Blackburn 28 St Benedict’s 24

BLACKBURN won ugly – and blew the North Lancs/Cumbria title race wide open in front of a jubilant crowd at Ramsgreave Drive.

This was hardly Burn’s most convincing win of the campaign, but in terms of the race for the championship it proved the most significant weekend of the season as long time leaders Leigh lost, and Blackburn edged four points clear at the summit.

St Benedict’s certainly proved a test for Blackburn, who had racked up a century of points the previous weekend, and the visitors scored first with a try and a conversion.

However, Blackburn hit back quickly, tight-head prop Tony Thomas crashing over the line to score in the corner. Jake Maher added the extras to level the scores.

Ten minutes later, Burn forged ahead and again Thomas inflicted the pain on the visitors defence.

Craig Aikman made a break from a five metre scrum, and a drive for the line saw Thomas going low to score his second of the game which Maher converted.

It was nip tuck now, and although St Benedict’s quickly levelled, Blackburn were rewarded with a try and another well taken conversion from Maher.

‘Burn continued to have the upper hand, and it was no surprise when they added to their tally, Alex Evans gathering to crash over.

However, it did not take St Benedict’s long to reduce Burn’s lead in the second half as they kicked an early penalty.

Marc Maher then saw red along with an opponent, but the visitors could not cash in on their penalty award, the kick hitting the bar.

St Benedict’s kept up the pressure, though, and they were rewarded with another try and conversion, charging down a ‘Burn kick in the home 22, gathering the ball and going on to score.

Suddenly, St Benedict’s were ahead, 24-21, but not for the first time this season Blackburn dug deep to win a closely fought contest.

Jake Maher provide the ammunition, offloading out of the back of his hand to a charging Anton Garcia who just did enough to crash over for what proved to be the winning try.

Although Sam Morgan kicked the conversion, St Benedict’s missed a penalty and only a last ditch try denied one of their forwards.

Blackburn take a break from league action this weekend when they make the trip to the East Yorkshire to face Scarborough in the Intermediate Cup.