HIGGINSHAW have enjoyed a fantastic start to this season, winning each of their first four games – two in the Oldham Cup, followed by another two in division 4 (South and East) of the North-West Men’s League.
They beat Rochdale Mayfield A and St Anne’s A in the local knock-out comp and Langworthy and Burtonwood Chargers in the league. They won 20-18 at Burtonwood in their fourth away game on the bounce.
Both teams went head-to-head in the Spring sunshine. A strong Burtonwood team included several ex-Warrington Academy players and the game swung from one end to the other before Higgy went in front on 28 minutes when a break by Lee Atkinson sent stand-off Kiel Lancashire away.
He then sent a 20-yard pass to Jordan Turner who flew in for a try in the corner. Kiel converted off the touchline for a 6-0 lead.
Burtonwood stormed back with a long-range try by stand-off Daniel Price, who also converted to make it 6-6.
Higgy’s forwards started to dominate possession and went close on several occasions, then great work from prop Jack Hughes created space to set up Higginshaw’ s second try for hooker Adam Horabin who was quickest to react and raced in to score, for a 10-6 lead.
Higginshaw continued to make push forward, but a dropped ball gave Burtonwood the chance to hit back again with a good try from Callum Teeling just on half time for a 10-10 score at the interval.
From the second-half kick-off Burtonwood went in for a try with after quick hands from the home team with Josh Whitham scoring in the corner to lead 14-10.
A good kicking game from Kiel Lancashire got Higginshaw in a scoring position and centre Jordan Hanley went in for his sixth try in two games with the kick going wide, leaving the scores level again at 14-14.
Higgy were still in the game thanks to strong defence by James Hall, Nathan Mason and Murphy Holt, while Gaz Sharrocks and Callum White swept up everything that came their way.
Burtonwood went in for another try on 65 minutes after some good rugby from the home team, Lloyd Feather scoring in the corner.
Higgy kept forcing the pressure and a break from Nathan Mason, backed up by Nathan Ager, set up the position for Kiel Lancashire to put Martin Kenny in for the try that again levelled the scores but Kiel Lancashire kept his nerve to convert from the touchline on 80 minutes to snatch a thrilling two-point win.
The game was a credit to both teams but Higgy kept going until the final whistle to pull off a well deserved win.
Kiel Lancashire was named man of the match, ahead of James Hall and Murphy Holt.
