Leigh Miners Rangers  48
Ince Rose Bridge 16

MINERS Rangers started the defence of the Conference Cup in convincing style – leaving one brother happy and the other not.

Todd Appleby, of Miners, lined up against his elder sibling Darryl who was featuring in an under-strength Bridge side.

Miners had Jonny Youds in fine form, with one particular piece of defensive play catching the eye, while wingers Andrews, Groves and Hodson garnered seven tries – Groves edging the balance.

The game opened in frantic style as both sides traded tries, Hodson finishing off for his first after Scott O’Brien’s kick caused chaos down the left channel and the young winger was in at the corner.

But Bridge responded in startling fashion as Whittle robbed the ball one-on-one from Darryl Kay on the restart to score, Mathews goaling.

Miners again responded with Groves grabbing his first and in the blink of an eye the winger had a hat-trick with some incisive finishing as his nimble footwork and pace took him in for the scores.

Ryan Eccleston clawed one back for Ince but Kay and Hodson put Miners into a 32-10 lead at the break when he capitalised on some slack defence from a tapped penalty.

The first half had been scrappy from both teams but Miners were composed and controlled after the break as they scored at regular intervals.

Tom Farrimond dived over for a score and then O’Brien stretched through the tacklers to dot down before Bridge had a fine try of their own, Mathews and Eccleston breaking away and putting Adam Nuttall in for the score.

But Miners had the last word with Hodson and Groves both adding to their tallies in the closing stages, the former a fine score involving Steven Marsh and Shaun McDonald and the latter some neat finishing off Adam Thomason’s pass.

Miners’ reward is another home tie in round two against Division One side Rochdale Mayfield, who piled 40 points on Premier Division Skirlaugh in the first round.

That tie will be played on Saturday, June 1.

The women’s team went down to a 34-6 defeat at Leigh East.

This weekend the first team are away to Siddal, while the Alliance team host Leigh East at 2.30pm. On Sunday the women’s team host a strong Castleford Panthers at 2pm.