in the NWML Division Four at Monks Sports Club on Saturday afternoon to move back to the top of the table with a game in hand.
Rovers opened the scoring after ten minutes when hooker Adam Files got the ball from the base of a scrum and he found full back Liam Sullivan who raced twenty metres to score on the left. Sullivan converted his own try but then five minutes later Rovers were caught offside and from the resulting penalty Westhoughton loose forward Sam Pennington went over on the right. Scrum half Nicky Bullough added the conversion to level matters.
Midway through the half the Lions had hooker Liam Clarke sin binned for a professional foul and then eight minutes before the break Rovers went back in front when stand off Kieran Moore found substitute Sam Files with a fine offload and he went over on the right. Sullivan converted to make the half time score 12-6 to Rovers.
Rovers stretched their advantage two minutes into the second half when A Files found scrum half Billy Maunder from a scrum and he combined with centre Callum Moore to put winger Kieran Jones over in the right corner but four minutes later Westhoughton responded when winger Taylor Hyland ran twenty metres from a scrum to score in the left corner. Bullough added the conversion.
Almost immediately the Lions were awarded a penalty for a high tackle and stand off Jack Beck broke through the Rovers defence to score under the posts. Bullough converted to put his side ahead for the first time but the lead was short-lived as A Files went from dummy half and put K Moore over at the left of the posts. Sullivan added the conversion.
Rovers put daylight between the teams when a great pass from prop forward Owen Hazlehurst found substitute Olly Hands who went over on the right. Sullivan converted and when Westhoughton had substitute Chad Boyce sin binned late on for dissent Rovers took advantage of the extra man in the final minute when A Files found brother S Files and he barnstormed his way over on the right. Sullivan converted to complete a very impressive 34-18 success.
The Man of the Match was awarded to Rovers stand off Kieran Moore. He was very well supported by hooker Adam Files and full back Liam Sullivan.
After the game Rovers ‘A’ Joint Coach Andy Penny said, “To back up in that fashion after a bruising game on Wednesday night is unbelievable and I am so proud of the way that the lads coped with that challenge. We knew that this was going to be a very tough game and that is how it panned out but the boys stuck to the gameplan and got their just rewards. Steve Moore and I can tell them what we want but they have to then go out there and perform and they have done that in great fashion. Early in the second half when the Lions went ahead it would have been easy for their heads to drop but they never did and we just continued to build pressure and it paid off. The quality that we have is really good and that is showing in the way that we are going about our business. ”
ROVERS ‘A’
Liam Sullivan, Kieran Jones, Callum Moore, Olly Parr, Alex Dunne, Kieran Moore, Billy Maunder, Owen Hazlehurst, Adam Files, Richard Potts, Patryk Mazur, Danny Griffiths, Scott Whiteley.
Subs: Olly Hands, Nathan Evans, Tom Woodward, Sam Files.