Blackburn 26

Northwich 10

BLACKBURN have emerged as shock promotion contenders after climbing to the highest league position in the club’s history.

‘Burn’s 26-10 victory over second placed Northwich, avenging a 15-0 reverse in September, means Dino Radice’s side have won 10 of their previous 11 league fixtures in North One West since that defeat in Cheshire.

“It is a remarkable run of form and we’re very proud of the team and what they are achieving this season,” said president Brian Maudsley.

“Dino Radice, the coach, is doing a fine job and it is possible that we might get into the second place and reach the play-offs.

“There’s a tremendous spirit in the team, so who knows what they may achieve.”

Delighted coach Radice hailed another impressive performance and said: “It was a fantastic win.

“I was a bit worried that we’d played so well a week earlier that we might not be able to produce it again but we did.

“Northwich threw everything at us but they were never going to cope with our pack and we bullied them.”

Both teams toiled on a heavy pitch, but the enthusiastic home support did not have to wait long for Burn’s first try as Ed Sinclair burrowed his way over the line in the eighth minute.

Leon Fifield missed the conversion and shortly afterwards Northwich hit back.

The Cheshire visitors controlled the ball well as they worked their way up the pitch, and a penalty then enabled them to kick to the corner.

From the line out Burn stopped the drive for the line, but then the Northwich scrum half took the ball to nip in to touch down.

The conversion was missed and then the contest reached a temporary stalemate as both sides searched for fresh openings.

However, just before half time, Fifield broke the deadlock, kicking over a penalty from 40 yards to hand Blackburn an 8-3 lead.

Blackburn then extended their lead two minutes into the second period, once again Fifield’s accurate kicking from long distance boosting their advantage via a penalty.

A Northwich prop was then shown a yellow card and during the sin bin Fifield missed a long distance penalty.

With numbers even again, Burn resumed the upper hand and were awarded another penalty from a scrum on the hour and this saw the Northwich number eight sent to the sin bin.

Penalties continued to come with Burn electing to kick to the corner and five minutes later they had their second try.

Corey Logan and Rob Bramhall provided the ammunition, and the ball was quickly recycled to James Henderson who crashed over.

While Fifield was unable to add the extras, ‘Burn led 19-5 and were completely in control of the contest - and they were soon celebrating their final try of the game.

Danny Booth charged down a clearance kick from the Northwich 22 and Burn then bundled the covering opposition player into touch.

From the lineout the initial drive was stopped, but Joe Shorrock took the ball and went straight on to score.

Fifield kicked the conversion from the far right touch line to extend Burn’s lead to 26-5.

After this much of the play was in the home half as Blackburn conceded a string of penalties, and this saw Bramhall receive a yellow card in the closing minutes, helping Northwich to pressure and the visitors eventually scored a consolation try.