Spartans ARLFC

📰 Men's match report

Mirfield Spartans suffered their first league loss in more than four months away at Keighley Albion on Saturday.

There was a big crowd on hand at Keighley for a game that had all the makings of a classic, and the players on the field did not disappoint.

The result was in the balance right through until the closing stages, when the hosts were able to get over for two converted tries to kill the contest.

That came after Spartans had battled back to within six points playing up the slope in the second half.

But Albion were full value for their win as they avenged their defeat at our place in May.

We headed into the game without captain Alfie Copley and centre Lewis Boye, but with Jordan Paga back available in the halves.

Playing downhill in the first half, we took the lead when a flowing right to left move gave James Pickering the space to break and cross the line.

The conversion from out wide came back off the post, and the hosts hit back with a quickfire double, converting both, to make it 12-4 at the break.

They extended their lead after the break to make it 16-4, leaving us with a mountain to climb.

We lost top try scorer Lewis Toner to injury in the first half, while other injuries left us thin on the bench for much of the second half.

But the boys showed immense spirit to score next, with Josh
Willcock powering over for a trademark try.

The conversion made it 16-10 and gave us every chance of at least earning a share of the spoils, with plenty of time on the clock.

But while we did have our chances to level, it was Albion who were able to find the extra energy in the hot conditions to cross twice more in the closing stages and secure victory.

Congratulations to our hosts on a great performance and a deserved win, which takes them clear at the top of the league on 23 points.

Thanks to them too for their great hospitality and for staging such a great advert for rugby league at this level.

Heading into another blank weekend for our first team, we sit four points behind Albion, but with a game in hand, and plenty of rugby still to play.

Thank you to the supporters who travelled to get behind the players, and to the coaches, volunteers and sponsors who make everything possible.



📸 Winterburn Photography

Full time over in Keighley and our winning run comes to an end.

A great game between two top sides in front of a big crowd. Congratulations to our hosts on a deserved win and thank you for the hospitality.

Well done to our lads on a never say die performance. Two late tries settled the contest after we'd batted back to 16-10 half way through the second half.

Thanks too to the travelling fans who got behind our boys. ⚔️

HT

Keighley Albion 12
Mirfield Spartans 4

📍BD16

It's a huge game this weekend as we make the trip to face Keighley Albion. ⚔️

With Keighley 1st on 21, and us 3rd on 19 with a game in hand, this is a true high stakes top of the table clash, and the boys can't wait!

We were comfortable winners against Albion at home, but we know it'll be incredibly tough this weekend against a side who otherwise haven't lost this year.

As always, we'd really appreciate your support from the sidelines.

Crossflatts Cricket Club, Keighley Road, Crossflatts BD16 2ER

Team news to follow!



📸 Winterburn Photography

19 man locked in for tomorrow's trip to face Keighley Albion.

The boys are ready.

Please get across and support the lads if you can - Crossflatts Cricket Club, Keighley Road, Crossflatts BD16 2ER

Here's how the land lies as we ease past the half-way point of the regular season. ⚔️

Our home game against Beverley is still to be rearranged, but we hope to confirm this very soon.

Also a quick peak at the league table (four will qualify for the end-of-season play-offs).

Amateur rugby is not always easy, and we are so grateful to the players, coaches and volunteers who give so much time, effort, blood, sweat and tears every weekend and during the week.

There's still a long way to go - and they don't hand trophies out in July - but we're proud of what we've achieved already this season.

To win the YML Premier Grand Final in our first year as a merged team, and then sit joint top among several established NCL sides the next, is an incredible effort - from everyone.

The A team have played five games this year, and we're aiming to get plenty more in before the end of the season as we start to welcome more lads back.

Thank you too to all of our sponsors for their generous backing, and our supporters for getting behind the lads every week.

We can't wait to kick on into these next few months and see what else we can achieve together. 👊

📰 First team match report

Mirfield Spartans earned another hard-fought victory on the road this past Saturday to keep the pressure up at the top of the table.

With Spartans’ two top three rivals meeting one another on the same day, we knew victory was crucial.

But we also knew that the win would be far from a foregone conclusion, and the game more than lived up to the billing as we were made to work every inch for our win.

Drig pushed us all the way in hot conditions over in BD11, and it wasn’t until the hour mark that Spartans were able to establish a decisive advantage.

After a rare absence from the scorers’ list last week, Lewis Toner was back among the tries with an important brace that sees him move on to 21 for the season.

Josh Willcock and Jamie McCarthy picked up from where they left off the previous week with a try apiece - their scores once again proving vital in another closely contested tie in a highly competitive division.

Our other try scorer was Jordan Rice, while the returning Lewis Martin added three goals from five attempts to keep daylight between the sides.

Drighlington more than played their part in the contest, despite the difference between the sides in the league table, with the decisive moment coming mid-way through the second half.

A dummy and break by Kian Morgan laid on four points for the supporting Toner, and that score proved crucial towards securing the win and ensuring our recent winning run continues.

The coaching staff hailed a great team performance from the lads, with the debuting Josh Pengel putting in a good shift in the middle of the park, and Spencer Peel also catching the eye.

We’d like to thank Drighlington for their hospitality and two great games this season, and once again congratulate our lads on everything they’re achieving in their first year at this level.

The wins sees us locked on 19 points with Keighley Albion and Moldgreen, but with a game in hand on the latter.

There’s no game this weekend following a couple of recent rearrangements.

Stay tuned for an updated fixture list, which will be published in the coming days.



📸 Winterburn Photography

Congratulations to the boys on another great away win.