Underbank Rangers suffer agonising defeat in rugby league

Jul 28 2009 by Chris Roberts, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

UNDERBANK Rangers failed to capitalise on last week’s magnificent victory over leaders Bramley Buffaloes as they fell to a heartbreaking 26-24 Conference National defeat at Warrington Wizards.

It was a result which means the second-placed Huddersfield club are now unlikely to pip the Buffaloes for top spot at the end of the regular season.

But they can make sure they remain favourites to finish second in the table if they bounce straight back with victory over fourth-placed Nottingham Outlaws at The Cross on Saturday.

And that’s something they should still be confident of doing after playing their full part in a full-blooded encounter against the Wizards at Wilderspool.

With visiting props Dave Valentine and Napoleoni Vinaka starting strongly, Underbank wasted little time showing they were up for the challenge.

Yet it was still the home side who took the lead after eight minutes when Darren Forshaw raced 80m to score under the posts.

Warren Ayres added the conversion, but the visitors hit back seven minutes later when Tom Senior slipped the ball superbly to centre Shaun Mitchell close to the line and Chris Johnson converted to level the scores.

Warrington responded quickly when Billy Sheen finished off a good move for another converted score.