There is therefore a strong presence of amateur rugby league in the former Lancashire coalfield with many club names referring to their industrial heritage. With Thatto Heath Crusaders playing at Leigh Miners Rangers, I found a bus from St Helens, and having paid the extra £2 for an Arriva North West monthly season ticket rather than a Merseyside one, it was all included.
On arrival, I went through the large, well maintained bar. At the cash desk by the door I received a neat nightclub style stamp, which, as soon as I put my hand in my pocket, smudged to look like a nasty insect bite. The pitch was railed on both sides, but, being used to football ground gradings, I was unsure how to get to the other side, until I realised they trust you to walk behind the dead ball line without railing it off. To be fair to football, given that a try is scored some yards away, there is less chance of a player running into you and sending you flying.
I am not sure what colours of kit the match officials have available to them in the amateur game, but I was not entirely convinced by their choice.
Having said that, the only other colour I have seen at this level is yellow, which would have been even more of a clash.
The hosts were propping up the division, with the visitors challenging for the top spot, but there was no room for complacency. Leigh had the stronger start, but were unable to turn it into points. A home supporter may have been a bit pessimistic: about a minute after the first Thatto Heath try came an announcement asking for someone to move their car as it was blocking another vehicle. Another local was a bit enthusiastic and had to be escorted off when the try was scored, perhaps not appreciating it was for the opposition.
Leigh looked as though they may have a chance towards the end of the first half, taking advantage of errors from the visitors.
Thatto Heath continued strongly in the second half, although the game was never totally out of Leigh's reach, the visitors eventually securing two valuable league points.
Photographing rugby, I have a "try is a try" principle, in the same way as the corresponding "goal is a goal" principle in football. I could probably have done with showing a bit more post to see the location.
By the time rugby league came about, railway time was firmly established, ensuring time was the same at all places in the country rather than varying by a few minutes from town to town. It is a little known fact that the 34 bus from St Helens to Leigh prefers the older system. At least that is the best explanation for the outward bus getting earlier as it got nearer to Leigh, and now I trotted up to the bus station a good two minutes early only to see the bus drive off.
The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.
Final score Leigh Miners Rangers 20 Thatto Heath Crusaders 28
The hosts were propping up the division, with the visitors challenging for the top spot, but there was no room for complacency. Leigh had the stronger start, but were unable to turn it into points. A home supporter may have been a bit pessimistic: about a minute after the first Thatto Heath try came an announcement asking for someone to move their car as it was blocking another vehicle. Another local was a bit enthusiastic and had to be escorted off when the try was scored, perhaps not appreciating it was for the opposition.
Thatto Heath continued strongly in the second half, although the game was never totally out of Leigh's reach, the visitors eventually securing two valuable league points.
The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.
Final score Leigh Miners Rangers 20 Thatto Heath Crusaders 28
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