Castleford Lock Lane defeat Ovenden in Yorkshire Cup Final
Castleford Lock Lane won the prestigious Yorkshire Cup Final yesterday, 35 years after their previous win.
They defeated Halifax based Ovenden who gave everything in the game.
The difference was that every time they had a sniff or glimmer of hope of getting back into the game Lane scored decisive tries minutes later to thwart any chances of them coming back and man of the match Connor Land epitomised that with a drop goal with eight minutes remaining.
In front of a vociferous crowd and great atmosphere when the sun and blue skies, although still cold Lane were out of the traps first after three minutes when hooker Craig Duncan scooted through a gap from close range and Connor Turner kicked the first of his five from five.
Ovenden came back into the game attacking wise but their last tackle options and great defence let them down. On 25 minutes Lane doubled their lead as Lane failed to take Lands cross field bomb on the last and centre Adam Garlick pounced on the loose ball to score.
On the half hour Ovenden were back in it deservedly following a penalty and the ball went left and Sean Smith put Jason Dodd over to cut the lead to eight points but five minutes Lane went in for their third six pointer when Tom Sowerby, in his first game at fullback went under the posts.
It looked game over on 51 minutes when Sowerby struck for his second to give his side a 20 point lead but on the hour after O’Mara and Geoghan had been held up a five man move saw winger Jake Kennedy score in the corner for a six pointer.
But Lane hit back to sniff out any comeback five minutes later when Jon Tom Sharpe drove over under the posts. The game became a little fractious with eleven minutes remaining which saw a Lane player sin-binned on 69 minutes.
Only a great ankle tap stopped Sowerby going over for a treble but Land had the final say on 72 minutes when he coolly dropped a goal to make it 31-10.
CASTLEFORD LOCK LANE: 1. Tom Sowerby, 2. Connor Turner, 3. Oliver Bloomer, 4. Adam Garlick, 5. Kieran Puroy, 6. Connor Land, 7. Jacob Crossland, 8. John Tom Sharpe, 9. Craig Duncan, 10. Ethan Flowers, 11. Josh Steels, 12. Luke Tagg, 13. Karl Robinson (Capt). Subs: 14. Tom Wright, 15. Sam Sugden, 16. James Cranswick, 18. Joe Burton.
OVENDEN: 1. Sean Dyson, 2. Nathan Brown, 3. Luke O’Mara, 4. Jason Dodd, 5. Jake Kennedy, 6. Graham Charlesworth, 7. Sean Smith (Capt), 8. Chris Geoghan, 9. Dean Robertshaw, 19. Macauley Higgins, 11. Sam Morrow, 12. Nathan Smith, 13. Josh McAdam. Subs: 14. Matt Dawson, 15. Niall Brady, 16. Reece Drausz, 17. Joss Bentley.
Player of the Match: Connor Land (Castleford Lock Lane)
Est. Attendance: 800