Parr Hare & Hounds 16 Saddleworth 34 THIS was a plucky effort by the young Hounds side against a strong Saddleworth outfit.

There was little to choose between the teams in the first half and the home side actually finished the stronger, but a scoring burst early in the second period gave the visitors a lead they never looked likely to relinquish.

With just a minute to go to the interval, Saddleworth - having had the wind at their backs - were clinging to a 12-8 lead. But a Hounds mistake allowed them to set up camp deep in the home half from where they scored a try wide out on the left, the touchline conversion making it 18-8 at the break.

Hounds needed the first score after the interval and started strongly but they couldn't turn pressure into points and it was Saddleworth who broke away to grab two converted touchdowns aginst the run of play.

Another four-pointer shortly afterwards ensured victory for Saddleworth but Hounds, to their credit, kept plugging away and they were rewarded with two late tries.

Loose-forward Karl Grounds, hooker Barry Dearden and winger Neil Briers scored the Hounds' tries, with prop Stuart Haycock adding two goals. There were good displays also for the losers by forwards Mark Houghton, Dearden, Phil Thompson and Paul Proudlove, plus half-backs Paul Martin and Ste Hill, and centre Paul Thompson.

THE Hounds 'Predict The Score' draw was won by. G. Halsall, c/o Lamb Hotel.

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