Grassroots Rugby: Liverpool St Helens claim first win in last-minute thriller
Both Liverpool St Helens and Tarleton went into Round 4 still looking for their first win of the season in Counties 1 adm Lancashire & Cheshire.
After a tense finish, it was LSH who finally got off the mark, edging a remarkable contest 22-21 thanks to Charlie Oldfield's last-minute try.
I watched the second half live, and the drama kept building. There were so many yellow cards that it was hard to keep track.
Then, with five minutes to go, Tarleton appeared to have scored a crucial try but it was disallowed, and from where I was watching, the reason was far from clear.
A massive shout-out for Tarleton lock Will Parker who I have watched playing at Tarleton since 1999; plus he was a real favourite of Jeff Gordon on rugby tours.
Both teams had a real weapon at the lineout, with Tarleton’s Joe Bullen dominating. Matt Mahon also made a strong impression after stepping up from the seconds to the firsts, showing how much experience can count at this level.
The game took another turn when Tarleton playmaker Andrew Bushell went off injured. LSH kept pushing, and their late score sealed a first league win of the campaign. Tarleton are left still searching for theirs, and travel to fourth-placed New Brighton this coming Saturday.
Their next home fixture is on October 31st against Southport.
The video above captures the moment LSH snatched the victory. A close game, a dramatic finish and plenty to talk about afterwards. This is why I love grassroots rugby.
