THE All Blacks played host to Newton le Willows on Saturday hoping to reverse the loss sufered earlier in the season and get back to winning ways after a couple of tough defeats.
From the kick-off, Colne looked the better side, with some great forward moves and ball retention the All Blacks found themselves working their way into the Newton 22 and towards the line.
Great defensive effort kept Colne at bay, but the pressure soon told as Callum Kinnane sold the defence a dummy and slipped through to cross the whitewash, converted by Hugo Leaver. Again Colne applied pressure from the kick-off, and mistakes from Newton gave Matty Tindall free space to run and cross over, again converted by Leaver.
Newton soon found an answer and crossed over themselves, using their pack to pick and go and fracture the Colne defence, but Colne still had the edge and the momentum to drive straight back up to the Newton 22.
Things then got worse for Newton as they lost a player to a red card for a dangerouse trip tackle, and Colne could now capitalise on the extra man and use the overlap, and some great quick passes of Andew Grinrod left Tindall in space again to dart his way through a floundering Newton defence and score, again converted by Leaver.
Colne forwards maintained pressure and Nathan Singleton gained ground at every opportunity, driving hard into the Newton pack, and with Howard Wick back in his natural position of back row, caused havoc in the contact area.
This led Colne to start controlling the passages of play, and with Mark Britcliffe winning his own and Newton’s ball in the line out, the visitors found it hard to compete as the ball was sent wide to Jordan Sunderland, who dived over to score under the posts, which again was converted.
The All Blacks maintained pressure and worked the Newton defence, giving Tindall space again to rampage through and touch down in the corner for his third try, although the conversion was missed.
Then some great offloading from Adam Davies and Jack Wiper left Kinnane with a clear run to the line, and he touched down under the posts.
The last kick of the game saw Leaver slot the ball over for a much-deserved Colne win. Colne travel away to face Mossley Hill next weekend.