Derby date to savour

Jan 11 2008 by Chris Roberts, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

ANY game between Lindley Swifts and Slaithwaite Saracens is important.

But tomorrow’s derby battle at Bay Athletic would seem more important than most.

With both sides at the centre of the Pennine League Second Division title race, victory is crucial, with the winners gaining a massive advantage in the bid to remain hot on the heels of leaders Bank Top.

Third-placed Lindley will clearly be hoping to make the most of playing at home, but with second-placed Slaithwaite having warmed up superbly with a big 48-8 Andrew Bennett Memorial Trophy triumph, a classic contest is surely guaranteed.

There’s another derby duel taking place this weekend, although this time in a re-arranged Holliday Cup clash at The Cross when Underbank from Division IV host Premier Division St Joseph’s.

The visitors will be red-hot favourites to progress, especially as they will be virtually at full strength for the first time this season in what is new coach Keith Senior’s first taste of Huddersfield Cup rugby.

Back on the League front, Moldgreen could not have asked for a tougher start to their 2008 Division I campaign.

They travel to face a Crigglestone All Blacks side who have won all nine of their fixtures.

But Newsome Panthers will be hoping their opening performance of 2008 is a taste of things to come in Division II.

Despite official Pennine League results last weekend suggesting the Huddersfield side had suffered an Andrew Bennett Memorial Trophy defeat to Stanningley, that couldn’t have been further from the truth.

The Panthers did, in fact, progress to round three of the competition after storming to an excellent 36-8 victory to gain revenge for a controversial League defeat earlier in the season.

Two tries from hooker Damien Kenchington and one each for Dan Nelmes, Lee McAfferty, Jamie Taylor and James Wallace and six Ross Studholme goals helped secure a noteworthy win.

And the hope now is Newsome can take that form into their League campaign, starting at Boothtown Terriers tomorrow.

It would certainly be a shock if they were to falter against their opponents, and it would be an even bigger shock if leaders Emley Moor were to fall at bottom club Morley Borough.

Meltham All Blacks are also in action in Division IV at Liversedge, while St Joseph’s A travel to Woodhouse Warriors in Division VI and Slaithwaite A host Harehills in Division VII.