MILLOM were blitzed out of sight by a slick Pilkington Recs outfit in round two of the Challenge Cup at Devonshire Road.
The Woollybacks could not cope with the speed and class of the Conference Premier Division side and were shell-shocked as the St Helens outfit cut them to ribbons to rattle up 22 unanswered points inside the first 14 minutes.
Despite the scoreline, Millom played some good attacking rugby and deserved more points on the board, however they gave the visitors too much respect and could only stand and watch as they attacked throughout with brilliant open rugby.
It was the home side who looked good in the opening minutes, with Tom Sibley going close before Adam Kelly was held on his back over the line.
Further pressure saw Rickie Donaghue chip over the cover, but the ball was pushed dead by a defender.
From the drop-out, Sibley made a surging run, with Matt Palmer on his shoulder, but the former Barrow Raiders forward failed to gather cleanly and the attack fizzled out.
This was the starting point for the blitz to come. From the scrum on their own 20-metre line, Pilks broke down the short side, with centre John Rees releasing winger Andrew Nesbitt.
He pulled away from the cover and left defenders in his wake to race in from 75 yards.
From the restart, Millom failed to take the ball over the 10-yard mark.
Pilks moved the ball wide at speed and impressive full back Ryan Hilliard joined the attack, breaking free inside his own half to release winger Kyran Knapper. He pulled away and raced in for the try, converted by inspirational scrum half Danny Lynch, for 10-0.
Three minutes later, Ryan Lippett and powerful prop Jamie Smith drove hard over halfway and Lynch was in support to race over unattended. He also tagged on the goal.
Soon it was 22-0 as a stunned Woollybacks side could only stand and watch as Smith parted to Hilliard on halfway. The classy full-back raced for the line, rounding Ross Brookes with ease to touchdown. Lynch kicked the extra two.
Millom rarely had ball in hand, but when they did Owen Myers lost possession 20 yards out. When Jonathan Hodgson chipped over the cover, Joe Shaw lost the ball in the tackle.
They were putting more pressure on the Pilks defence, who up to this point had not been tested.
Sibley and Palmer took play deep for Steve Dawson to head to the line with a storming run. He parted to Chris Warren, only for a touchdown to be ruled out for a forward pass.
This spurred on the home side and, after good play from Sibley, Donaghue prised open a gap to score. Adam Kelly added the conversion for a glimmer of hope.
However, Brookes and Donaghue both left the park with injuries – though Brooks returned late in the game – and this disrupted the home team’s pattern of play. They went further behind on 32 minutes when swift play across the width of the field enabled wingman Nesbitt to put in a kick to the posts, where Lynch was loitering in a suspiciously offside position.
He latched on to the ball and the try was given. His goal made it 28-6 and going into the break Millom were on their way out of the competition, although they blew a great opportunity in the last seconds of the half.
Adam Kelly and Palmer raided down the middle, before Palmer threw out a high pass to Joe Wright, which he was unable to take and the ball went sky high into touch.
Millom needed a quick response in the second half and, when Dawson released Hodgson, he ran out of ideas as he went downfield kicking ahead, which came to nothing.
On 49 minutes they did hit back with a fine Adam Kelly try.
The makeshift number nine was on hand to take a Sibley pass after the prop had broken free over halfway. Kelly took on the defence, cutting inside Hilliard to score and convert.
Further pressure saw the hard-working Luke Brady take the ball to the posts before the tackles ran out. A counter-attack took play to the other end as neat work from prop Smith (a Kyle Amor lookalike) split open the cover before he parted to the linking Hilliard, who sent stand-off Greg Smith racing between the posts for 34-12.
As the game entered the final minutes, the Smith romped over, followed by centre Ian Smedley, who covered 50 yards to score. Lynch completed the scoring with the conversions.
In the other games involving Cumbrian sides, Kells and Wath Brow Hornets both advanced, but Distington and Egremont exited the competition.
Brookes, Wright, Shaw, Warren, Myers, Hodgson, Donaghue, Sibley, A Kelly, Carter, Armstrong, Dawson, Palmer.
Thomson, Heasley, Brady, D Kelly.
Hilliard, Knapper, Rees, Smedley, Nesbitt, G Smith, Lynch, J Smith, Liptrot, Charlson, Brody, Roughley, Garrity.
Bostock, Keyze, Gauchwin, Riley.
Ryan Hillard.
Nick Bennett.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here