WOOLSTON Rovers “never really got going” in their opening cross-conference play-off fixture as they fell to defeat to Myton Warriors.
Having finished bottom of the National Conference’s North West division, Rovers are now competing for the NCRL Shield in the next phase of the season and have been placed in Group F along with Hull-based Myton and Doncaster side Bentley.
And their first post-season fixture saw them fall 20-4 down at half time, with centre Matt Lightfoot scoring their only first-half try.
Ben Harrison and Alex Pendlebury added second-half tries for Rovers, but they never threatened to reel in the hosts as Myton closed out a 34-14 victory, with their centre Tyler Fisher scoring a hat-trick of tries.
“We never really got going and that allowed Myton to build up an early lead that we failed to recover from,” Woolston assistant coach Gareth Simpson said.
“I thought we played some good rugby in short bursts but we needed to have had more prolonged periods where we were on top.
“We needed to control the ball better and be more aggressive in defence.
“The lads kept going up to the final whistle, but Myton fully deserved the win.”
Woolston’s next game sees them host Bentley on September 19.
Crosfields are also in the Shield phase and are in a two-team Group A with Cumbrian side Ellenborough, to whom they will travel on Saturday before playing host at Hood Lane on September 19.
Meanwhile, Latchford Albion Giants slipped to their first home defeat of the season in North West Men’s League Division Two on Saturday.
But despite a 26-19 defeat to league leaders Thatto Heath Crusaders A, they remain in a strong position to secure a home play-off tie – they will secure it by beating Blackpool Scorpions at Victoria Park on Saturday.
Latchford led 11-4 at the break thanks to an early Josh Barnard try that was converted by Dave Manfredi, who then added two penalties and a drop-goal to give them a two-score lead.
However, Thatto Heath then hit a purple patch and scored three quickfire tries after the break and while Liam Walker’s try and two further Manfredi goals would reduce the deficit to a single point, a further try for the visitors sealed their victory.
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