Bury Broncos 30 - 30 Littleborough RLFC

Adam Browne, Littleborough RLFC

In a frantic end-to-end game, Littleborough RLFC and Bury Broncos could not be separated over 80 minutes as both teams battled out a 30 all draw.

With the game arranged late in the week, both teams came into Saturday's clash not sure of what to expect from each other and that made for a great spectacle in slippery conditions.

Littleborough, the visitors to Park Lane, adapted better to the conditions and kicked off with a well worked try. Hard running from Henry Ashworth and Nathan Mason brought Boro within 20 metres before Rhys Dunning popped a pass into the path of Jason Rigby. Rigby burst through to dot down under the posts. Kershaw ensured it got the full reward it deserved with a simple conversion.

Bury were not going to sit down and take what had been given, instead going up the other end and getting back on level terms. Again retention of the ball brought with it space and opportunities, this time the ball was lofted wide to the right winger to gallop in the corner. The architect of the try, then found the middle of the posts to draw the team’s level.

From the start, you could see it would become a game that would two and fro and each team would have their chances. It was Boro who took theirs as Murphy Holt barged his way over from close range. Accurate kicking from Kershaw made sure Boro would extend their lead.

It could have been even more on two separate occasions late in the first half as well. First Holt was denied a second very similar to his first, if only Aaron Jones had been able to play the ball properly from the last drive.

Then the sucker punch.

With Boro pushing Bury to the brink, the pass was sped out to Browne who had made a fantastic running line, only for it to hit him on the shoulder and bounce into the pass of his opposite number.

Sprinting clear, the Bury centre had 80 metres or so to cover and while Jones and Will Drake tried their best to get back to stop him, the Bury Bronco just had another to slide in for the try. The conversion took the game to 12 all at half time.

You could be forgiven for thinking that it would then become a close contest with either team afraid to lose. Yet it was quite the opposite.

First Bury scored with one of their back rows breaks through weak shoulders to reward the home side for the better start to the second half with the conversion rate continuing at 100% for the home side and the match.

Back came a rejuvenated Littleborough, shocked that the game had slipped from their grasp considering the first half dominance they showed. First centre Adam Browne 40 yards out dummied the defender and sprinted clear to dot down right of the posts before Holt got his second with a similar effort to his first, despite the attention of four defenders.

The lead was Littleborough's at 24-18 and their chance to hold on was on the cards, however Bury's best player, Paul, once more unlocked the door as his delicate chip over the defensive line was collected by his half back partner, who then returned the favour and gave him the easy run in under the posts. One of the best plays of the match by far.

With the game in the balance, a handling error from Boro's Jordan Turner looked to have gifted Bury the win as the ball was lost on the floor in the final tackle.

However, it soon turned to relief for Turner as Boro went straight up the other end and scored through Browne once more.

Kershaw kept his composure with the conversion to level the scores and even had time to try his hand at a drop goal. With the strike clean and looking like it would win the game for Boro, the ball drifted left and struck the left hand post. Real agony for an away side inches from victory.

A draw was probably a fair result but, with both sides ruing missed opportunities, it is down to the reverse fixture next week to decide who will come out on top.