Bradley hat-trick helps Rangers hold off Bowling (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Scott Bradley hat-trick helps Brighouse Rangers hold off gallant West Bowling A

3:52pm Sunday 15th January 2012 in Pennine League By Jack Strother

Brighouse Rangers 36, West Bowling A 12

A hat-trick by loose forward Scott Bradley transformed Division Two table-toppers Brighouse Rangers’ fortunes against a lively West Bowling A side who looked on course for their first Pennine League win of the season during the early exchanges.

Any non-partisan observer would have been convinced the league positions had been reversed as rock-bottom Bowling took charge from the kick-off.

A variety of kicks kept Brighouse on the back foot and it was no surprise when the visitors took the lead.

Stand-off Joe Ollerenshaw threaded a raking grubber kick behind the home defence, leaving prop forward Jonny Summers to pounce at the side of the posts, centre Ryan Wilkinson adding the extras.

Rangers finally shook off their lethargy on the half-hour mark when three telling drives sucked in the Bowling defence and, when the ball was shipped wide, full back Karl Frankland joined the line to cross unopposed.

Stand-off Gary Procter slotted over his first of six conversions to put the sides back on level terms.

Bowling wingman Karl Spring raced clear to touch down in the corner, only to be recalled for a forward pass.

And there was welcome relief in the home ranks when they were awarded a penalty in front of the posts following a spat between Summers and former Bowling favourite Reece Spurr. Rangers declined the certain two points on offer and took a tap-and-run which was fully vindicated when Bradley raced on to a short offload to crash over.

Spurr then found a hole to run into space before handing on to the eager Bradley, who sprinted to the chalk for his brace.

Bowling looked bewildered at the speed of events that had seen them change ends 18-6 down.

They plugged the defence by moving Lee Innes into the pivotal stand-off berth and his promptings steadied the ship for a short time before the hosts increased their advantage beyond reach when Spurr broke through three flimsy tackles out wide.

Substitute forward Wayne Jowett finished off a simple one-two and the impressive Bradley clinched his trio with a neat side-step.

Bowling still refused to throw in the towel as second-row forward Ben Cousen galloped 40 metres and found hooker Aaron Chappell, who managed to hold off the scrabbling home defence to reach the whitewash, leaving Innes to land the extras.

But it was only a small consolation as Rangers celebrated another stepping stone on the promotion ladder.