An early kick-off had already reduced match preparation time and last-minute alterations to the line-up didn’t help.  Still, on paper, Rangers should have won this game and indeed they had much of the ball in the first half but just couldn’t capitalise on it, Luke Nicholls unable to touch down after running clear and Louie Austin-Lee forced back when picking up an offload after textbook support running in an unfamiliar wing position.  Wibsey had only two sets in the first half and scored off both of them before Rowan Keenan pulled one back with Thomas Hayes converting to bring the score to 12-6 at half-time.  

Rangers’ defence was hit and miss during the entire match – whilst every member of the team took some credit for tackles in the first half, things quietened down in the second and overall there were a number of missed tackles. Captain Elliot Dixon-Griffiths again led from the front but he can’t do it all on his own and and in the second half much of the tackling was left to full-back Keenan, Thomas Leaver’s absence through injury sorely missed.  Dan Hagan marked his return from several games out with some decent contributions to defence in the first half and Dylan Shepherd willingly stood in at hooker on his first game since rejoining the club. But with no recognised hooker and with Hayes, recovering from illness, and Hagan not having played together for some games the usual direction from the half-backs will take some time to return.  Going forwards there were good runs from Harvey Harrap and Dixon-Griffiths and a fantastic pick-up by Kyan Denton in the second half from a short kick-off.  

Loose forward Will Dobson took up Leaver’s mantle to earn Players’ Man of the Match and Luke Nicholls, ever-present down the middle all game, took Opposition and Coaches’ awards.  

A second Coaches’ Man of the Match went to Keenan for an overall industrious display in both attack and defence.  

A week off now to work on a number of points before returning to the early-season form next time round!