Thornhill Trojans denied first NCL win of season by heartbreaking last-gasp Skirlaugh try

The winning try came deep in stoppage time and was heartbreaking for the Thornhill players and their travelling supporters.

The Trojans had put in a superb effort and were unlucky not to take anything from this game as they eventually lost out 22-18.

Man of the match was Jake Wilson in recognition of the way he led the pack throughout and registered a brace of tries. Joel Gibson also shone with some enterprising play causing Skiralugh all sorts of problems.

Thornhill put down their markers early with Travis Lumb powering down the wing to score his first try at open age level after Jordan Ward, Jordan Lowther and Oliver Boocock had combined well. Gibson converted.

Skirlaugh replied as scrum-half Carl Puckering stepped through the defence with a jinking run to go over from close range and converted his own try.

A blockbusting run from substitute Calvin Parker then put Skirlaugh in front with Puckering converting.

The intensity upped several notches in the second half as both teams battled in a thrilling contest. Early on Thornhill failed to deal with a high kick and the ball bounced perfectly for George Thompson to score an unconverted try.

But the Trojans did not give in and showed tremendous spirit to fight their way back to take the lead.

They had a Will Gledhill try disallowed after Gibson had done well to keep play alive, the touch judge ruling an offside in the build-up.

Undeterred, though, Thornhill continued to battle and a towering kick from Gibson came down between the posts for Jake Wilson to run onto and score. Gibson then converted.

Another break down the middle from Wilson saw the visitors continue to dominate play before tempers began to boil over. Once order had been restored the referee chose to show Thornhill’s Jordan Ward a red card for an alleged swinging arm.

Play restarted and tempers once again boiled over. This time Skirlaugh’s Callum Tranmer was shown a yellow card as the referee attempted to steady play.

Gibson put another telling kick towards the Skirlaugh line and the ball bounced perfectly between the posts for Wilson to collect and score.

Gibson injured himself kicking the ball forward and had to be helped from the field. This left Ryan Mitchell with the task of kicking the goal to put Thornhill into the lead. Mitchell kicked the goal and Thornhill could be forgiven for thinking they were heading for their first victory of the season.

However, deep into stoppage time Skirlaugh were awarded a set reset close to the Thornhill try line. Skirlaugh kicked forward on the last play of the game and Steve Batty pounced to score the winning try. Puckering converted to leave Thornhill to reflect on what might have been. It was so close for Thornhill.

Trojans: 1 Ryan Mitchell; 2 Taylor Potts, 3 Will Gledhill, 4 Richard Llewellyn, 5 Travis Lumb; 6 Jordan Lowther, 7 Joel Gibson; 8 Jake Hickling, 9 Oliver Boocock, 10 Jake Wilson, 20 Joss Ratcliffe, 12 Jordan Ward, 13 Bailey Lee. Subs: 14 Jarren Egan, 15 Ewan McDonald, 16 Liam Harley, 17 Matt Teasdale.

PICTURE GALLERY: Normanton Knights battle to victory in derby game with Dewsbury Moor Maroons

Dewsbury Celtic recovered from 10-0 down to go in level at the break, at 10-10, in their Division Two derby with Shaw Cross Sharks, thanks to tries by Harry Copley and Mike Foulstone.

Celtic were, though, seven points adrift before registering their next score, by James Pickering, six minutes from time. And Copley’s second conversion was not enough to rescue the situation.

The Sharks, who had Brad Baines sin-binned close to half-time for use of the head, owed their 17-16 success to Dec Tomlinson, who scored two tries, two conversions and, on 72 minutes, the vital drop-goal. Joel Russell also crossed for the visitors.

Dewsbury Moor Maroons went down 21-16 to Normanton Knights in Division Two despite their opponents having Ashley Haynes sent-off on 20 minutes for an alleged swinging arm.

In a fractious affair, Dewsbury had already had Bradley Adams sin-binned for a tip-tackle. And three more yellow cards were to follow for the Maroons, for Aiden Ineson (twice, for an open hand to the face, and running in) and for Connor Gavaghan (late hit).

The Knights, meanwhile, lost Jason Crookes and Joe Crossland to the sin-bin for, respectively, contact with the neck and repeat offending.

On the rugby side of things, the Maroons led 12-0 shortly after Haynes’ exit, through Louie Walker’s conversions of tries by Gavaghan and James Samme.

Normanton had to wait until the 74th minute to restore parity, courtesy of touchdowns for Charlie Barker and Craig Miles, with Joe Crossland improving one score and Barker kicking the levelling penalty.

Barker then booted a drop-goal and converted an Alfie Beresford try before, in response to Jake Butterfield’s touchdown, landing a clinching penalty in the final minute.