PICTURE SPECIAL: Roose upset Walney to claim Barrow RL cup glory

ROOSE Pioneers proved the underdog can have its day with victory over county champions Walney Central in the Barrow Youth League Cup final.

Cents went into the game as favourites on the back of their Cumbria Cup, Barrow Youth League and play-offs successes, but the fourth piece of silverware proved elusive.

Instead, Roose somehow had to find a way to stop the Walney juggernaut, something nobody else had managed all season.

After a lousy wet morning at Craven Park, the sun finally shone down as Pioneers kicked off.

After strong runs from Evan Rushton and Zac Whitehead, Walney made their way into the Roose half on the first set.

The ball was moved from side to side and Cents scored on the last tackle after Joe Green offloaded to Isaac Bibby, who went over in the corner for 4-0.

It may have seemed the writing was on the wall, but Roose were up for the challenge and bounced straight back with a try of their own.

From the restart, tough tackling from Taylor Roberts, Josh Cohen and Luke Chelton forced an error.

With an attacking scrum just inside the Walney half, Evan Foster broke from loose forward and backed himself down the blind side. He touched down despite Cents' best attempts to keep him out,t hen kicked the conversion from the touchline.

From the restart, Pioneers pushed back into the Walney half through strong running from Ethan Hadwin and Tom Farren, although tough defence kept them out.

The let-up was short lived as the Roose defence forced another error and good work from Jake Cullen and Louis France paved the way for Foster to score his second. The conversion was unsuccessful.

With Roose Pioneers 10-4 up, the game became a tug of war as both teams tried to take the upper hand.

For Walney, long-range runs from Green were brought to a halt by Cullen and Foster, ably assisted by wingman Ross Barrett on more than one occasion.

Pioneers came back with strong runs from Alfie Kissack, Will Bower and Finley Martin, but they were shut down by excellent defence from Toby Wilson, Finley Dutton Rosconie and the impressive Green, who seemed to be everywhere.

Half-time arrived with no more scores.

The second half started in the same fashion, with both teams frantically defending.

It was turning into a classic encounter and Walney got themselves back into the match when good hands saw the ball end in Green's hands and he went over from 20 metres. A good conversion effort from Rosconie just fell short of and Pioneers led 10-8.

Both sets of fans were making themselves heard and the coaches were becoming nervous. The next score was crucial and still the battle for yards saw neither side giving an inch.

Roose eventually made the breakthrough after forcing a repeat set.

A great ball from Roberts set Cullen away on a jinking run to score to the left of the posts. The pressure told on Foster, who missed the conversion to leave a six-point gap at 14-8.

Pioneers came back strongly from the restart, with Connor Linton and Max Davies pulling the strings for Farren, Hadwin and Tom Knott to make good yards.

Walney were working overtime in defence keeping Roose at bay, but a last-tackle gamble kick gained a repeat set.

Pioneers pummelled the Walney line with no joy as their goal-line defence stood firm, and it took an excellently weighted last tackle kick from Roberts to the in-goal to open them up.

Walney defenders stood and watched, hoping the ball would run dead, but the ever-alert Tyler Eldon chased and got his reward in the corner. With the difficult conversion missed it was 18-8.

Walney's Green, Whitehead and Rosconie desperately tried to get them back into the game with some astute passes and forceful runs, but Cents were looking tired after all their defending.

Cameron McBain, ably assisted by Chelton and Roberts, had been dishing out his usual unforgiving defence throughout the game and was starting to force errors.

From one, Roose found themselves on the attack again and line-bursting runs from Hadwin and Cohen had Cents going backwards.

It was on the back of these that Ethan Bowness threw a great dummy and waltzed over to the left of the posts again. This time Foster converted and the final whistle was blown on a Roose win.

The champion Walney side showed their class in congratulating the Pioneers players.

Foster took a well-deserved man-of-the-match award, but was run close by Walney's Green.

All that was left was for Roose hooker and captain Roberts to lift the trophy.