Kippax Welfare 20 v 14 Castleford Lock Lane 12th Sept 2009

Kippax opened their League campaign with a home tie against neighbours Lock Lane.

Kippax started slowly and when a loose pass on the second tackle resulted in a knock-on they were made to pay as Lock Lane took a 4-0 lead. Not long after another pass went to ground on halfway and Lock Lane once more took full advantage to move 10 points ahead.

George then made his return following a lengthy time out with a broken foot which he suffered the last time the two teams met. He had barely made in into the game before he injured the same foot and had to be carried from the field. With only 16 to choose from and no forwards left on the bench the pack now had to play the full match without a break.Lock Lane had the final say in the first half as they crossed again to take a 14 point lead into the second stanza.

Things were nip and tuck during the second half before Kippax finally got some points on the board. The ball was worked out wide to Max, who rounded the defensive line, crossed the whitewash and grounded the ball under the posts. With the score now 14-4 the Welfare were back in the game. Try number two came almost immediately after a stunning break from Ben which saw him hauled down a few yards short of the line. Russ then took the ball and skipped over for a converted try and the score moved to 14-10.

Now in the ascendancy Kippax threatened with every run and were soon ahead when Max went over for his second try under the posts and with Liam's kick they moved 16-14 ahead. The final nail in the coffin came when James managed to work an offload on the line and Russ dived over to put Kippax up by 6 points.

Forwards Thomas, William and Jack made some powerful runs and Wes distributed the ball well from hooker. Sam made some darting runs from scrum half and Mossa and James held their positions well out wide. Azza and Luke made some crucial tackles and Adam's runnign kept Lock Lane on the back foot.

Max took Man of the Match, Liam was Runner-Up and James took Most Improved.