Cleckheaton 10 Lymm 17

LYMM captain Adam Bray has praised his side’s efficiency after they started a new term in National League Three North by beating Cleckheaton.

Two tries from Richard McEvoy, plus one from Chris Owens, ensured Adam Fletcher’s side kicked off the campaign on a positive note despite terrible conditions in West Yorkshire.

“Not exactly the weather you expect for the first match of the season is it?” Bray joked after the game.

“This is a difficult place to come and win, so these are four good points for us.

“I was really pleased with our defensive effort, and also the clinical way we took the limited number of chances we created.”

The hosts started the game on the front foot and Lymm defence’s was put under severe pressure, but they passed the early test to hold Cleckheaton at bay.

They resisted, hitting their opponents with two tries in quick succession before the break.

First, confident ball-retention stretched the Cleckheaton defence.

Alistair Wealthall shifted the ball to Owens, who beat two covering defenders before touching down.

Almost straight from the kick off, Tom Bray’s kick forward was pounced upon by McEvoy.

He handed off a defender to race in from 50 metres, giving his side a 10-0 half-time lead.

Lymm continued to press after the break, and Wealthall again provided the final pass for McEvoy to cross for his second score.

He added a conversion too.

The hosts did get themselves on the board through a penalty-try before a three-pointer brought them to within a converted score of a draw.

However Lymm held on.

They host Rossendale this Saturday, kick off 3pm.

Lymm: Dan Horton, Ross White, Mike Auden, Joe McGrail, Joe Watson, Sam Mullarkey, Adam Bray, Ollie Higginson; George Boaden, Tom Bray; Richard McEvoy, Alistair Wealthall, James Kimber, Chris Owens, Joe Denman. Subs: Jordan Widdrington, Jake Ashall, Joe Knowles.