Garstang 0 - 29 Littleborough

Littleborough RUFC: Chris Collins and Murphy Holt hold up Garstang

1 More Image(s) In Gallery

In a potential banana skin game for the league leaders, Littleborough secured a vital victory against toothless Garstang as they comfortably brought home a bonus point win.

Three tries from winger Matthew Goldthorpe as well a try from Adam Wayne on his return to first team action secured the win, despite Boro spending the whole of the second half down to 14 after Chris Hough was sent off.

Nathan Ripley socred Boro's first try as he jinked past two defenders returning a Garstang clearance.

The ball was then quickly recycled to Goldthorpe who beat two men to score his first of the afternoon. Hough added the extras.

Good work from Stuart Bairstow saw him pinch the loose ball before he popped it off to his supporting man Goldthorpe who danced through three Garstang tackles to score under the posts. Hough made no mistake with a simple conversion.

Chris Park dinked a kick over the Garstang rush defence for Wayne and Goldthorpe to chase before the latter calmly waited for the all important clean bounce to gallop away for his hat-trick. Hough added the conversion.

Boro wholeheartedly pursued the fourth try and the reward of a bonus point, only for the final interventions from the Garstang defence to deny them. First Goldthorpe was caught with a fantastic last ditch challenge as he looked certain to score from loose ball kicked down field. Then when a quick tap penalty was taken moments later, Murphy Holt found his way over the line using double movement, and hence the try was disallowed. 

Garstang were struggling to cope with the high tempo Littleborough rugby but they were given a lifeline back into the game when was sent off for an altercation with his Garstang counterparts. 

Garstang nearly capitalised as they broke clear of the Boro defence, only for John Doherty to make a strong last ditch tackle to deny Garstang their first points of the afternoon.

Littleborough continued to press in search of that so far elusive bonus point with quick taps and high tempo play unable to pay off due to poor handling and lack of good clearance play at the breakdown.

With 10 minutes left on the clock, centre Adam Wayne powered through the tiring Garstang defence to dot down for his first try of 2016. Park added the extras.