Leigh Miners Rangers 20 York Acorn 6

LEIGH Miners Rangers continued apace at the top of the National Conference League table after a hard-fought win against York Acorn in tough conditions on Saturday.

With wet and slippy conditions causing the game to be riddled with handling errors, Miners spent a lot of time on the back foot but their finishing was clinical and tries from Connor Partington, Mitchell Cox and Scott O’Brien put them in control at the break.

Tim Stubbs pulled one back for Acorn in the second half, but Ian Mort sealed the win late on as Miners continued their 100 percent start to the season.

The soggy conditions meant any attempts to play expansive rugby resulted in slips and handling errors, but the visitors’ more patient approach meant they could put some pressure on the Miners defence.

It was an even opening to the game but Miners made the breakthrough when Andrew Grove linked into the line and sent Partington crashing over in the corner.

The visitors continued to press but Miners always looked the more dangerous when they came forward, with the guile of O’Brien and the powerhourse pairing of Partington and Brad Hargreaves out wide looking dangerous.

It was Hargreaves who was instrumental in the second Miners try, breaking the line and sending the ball out to Cox who dived over for a try converted by Mort.

The home side duly scored again on the stroke of half-time when O’Brien picked up a loose ball inside his own 20-metre zone before sprinting away to cross between the sticks.

Errors began to riddle Miners in the second half and they allowed Acorn back into the game when Stubbs drove his way over next to the sticks, with Anthony Chilton’s conversion giving the visitors hope.

That was as good as it got for the visitors though as the Miners defence continued to repel everything that was thrown at them.

The exclamation point was added close to the end when the impressive Cox slipped a brilliant offload to Mort, who sprinted upfield and finished in the corner.