Orrell RUFC 1XV end the season with a win vs Congleton

Congleton 25 Orrell 26

Orrell finished their season with a narrow win, but sadly, it wasn't enough to secure promotion as Eccles triumphed over Garstang elsewhere.

With several regulars missing, a much changed and depleted team were put under pressure with Congleton spending a lot of time inside the Orrell half. Despite this, it was Orrell who opened scoring when Kieren Herbert chipped to the wing where a fumble was pounced on quickly by Chris Wynne who got the ball back inside for Herbert to run to the posts. Craig Thomas converted before Orrell fell foul inside their own twenty-two and Congleton put over a penalty from David Podmore.

The hosts then took the lead with a great try, directly from a scrum on half-way where the home scrum-half, Tommy Kanarous picked up, rounded Wynne and also beat Herbert and Chris Owen in a dash to the line. Podmore couldn't convert but it was 8-7 to the hosts.

Orrell retook the lead just before the break when Adam Glover used his strength to burst through from ten metres after a spell of pressure and Thomas goaled for a 14-8 half-time advantage.

Congleton made the best possible start to the new half with an early unconverted try from centre Edward Williams before Max Huxley responded, taking an Andy Kelly pass from a line-out before fending his way over. This time Thomas couldn't convert and Congleton scored another through Williams to close the deficit to 18-19. The hosts then scored another scrum try with Williams slicing through the defence and beating the cover over seventy metres for his hat-trick. This was converted by Ross Somers to give Congleton a 25-19 advantage.

Orrell lifted in the final ten minutes and claimed the winner when Wilbur Harris linked with Max Huxley and then followed up when Huxley offloaded to crash in at the side of the posts allowing Thomas to add his third goal and crucially nudge the visitors in front, a lead they maintained until the end to head into the summer on a winning note.