: Sun Feb 22, 2009 12:35 pm
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Moorends-Thorne Marauders secured a premier division top four play-off spot with a 68 - nil demolition of West Yorkshire rivals Upton.
The Marauders with only 15 players to select from started the game applying pressure on the Visitors try line with Gaz Everton and Kev Lake drawing the defence in before Chris Allen spun the ball wide to Wayne Green who stepped between to defenders before touching down, Ryan Rafferty converting, 6 - 0.
The home side where in no mood to relax after receiving a tongue lashing for their previous weeks uninspiring efforts and on 12 minutes Ryan Rafferty and Wayne Green moved the ball wide and left to send Shaun Carey over in the corner, Ryan Rafferty landed the touch line kick, 12 - 0.
From the kick-off Alex Palmer, Kev Lake and Steve Allen took the Marauders to the half way line before Chris Allen’s cut out pass sent Greg Mills through the Upton defence, drawing the full-back Mills turned the ball back inside to the supporting Wayne Green to glide over in the corner, 16 - 0.
Moorends extended their lead on 21 minutes after excellent interchanging of passes between Wayne Green, Chris Allen and Shaun Carver which ended with Wayne Green running off of Carver’s shoulder to go in under the posts, Ryan Rafferty adding the easy extras, 22 - 0.
Shaun Carver and Ben Hofmann set up the field position for the next try on 28 minutes, from the play the ball Wayne Green was caught 5 metres from the try line but under the attention of five defenders he showed incredible strength to force himself over, Ryan Rafferty again adding the extra points, 28 - 0.
Kev Lake, Gaz Carey and Dave Knott made telling runs before Chris Allen crashed through the defensive line before turning the ball back inside to Steve Allen who strolled over next to the posts, Ryan Rafferty converting, 34 - 0.
Half-Time Moorends-Thorne Marauders 34 - 0 Upton
Moorends carried on the second half where they had finished the first, Wayne Rafferty found Dave Knott with a short ball - Knott drew the visitors defence before the big centre sent Jason Blanchard crashing over on 46 minutes, Ryan Rafferty adding the extra points, 40 - 0
Mounting more pressure on the tiring Upton defence saw the Marauders spinning the ball wide, Ryan Rafferty found Dave Knott with a long ball before the centre crashed over, Ryan Rafferty converting, 46 - 0.
Excellent defence on the hour mark saw Upton cough up the ball on the half-way line, Wayne Rafferty pounced and made 15 metres before sending Wayne Green the rest of the way for his fifth try of the game, Ryan Rafferty adding the extras, 52 - 0.
Moorends started to screw the nut putting immense pressure on the young Upton side, from the kick-off 17 year-old Alex Palmer crashed through the visitors defence going on a 50 metre run before being stopped, Wayne Rafferty took the ball to within 5 metres of the try line - With the defence in a confused state Ryan Rafferty darted from half-back to go over on 62 minutes, 56 - 0.
Three minutes later and under more pressure the visitors defence was breached again by an excellent piece of individual skill, Chris Allen faked a pass, slapped the ball and the visitors defence opened up like Moses parting the red sea, Ryan Rafferty converted, 62 - 0.
Tasting blood Chris Allen again displayed pace, strength and skill to go over again on 68 minutes, hitting the gap and executing a perfect hand off the inspirational stand-off glided over giving Ryan Rafferty an easy conversion, 68 - 0.
With Moorends showing signs of scoring when and where they pleased the referee took it upon himself to call a early end to the game before it was re-started.
Marauders Tries
Wayne Green 5
Chris Allen 2
Steve Allen 1
Dave Knott 1
Jason Blanchard 1
Shaun Carey 1
Ryan Rafferty 1
Goals
Ryan Rafferty
Man of the Match..1, Wayne Green
…………………...2, Chris Allen
………………… ..3, Gaz
