-placed Barrow Island whilst fifth-placed Clock Face secured a thrilling last-minute 24-22 victory at Normanton Knights, who had finished fourth to set up a mouth-watering battle this weekend for the final promotion place to see who will join champions Heworth and runners up Crosfields in Division One next season.
Rovers NCL Head Coach Billy Sheen said, “This really is a huge game on Saturday with so much at stake; our goal at the beginning of the year was to get promotion and we are eighty minutes from fulfilling that. We were really inconsistent for the first few months of the season but over the past six weeks we have really gelled as a team and we go into this final on a five-match unbeaten run. I have every confidence in the lads to go out there and get the job done.”
Head of Rugby Mal Holt added, “The lads have really knuckled down and worked their socks off to get us into this position and it all boils down to who can control the game the best. We have plenty of big game players in our side who will be relishing this opportunity to get us promoted and we cannot wait to get out onto the field. We have the utmost respect for Clock who have been really impressive this year but once we get out there we will be making sure that it is our day.
At the weekend Woolston Rovers produced their best display of the season to record a convincing victory at Barrow Island in the National Conference League Division Two Play Off Semi Final at Ratings Lane, Barrow on Saturday afternoon to keep alive their promotion hopes.
The opening quarter was what you would expect from a knock out game as both sides cancelled each other out with some ferocious defence but it was Rovers who broke the deadlock midway through the half with a trademark try from free-scoring hooker Adam Files, his twenty third of the campaign. Full back Theo Holt converted and then added a penalty soon afterwards to open up an eight-point lead.
Three minutes before the break Barrow finally breached the Rovers defence when substitute Alistair McEwen crossed for a try and almost immediately centre Sam Jones went over for another try for the home side. Standoff Adam Jackson added both conversions to give Island an unlikely 12-8 interval advantage.
It would have been easy for Rovers to let their heads drop but they were having none of that and after a good half time chat from Billy Sheen and Mal Holt they came back out fully focussed and five minutes into the second half prop forward Josh Sudlow rounded off a fine move to score. Holt converted to put the Green & Gold men back in front.
The power and aggression from the Rovers pack ensured that the majority of the half was spent deep in Island territory and this paid of handsomely as Holt linked into the line to score a try that he also converted and from the restart they moved straight back downfield and second row Paul Alcock was on hand to crash over.
With a minute remaining Sudlow went over for his second try to make sure of the win. Holt converted before Barrow claimed a consolation try with the last play of the game as winger Aidan Wright scored to make the final score 30-16 to a jubilant Rovers side.
The Man of the Match was awarded to Rovers hooker Adam Files. He was very well supported by prop forwards Ryan Hickman and Josh Sudlow.
After the game Rovers NCL Head Coach Billy Sheen said, “That is the best we have played all year; it is the first time we have put a full eighty-minute performance together and had full control of the game from start to finish. From 1-17 they were all superb although this win will count for nothing if we don’t back it up next Saturday in the final at Clock Face.”
Head of Rugby Mal Holt added, “We are eighty minutes from promotion, its as simple as that. We need to take this game into next week and if we do that then I believe we will get the win. I think it was our best performance of the season; the first half was a typical play off game where we both went toe to toe but in the second half our sheer physical presence, skill and fitness came out and we moved clear to claim a deserved victory.”
ISLAND
Max Anderson-Moore, Aidan Wright, Sam Jones, Nathan Sneesby, Cameron Currie, Adam Jackson, Brandon Corrie, Carl McBain, Blain Marwood, Joe Spencely, Dan Wright, Ryan Clegg, Shane Sanderson.
Subs: Alistair McEwen, Jack Sutherland, Euan James, Brad Dutton.
Tries
McEwan (37), Jones (39), Wright (80).
Goals
Jackson 2
ROVERS
Theo Holt, Tom Byrne, Kieran Moore, Dylan Alcock, Kieran Jones, Ryan Brown, Dec Leonard, Josh Sudlow, Adam Files, Ryan Hickman, Paul Alcock, Cameron Davies, Harry Files.
Subs: Sam Vernon, Matt Taylor, Thodorhs Nianiakas, Sam Roberts.
Tries
A Files (20 mins), Sudlow (45, 79), Holt (67), Alcock (69).
Goals
Holt 5
