Simms Cross hang on to win the Lancashire Cup again (From Runcorn and Widnes World)

Simms Cross hang on to win the Lancashire Cup again

11:43am Thursday 28th January 2010 in

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HALTON Simms Cross retained their Lancashire Cup after withstanding a Rylands comeback to hang on.

The game was always going to be a close one with both sides level on points at the top of the North West Counties Premier Division.

Simmies dominated the early stages with hooker Steve McDermott to the fore.

And they got off to a flying start with Ryan Millington running in a superb solo try and adding the goal inside two minutes. Rylands hit back but Matty Wilson failed to ground the ball over the line.

Simmies added two to their score when Millington slotted a penalty.

The Warringtonians hit back when Andy Moulsdale put Anthony Beckett in to the clear only for him to lose control of the ball over the line.

Simmies rubbed salt into that wound by working their way downfield and Millington added another penalty to stretch their advantage to 10 points.

However, Rylands forced their way back into contention with a sensational 75 metre try from stand off Moulsdale to cut Simmies’ lead to 10-4.

But Simmies regained their 10 point advantage with an unconverted try from full back Gavin Conroy.

A Craig White penalty for Rylands brought the half time score to 14-6 Both sides tackled magnificently in the second half and there was no further score until the 75th minute when Billy Sheen burrowed over from close range.

Moulsdale’s conversion brought Rylands to within two points to set up a grandstand finish but the experience of the big occasion players within the Simmies side allowed them to hold their nerve.

Simms Cross: Gavin Conroy; Brendan Kavanagh, David Percival, Craig Millington, Chris Kavanagh; Neil Percival, Ryan Millington; Lee Swain, Steve McDermott, Michael Randall, Paul Walsh, Iwan Brown, Paul Hunt. Subs: Scott Myler, Chris Nanson, Ben Bailey, Owain Brown.