Hollingworth 18-18 Abraham Guest

Hollingworth’s year 8 team managed to beat Wigan’s top-seeding team, Abraham Guest, in the Carnegie Champion Schools Rugby League first round.

Abraham Guest are North West 2010 finalists and are considered one of the strongest teams in the North West, but Hollingworth had travelled all the way to their home ground to take them on. Community coach Danny Pyke had already said: “Wigan away is a tough draw for our teams, but if we want to progress we have to play the big boys!”

Their reputation did not faze them, and Hollingworth took an early 10-0 lead, with tries from Milrow Cobras pair Callum Dawson and Owen Thompson.

But the home side fought back, with Abraham Guest’s half-back pairing both scoring tries, edging the score to 10-12 by half-time.

The second half started with Abraham Guest on the attack, and a conversion was made bringing them up to 18-10.

Hollingworth wouldn’t give up that easily, and an excellent kick-through by Cobras’ Reece Cumiskey turned into a good try from Mayfield Mustangs Travis Holden, bringing the score to 18-14.

With five minutes left, Hollingworth pulled back from the brink with a life-saving try from team captain, Mayfield’s Zac Baker, ably assisted by Cobra’s front rower Dylan Critchley, who committed four defenders. Zac Baker was awarded Man of the Match for this achievement.

This brought the final score to 18-18. English Rugby League rules state that whichever team scores the most tries in this situation wins, with Hollingworth’s 4 beating Abraham Guest’s 3.

After this triumphant away performance, Hollingworth progress to Round 2, at the expense of one of the North West’s toughest opponents.

The next match will be between Hollingworth and the victors of the Failsworth (Oldham) and St Peter’s (Wigan) match.