SADDLEWORTH School’s year seven rugby team lost 20-6 to Standish Community School in the quarter finals of the North West Counties Cup.
Having forced a replay with an unlikely 12-12 draw prior to Christmas, the team returned to Wigan without three influential regulars who were unavailable due to injuries and family commitments.
Despite fielding a weakened side, Saddleworth took the initiative in the first half courtesy of an opportunistic score from half-back Harry Orme who then converted his own try to open a 6-0 lead.
Some tireless defending kept the hosts scoreless until the dying moments of the first period when Saddleworth’s try line was finally breached. A successful Standish conversion put the game into deadlock at half time.
In the second period, Standish used the significant downslope of the pitch to great effect to score three unanswered tries and take the game out of Saddleworth’s reach.
Jacob Dibden put in a sterling performance for the guests both in attack and defence and hooker Joe Jackson had his best game yet.
The lads will now be entered into the North West Plate while Standish will travel to local rivals St Peters, Orrell, in the semi-final.
