Millom couldn’t build on their promising Barton Townley win against Dalton last Saturday, as they fell to a 30-18 defeat against promotion-chasing Woolston Rovers in Division Three of the NCL, writes Elliot Burrow.

In a game that took half an hour to get a score on the board, it was Woolston who eventually broke the deadlock when Ben Dixon shot over from close range, with Aaron Barber converting.

However, conceding woke Millom up and they responded with a try of their own just before half-time when Luke Brady made a 25-yard break to power over the line and Adam Kelly’s goal levelled the score at 6-6 at the break.

The second-half was much more of an open affair as the sun finally came out and both teams began to play more expansive rugby.

It was Woolston who benefitted off it when Ryan Brown pounced on a loose ball to dive over the line. Barber was left with a difficult conversion, however, and his kick slid wide of the posts to leave his side with a four-point lead.

The visitors were in again two minutes later when Justin Becker went over for the first of his three tries of the afternoon.

Millom then responded through the returning Anthony Dixon on 56 minutes when he scored a brilliant solo try to get his side back into the match. Kelly converted and the lead was cut down to two points.

Becker then went over twice to complete his hat-trick and ultimately put an end to any hopes of a comeback, as Barber managed to convert both to leave Millom needing to score three tries.

Millom would not lie down that easily and they responded once more through Hanley Dawson, but Woolston had the final say right on the whistle when Ben Dixon darted over for his second score of the afternoon.