Rugby Football League

National Championship

Sunday 16th July 2017

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.03

Swinton Lions 20 Dewsbury Rams 42,  attendance 1,002

@ Sale R.U.F.C.

Heywood Road

Sale

M33 3WB

£17 Admission

£3 Programme, 32 pages.

Swinton have been playing their home matches here at Sale R.U.F.C. since 2016. The stadium opened in 1905 and following the move of Swinton here, a new General Safety Certificate was required, resulting in the 5,400 capacity being reduced to the current 3,387.

This now takes the number of home venues I have seen Swinton play at to six, having previously seen them at Station Road (12.1.92), Gigg Lane, Bury FC (15.11.92), Edge Hall Road, Orrell RUFC (9.6.00), Moor Lane, Salford City FC (8.9.02) and Park Lane, Sedgley Park RUFC(1.2.04).

The game itself was a relegation battle, as second bottom hosted fourth bottom. Despite getting the first try, Swinton went in at the break 14-24 down. Dewsbury went over to increase their lead to 14-30, before Swinton converted a try of their own to stay in it at 20-30, but the comeback was short lived as Dewsbury added two more converted tries.

Dewsbury are now safe from the drop, and despite this defeat, Swinton could still overhaul third bottom Oldham, who are just one point above them, as they travel to bottom of the table Bradford Bulls in their final match.

Rugby Football League

National League 1

Sunday 25th June 2017

Kick Off 14.30 Actual 14.33

North Wales Crusaders 36 South Wales Ironmen 12,  attendance 462

@ Queensway Stadium

Queensway

Wrexham

LL13 8UH

£10 Admission

£2.50 Programme, 30 pages.

This was pretty dire and what you would expect from 4th bottom v 2nd bottom. Ironmen were surprisingly ahead 0-6, pegged back to 6-6, but went in at halftime 6-12 up. In the second half they were absolutely rubbish and never looked remotely like adding any further points.

Queensway Stadium is about as bad a venue you could possibly visit as a spectator. Perhaps that is a factor in why they get such poor crowds, as despite what they claim, the attendance was little more than 300. Both sections of seats are at least 50 yards from the pitch and viewing is also across three jumping pits as well as the running track. There is a small section of open seating on the far side, but they are no longer usable !

I had previously been here for football, on January 28th 2006, when I saw Queens Park 1 Ruthin Town 0 in the Cymru Alliance.

Rugby Football League

National Championship

Wednesday 21st June 2017

Kick Off 20.00. On Time !

Oldham 16 Dewsbury Rams 20,   attendance 575

@ Stalybridge Celtic F.C.

Bower Fold

Mottram Road

Stalybridge

SK15 2RT

£15 Admission

£2.50 Programme* From original game that was postponed on 5th March, with a new wrap around cover. Didn’t bother buying something three and a half months out of date !

Bower Fold has been home to Stalybridge Celtic F.C. since 1909 and hosted games in the Football League for two seasons when Celtic were members of the newly formed Third Division North in 1921. I had previously been here to watch football (Stalybridge Celtic 1 Tranmere Rovers 0, Pre Season Friendly) on 11th August 1990, but the ground has undergone a complete transformation since then, including replacing the old wooden main stand. Current capacity is 6,500, of which 1,200 is seated. There was a ‘one off’ Rugby League Challenge Cup tie played here in the 90’s, but it didn’t host rugby league regularly until Oldham moved here in 2016. This now takes the number of venues I have seen Oldham play home matches at to eight, following Watersheddings, Hyde United FC, Oldham Athletic FC, Ashton United FC, Blackpool FC, Whitebank Stadium and Manchester Regional Athletics Arena.

This was 9th v 11th and a vital must win game for both teams. Oldham led 6-0, were pegged back to 6-6, then went in front again to go in at halftime 12-6 up. Dewsbury levelled at 12-12, before two penalties had Oldham back in front at 16-12. In stoppage time, which was mainly due to an Oldham player injury, Dewsbury converted a try under the posts to nick it, before adding a penalty on the final hooter to seal the win.

Rugby Football League

National League 1

Sunday 18th June 2017

Kick Off 15.00 Actual 15.02

York City Knights 16 Whitehaven 18,  attendance 1,084

@ York City F.C.

Bootham Crescent

York

YO30 7AQ

£15 Admission

£2 Programme, 16 pages.

Bootham Crescent is due to become housing, with a move to the brand new Community Stadium rumoured to take place some time next year, although I am not too sure just how far the new stadium has been developed, if at all, so it may survive a little longer. It has been home to York City F.C. since 1932 and the York City Knights since 2016, after they lost their own ground, Huntington Stadium, a couple of years earlier.

Capacity here is 8,256, which is some way short of the record attendance for the ground, when 28,123 witnessed York City versus Huddersfield Town, in an F.A. Cup match in 1938.

I had visited Bootham Crescent previously, for York City 1 Torquay United 1, in a Division 4 match, on 4th November 1989 (attendance 2,496) and had been to the Knights former home, Huntington Stadium, on 17th November 1991, where I saw Ryedale-York 6 Sheffield Eagles 13, in a Regal Trophy 1st Round match.

Today was 4th v 3rd, and was in the balance right to the final minute. York went up 4-0, but Whitehaven edged in front to lead 4-6 at the break. Two converted tries looked to have sealed it for the visitors as they went 4-18 up, but York converted two of their own tries, the first as good as you would see at any level, to pull it back to 16-18. In stoppage time, York missed three penalties, all from inside the Whitehaven half, and all within the width of the posts, which could have seen them get a deserved draw.