Kells 30 Leigh Miners Rangers 26

MINERS Rangers produced one of the most spirited performances of the season but fell agonisingly short from what would have been a fully merited success in Cumbria against Kells.

In a see-saw contest the visitors opened up an early lead but then had to withstand the Kells comeback before themselves dominating the closing stages only to see three try-scoring chances come to nothing as victory eluded them.

In the short-term even a win would have been unlikely to stave off relegation but in the long-term the experience and confidence to be drawn from playing so positively at one of the league’s toughest venues can stand the young squad in good stead.

Miners opened with the wind and slope in their favour and were soon making inroads as Darryl Kay ploughed over the line from Jack Reynolds’ flat pass to open the scoring just two minutes in.

Five minutes later and the visitors were in again as Lewis Grimes started and finished the move, first making good yards and offloading inside his own half to Tom Maloney and then when Maloney kicked down field to the corner the young winger had kept up the chase to judge the bounce and touchdown behind the line.

With barely 10 minutes gone and a bright start became positively radiant when Miners pressed the Kells line and Mitch Cox and Maloney combined to put Grimes in for his second on the overlap out wide, Maloney goaling all three for 18-0.

Hanging on to leads has proven problematic for Miners in recent weeks though and Kells were back in the game when Craig Benson twice came calling down the right flank.

On the first occasion he was halted by a superb Cumbrian throw from Tony Doyle but from the play-the-ball Kells went blindside again and Benson this time wasn’t to be denied.

Miners rallied again and from a penalty they worked the ball left for Brad Hargreaves to power through to score, but again Kells responded as Tyrone Dalton kicked behind the line and Ross Gainford was in to score under the posts.

Miners had the final word of the half as Maloney booted a penalty for an off-the-ball tackle but an eight point advantage appeared a slender one as Kells would have the elements in their favour after the turnaround.

The opening instalments proved that point as Kells had edged ahead within eight minutes of the restart.

First Jonny Scott powered over for a try and then when Miners lost the ball inside their 20 Dalton was quickest to swoop and then cut across field to score at the corner.

At this stage it seemed possible Miners could be sunk without trace under a Kells deluge but the visitors held firm and as tension began to stalk the home side Miners finished strongly.

Cox looked likely to score when he pounced on a Kells error deep inside his own half but a great chase by the full back Reece Smith hauled him down just short and Miners couldn’t make the resultant attacking set count.

Then Will Ashworth was almost in after Maloney spotted men out wide and chipped to the corner but another fine tackle by the Kells custodian felled the Miners man as he gathered the ball.

With the very last play of the game Miners had one more chance as they broke from inside their own half and Ashworth was away down the right wing but his scoring pass back inside to Maloney went forward and Kells were reprieved.

After a two week break Miners will host Egremont on September 2.

The Alliance team lost narrowly to league leaders Folly Lane, while the under 18s, reduced to 13 men owing to holiday commitments and with several doubling up from senior team duty on Saturday, returned from Oldham St Annes with a 38-14 win with tries from Matt Gallagher (two), Todd Fenlon (two), Will Ashworth (two), Owen Johnson and five goals for Joe Boardman.