Rugby clubs battle against relegation

CHRIS HOUGH has admitted Waterhead are in a battle against relegation from division two of National Conference League.

The coach has seen his side slip into the bottom three after a run of one draw and five defeats from their last six league games.

Hough, whose side last won in the league in late May, remains positive saying: “We have played the majority of the teams at the top.

“Our destiny remains in our own hands because, if we win the games we ought to do, we should stay up. We have to stick together and get through the battle. I am still positive and hopefully that will rub off on the players.”

Hough has again been forced out of retirement due to a shortage of players, prop forward Dave Orwell being the latest casualty.

The former Huddersfield Giants’ player dislocated his shoulder after being the victim of a spear tackle in the 34-34 draw against Bradford Dudley Hill.

Orwell is likely to need surgery and Hough says his season is over which is a further blow to their survival hopes.

Hough was left to reflect on what might have been against Dudley Hill as they were 34-30 ahead only to concede a last-gasp try.

It was a heroic effort from Waterhead to get something out of the game after they were reduced to 12 men early in the game when Kristian Constantinou was sent off for alleged kicking.

Meanwhile, Saddleworth Rangers have what it takes to beat the drop insists coach
Shane Tupaea as his team sits in the Division One relegation zone aftermixed results in July.

Rangers secured a 30-18 victory over Eccles and a convincing 38-0 win over Millom but suffered a 34-6 defeat at Eccles and lost 52-16 to OultonRaiders.

But Rangers will hope points can be picked up in August as they have back-to-back home games against table-toppers Rochdale Mayfield and Ince Rose Bridge, before a trip to Shaw Cross Sharks at the end of the month.

And first-team coach Tupaea believes these matches will lead to Rangers still being in Division One next season.

He said: ”Everyone is back in the next few weeks, the first time since early in the season.
“We have had people playing who hadn’t played first-team before, because of holidays and weddings, so we had a lack of momentum in recent games.

”This won’t be the case when people start returning, and you will see some very good performances in the coming games. I am absolutely sure we will avoid relegation.”