Moorends-Thorne Marauders well and truly put the cat in amongst the pigeons on their travels to Bradford based & Pennine first division leaders Bank Top Harriers.
Bank Top had been sporting a played 13 won 12, lost 1 league record for the season before the Marauders turned up to their Queensbury home but by the time the clock had struck 4.30pm the Marauders had inflicted the league leaders second defeat of the season to open up the Pennine First Division title race with a hard fought victory.
The Marauders started the game poorly gifting the home team ten easy points in as many minutes and the writing seemed to be on the wall as the visitors seemed to be struggling with the sluggish pace and tempo of the early part of the game.
Once the Marauders stopped the self-harming they stepped up the pace and their completion rate allowed them to clawed themselves back into the game to take an 18 – 16 interval lead at the break
Half-Time Bank Top Harriers 16 – 18 Moorends-Thorne Marauders
The second-half was a lively affair with moorends never surrendering the lead again even though they opened up an eight point gap on a couple of occasions, Bank Top stuck to their task and refused to allow the game to get away from them and could have nicked it in the dying seconds as they pounded the Moorends line.
Full-Time Bank Top Harriers 30 – 32 Moorends-Thorne Marauders
Next week’s game at Moorends should be a cracker as both teams meet again to battle for supremacy in a real four pointer in what should be a cup final atmosphere.
Pennine First Division Top Five
Bank Top...., Played 14, Won 12, Drawn 0, Lost 2, For 502, Against 226, Difference 276, Points 24
Crigglestone, Played 13, Won 11, Drawn 0, Lost 2, For 310, Against 163, Difference 163, Points 22
Moorends...., Played 11, Won 9, Drawn 0, Lost 2, For 416, Against 136, Difference 280, Points 18
Newsome...., Played 14, Won 9, Drawn 0, Lost 5, For 337, Against 269, Difference 68, Points 18
Birkenshaw.., Played 12, Won 8, Drawn 0, Lost 4, For 340, Against 248, Difference 92, Points 16
Games remaining.
Bank Top, Vs Moorends away, Crigglestone , Morley & Lindley home.
Crigglestone, Vs Moorends, Birkenshaw home, Newsome, Bank Top & Birkenshaw away.
Moorends Vs Bank Top, Dearne Valley, Birkenshaw, Home, Morley, Crigglestone, Dodworth & Newsome away
Newsome Vs Crigglestone, Moorends & Birkenshaw home, Linley away.
Birkenshaw Vs Crigglestone & Dodworth home, Crigglestone, Moorends, Newsome & Allerton Bywater away.
Moorends where well served by Loose-forward Chris Allen
