Eastside Run Ends as Saddleworth Take Playoff Victory

Skirlaugh 6–28 Saddleworth Rangers

Skirlaugh’s unbeaten home record came to an end on Saturday as an impressive Saddleworth Rangers side produced a disciplined performance to claim a 28–6 victory at Eastside in the second fixture of the playoff series.

Having gone through the entire regular season unbeaten on home soil, Skirlaugh came into the afternoon looking to continue that formidable Eastside record and strengthen their position in the playoffs.

And the afternoon actually began brightly for the hosts.

Saddleworth spilled the opening kick-off, immediately handing Skirlaugh possession inside the visitors’ half. The hosts looked to capitalise, enjoying plenty of early territory and applying pressure through repeat sets.

However, despite getting themselves into some promising positions, the final pass just wouldn’t stick, while a resolute Saddleworth defence continued to hold firm.

Having survived that early pressure, the visitors gradually began to work their way into the contest.

Saddleworth started finding inroads through the Skirlaugh defensive line before eventually creating space out wide and crossing in the corner for the opening try. The conversion followed to establish an early 6–0 advantage.

Skirlaugh responded with some strong defensive work of their own, with Matty Shepherdson and Leo Tennison prominent as the hosts attempted to halt Saddleworth’s growing momentum.

There were opportunities for Skirlaugh to respond, but another loose ball relieved the pressure and allowed the visitors to turn defence into attack.

Saddleworth then demonstrated exactly why they had arrived at Eastside in confident mood.

A well-worked passage of play released Billy England through the middle, and once through the defensive line there was no catching him. England raced underneath the posts, with the resulting conversion doubling the visitors’ advantage to 12–0.

It left Skirlaugh with plenty of work to do heading into the second half.

Rangers Take Control

The opening exchanges after the restart developed into a set-for-set battle, with both sides looking for the moment that could shift the contest.

Unfortunately for Skirlaugh, it was the visitors who found it.

An uncharacteristic error opened the door and Saddleworth punished it, breaking away for their third try of the afternoon to stretch the score to 18–0.

Despite the deficit, Skirlaugh refused to disappear from the contest.

Nath Dunn, Josh Atkinson and the in-form Matty King continued to work tirelessly as the hosts searched for a route back into the game.

And one of Skirlaugh’s best opportunities came from a towering spiral bomb from veteran Carl Puckering.

Atkinson did brilliantly to compete in the air and flick the ball into the path of the supporting Matty Shepherdson, who burst through the middle and looked destined to score before being hauled down just five metres short of the Saddleworth line.

It was perhaps the moment that best summed up Skirlaugh’s afternoon — plenty of effort and endeavour, but on this occasion the crucial moments simply weren’t falling their way.

The hosts did finally get the breakthrough their efforts deserved, and it came through Lochlan Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald produced the initial spark, putting Scott Mountain through a hole in the Saddleworth defence. Mountain drew the full-back perfectly before returning the ball inside to the supporting Fitzgerald, who finished a superb move underneath the posts.

Josh Smith added the conversion and, at 18–6, there was suddenly renewed belief around Eastside.

But any hopes of mounting a late comeback were quickly extinguished by a composed Saddleworth side.

Rather than allowing Skirlaugh to build momentum, the visitors wrestled back control of the contest and crossed for two further tries late on to seal an impressive and deserved 28–6 victory.

For Skirlaugh, it brought an end to a superb unbeaten home run stretching across the entire 2026 regular season.

It was a difficult afternoon against a Saddleworth side who took their opportunities and defended extremely well, but one result does not undo what has been built at Eastside this season.

Attention now quickly turns to the next challenge as the playoff campaign continues.

FULL-TIME: SKIRLAUGH 6–28 SADDLEWORTH RANGERS

Man of the Match: Lochlan Fitzgerald

Ex-Players Association Man of the Match: Josh Atkinson

Try Scorer:
🏉 Lochlan Fitzgerald

Goal:
🎯 Josh Smith 1/1