Ex-Leeds Rhinos man retires in style as city rugby league club complete unbeaten season with 90-2 rout
FORMER Leeds Rhinos academy player Jake Normington bowed out in style as East Leeds completed a perfect season in National Conference Division Two.
Easts’ 90-2 thrashing of Hull Dockers was their 22nd win in as many league games and took their points scored to 1,090, with only 222 conceded - an average result of 49-10. Normington came through Rhinos’ youth system before playing as a semi-professional for Hunslet and York. It was his final game before hanging up his boots to focus on a new role of East’ club chairman and he celebrated by scoring the first two tries.
Dockers travelled with only 11 men - including their coach Gareth Fox - and were down to 10 for a spell following a sin-binning. Easts led 68-0 at half-time and the game was called off after an hour. Kieron Brining crossed five times, Isaac Coleman grabbed a hat-trick and there was a brace for Jordan Russell. Luke Littlewood scored a try and 13 goals and other touchdowns went to Adam Gibbons, Elliot Windley and Owen Hughes.
Stanningley will play host to Oldham St Annes in a Division One play-off semi-final on Saturday after completing their league campaign with a 12-6 win at Wigan St Patricks. It was 0-0 until the home side broke the stalemate with a converted try midway through the second half. Stanningley, who had already secured fourth spot on the table, turned the game on its head with two touchdowns in five minutes from Jack Sykes soon afterwards, both converted by Adam Butterill.
Oulton Raiders were condemned to relegation several weeks ago, but ended their season with a second successive win, hammering visitors Egremont Rangers 34-0.
Raiders led 22-0 ahead at the break through a brace of tries by Adrian Holdsworth and touchdowns for Tom Stevens, Jacob Griffin and Bailey Metcalfe. Stevens and Griffin crossed again in the second half, Archie Craggs completed a two-goal contribution and Griffin improved the last score.