PREMIER DIVISION
by PHIL HODGSON
THREE teams share top billing in the National Conference League, with each of them drawing on Saturday.
Two – leaders WATH BROW HORNETS and reigning champions THATTO HEATH CRUSADERS – were in direct opposition, finishing all-square at Close Street.
Hornets looked, midway through the first half, as if they were about to exact revenge for defeat in last year’s Grand Final, having posted tries by wingers Morgan McCourt, on 20 minutes, and Sam Curwen just four minutes later.
Thatto, however, hit back shortly after the half-hour through Dave Pike. And, with the seconds ticking away before the break, Pike crossed again to level matters at 8-8, courtesy of scrum-half Harry Reardon’s astute long ball.
And that, despite the efforts of the Crusaders’ Josh Crehan and Wath Brow’s Charlie Tomlinson, was how it stayed until the final whistle as defences dominated in
an increasingly tense affair.