Rovers let slip an 18-point lead in defeat to Blackbrook (From Warrington Guardian)

Rovers let slip an 18-point lead in defeat to Blackbrook

12:00pm Monday 18th March 2013 in Sport

Woolston Rovers 22 Blackbrook 36

WOOLSTON Rovers suffered a setback in the National Conference Division Three when letting slip an 18-point lead in their defeat to Blackbrook in an enthralling encounter at Monks Sports Club.

Rovers raced into an 18-point lead after half an hour but a sterling fightback by the St Helens-based side saw them hit back in stunning fashion in the second half to claim a win in a high quality game.

Woolston opened the scoring in the sixth minute when a penalty for a high tackle put them deep into the Blackbrook half and the ball reached second row Ryan Kenyon, who put winger James Rosson over in the left corner.

Scrum half Danny O’Brien converted from the touchline.

Then midway through the half great work by hooker Dan Heaton saw him find centre Sean Conway with a great pass, and his smart inside ball inside send stand-off Billy Maunder over, O’Brien adding the conversion.

Rovers went further ahead on the half hour after a lovely ball from the impressive O’Brien found Ryan Jones, who scored on the left.

O’Brien goaled, but then a minute before the break Blackbrook got themselves on the scoreboard when pressure on the Rovers line was rewarded when full back Thomas Cunningham went over.

Winger Stephen Parkinson converted to make the half time score 18-6 in Rovers favour.

Three minutes into the second half the visitors reduced the deficit further when pressure on Rovers’ line resulted in stand-off Sean Forber sending a lovely ball to centre Greg Hale, who scored between the posts. Parkinson converted.

But then, just before the hour mark, Rovers full back Troy Brophy chipped over the Blackbrook defence on the last tackle and managed to win the race to touchdown in the right corner despite the attention of four defenders.

Ten minutes later Blackbrook responded again when substitute Sean Richardson fooled the Rovers defence by switching play superbly and he found loose forward Kyle Smith running a line to the side of the posts, Parkinson gaoling.

Shortly afterwards a scrum deep in Rovers’ half saw Blackbrook profit as the ball reached centre Mark Leonard, who went over in the left corner to level the scores.

Parkinson converted superbly from the touchline to give his side the lead for the first time.

Buoyed by the comeback, they then made the game safe three minutes from time when Leonard went over in the left corner for his second try, which Parkinson converted, before prop forward Steve Marsh pounced on a Rovers error to score on the stroke of full time and rub salt in Rovers’ wounds.

Parkinson completed a perfect day with the boot to make the final score 36-22 to Blackbrook.

Woolston: Troy Brophy, James Rosson, Sean Conway, Ryan Jones, Christian Taylor, Billy Maunder, Danny O’Brien, Mark Robinson, Dan Heaton, Chris Mellor, Ryan Kenyon, Scott Davidson, Ben Moores. Subs: Graham Healey, Billy Sheen, John Welch, Mike Rosson.