Brennan stars in Waterhead’s Standard Cup Final win

Waterhead Warriors, newly promoted to the premier division of the NCL, duly won the local league's Standard Cup, with a 48-10 triumph against near neighbours and keen rivals Oldham St Anne's at Boundary Park on Saturday.

A crowd of 1,386 saw St Anne's, of division one in the NCL, trail only 16-6 at half-time , but Waterhead's greater speed and strength enabled them to score six tries in the second half — two from long range.

Waterhead fielded several ex-Oldham professionals and man-of -the-match Keegan Brennan, winner of the Ben Powell trophy, is the son of their coach Keith Brennan, another former Oldham player.

Waterhead scored nine tries in total, including three by full-back Jenson Hamilton and others by Harrison Dodd, Phil Joy, Gareth Owen, Brennan, Tim Bridge and Adam Robinson; , while Brennan landed six goals from nine conversion attempts, two of them off the touchline.

Scorers for St Anne's, who did well to bridge the gulf in class until the second half, were Joe Hartley and Alex Ayres (tries) and Matthew Whitehead (goal). Sub forward Ayres, who seemed to have his own personal cheer leaders, was one of the better St Anne's players.

Many former Oldham players were there as spectators, including Shane Tupea, Steve Molloy, Mick Worrall Sean Whitehead and Ray Hicks, while a guest of honour was former hooker Kevin O'Rourke , a man synonymous with Standard Cup rugby, and also a well-known official of the organising committee and a former chief sponsor of the competition which used to carry his firm's name.

Anita Halliwell, chair of the Oldham Amateur League, made a moving post-match speech in which she said the future for local youth in rugby league was thriving and was in good hands.