Plea to players for rugby final
Castleford & Featherstone ARL . . . 19
Leeds ARL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
CASTLEFORD & Featherstone ARL's representative side will meet Wakefield on Saturday in the final of this season's Inter-town competition.
Coach Kevin Spears will take his squad to Crofton after beating Leeds 19-16 at Panthers on Saturday – a result that ensured Castleford & Featherstone headed the final table, with Wakefield in second spot and Leeds bringing up the rear.
Spears and his colleagues Alan Hardy and Dave Backhouse have now issued a clarion call for players in the area to attend training at Lock Lane this evening (Thursday, 6.45pm).
Spears will be without several regulars on Saturday because of holiday and other commitments and a request by the Castleford & Featherstone management for a postponement of the final has been declined.
Spears said: "It's a great pity that some of the lads who have got us so far will miss out on the big day, but we have to abide by and respect the decision to stick with the original date for the final.
"We are now asking players in the district to step forward to help in the bid to add the cup itself to the league leadership. The response has been very positive and it's important that we complete the job and beat Wakefield at Crofton.
"The spirit, despite – maybe because of – this setback is high, and I'm confident we are capable of overturning Wakefield for a third time this summer."
Cas, superbly served by man of the match Paul Steel (Cas Panthers) booked a slot in the final after battling back from 16-10 against a Leeds side also bidding for a berth in the decider.
Cas closed with their account with tries by Kippax stand-off Andy Walker and Kippax substitute Daniel Peel.
Olde Church Tavern scrum-half Jimmy Clarkson kicked three goals, Walker landed a couple of goals, and there was a one-pointer by Panthers substitute Dave Probert.
Leeds had established their lead with tries by loose forward James Brown, of Queens, and Hunslet Old Boys' centre partnership Mark Stubley and Mark Cunningham. East Leeds stand off Steve Parnell kicked two goals.
James Coates (Milford), Dan Stokes (Wortley) and Brown were sin binned in the Leeds side, while Gav Adkins (Kippax) was yellow carded in the home camp.
Castleford & Featherstone: Tommy Skerrett (Methley Royals); Mick Beedle (Lock Lane), Karl Robinson (Lock Lane), Gary Lumb (Cutsyke), John Hayward (Kippax); Andy Walker (Kippax), Jimmy Clarkson (Olde Church Tavern); Kyle Jarrett (Rockware), Adam Spears (Cutsyke), Nathan Pincher (Lock Lane), Paul Steel (Panthers), Simon Thompson (Olde Church), Sean Goodway (Panthers). Subs: Martin Cresswell (Lock Lane), Dave Probert (Panthers), Daniel Peel (Kippax), Carl Vickers (Cutsyke), Rich Cryer (Lock Lane), Dale Cogan (Lock Lane), Gavin Adkins (Kippax).
The full article contains 459 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
-
Last Updated:
-
Source:
n/a
-
Location:
Pontefract & Castleford