Rugby League: Cadishead 34 -34 Littleborough

Jordan Turner keeping tabs on the Cadishead attacker: Littleborough Rugby Union

Littleborough fought back from being 16-0 down to draw 34-34 in a breathless encounter as they started their preparations for the new season.

In the first hit out in 2018, Littleborough were immediately under the cosh straight from the referee's whistle against a strong Cadishead side as many as eight or more players were stuck in Saturday afternoon traffic and unable to play from the start.

The ten that started the game for Littleborough fought and battled solidly in the opening exchanges to keep them at bay. For the first ten minutes Cadishead could not break down the resolute defence.

Once the remaining Littleborough players had entered the fray, Cadishead were able to take advantage and catch the visitors cold by registering 16 points from a number of tries.

With a mountain to climb Littleborough controlled the majority of the proceedings, scoring tries from the likes of Murphy Holt, Jordan Turner and Tom Morris in between the odd tries for Cadishead.

Entering the latter part of the second half, Littleborough scored tries through Jamie Lawlor, a second for Murphy Holt and in the final moments a try for winger Zach Webster.

Having equalised, it was down to Nathan Coop to convert the try and pinch the most unlikely of victories.

The kick was successful in going through the posts as the Littleborough players celebrated; only to find that the referee did not see it and ruled it out.

Littleborough coach Dom Kershaw was able to take lots of positives out the game, he said: "Well in a roundabout kind of way I am over the moon with that result; to turn up and play the first eight minutes with 10 men is heroic.

"Barry Rouse who tackled his little angry heart out today as well as Keenan Mason on his first game and to every other player, an absolute great effort you all did me proud."