Couriersept30th14 by Mark Stephen Ashley

Longridge Way garden makeover 7

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One Dress style per School THE entrance to the housing estate on Longridge Way has been in need of refurbishment for some time.

Partnership working with Standish in Bloom (a sub group of Standish Community Forum) the Estate Representative, Wigan and Leigh Housing an Wigan Council resulted in an application being submitted to the Better Neighbourhood Fund for funds to re-furbish the area. Support was also obtained from Wigan Council's S106 monies. Moss Bank Nurseries supported summer bedding plants and Brighter Borough Funding will provide longer term planting. Adlington Dry Stone Walling - the same firm that built the QEII Diamond Jubilee monument - carried out the work. The entrance walls were repaired and cleaned and the flagstones to the entrance were re-laid. The bollard and waste bin have been renewed. Ainscough's transferred the two existing concrete

planters to Lodge Gates and these are in the process of being painted black to match the street furniture and will be planted up with slow growing perennial plants. The walls to Lodge Gates have also been repaired and cleaned. The end of the project was marked with a community event where a demonstration of how to plant up a summer hanging basket by Standish Community Forum and 40 baskets were distributed to residents. Vegetables and herbs and seeds were also handed out courtesy of Wigan and Leigh Housing. The Longridge Way Project is the first phase of planned works to create a bright and colourful 'welcome/gateway' into Longridge/Ashfield Park Estate and beyond. Our photographs show representatives of Wigan and Leigh Housing, Longridge Residents and Standish Community Forum at the finished project.

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Bolton School: The Very Best Start in Life Courier EDUCATION

AT BOLTON School, we offer children the very best start in life. With over 2,350 pupils, enjoying an education from Nursery to Sixth Form, we are one of the largest schools in the UK. The School balances the best of tradition with cutting-edge modernity. In 2016, the School will be celebrating its 500th anniversary

but this illustrious heritage is brought up to date by the recent completion of an £18m building programme, which has seen the construction of a new shared Sixth Form Centre, an Infant School, Junior Girls’ School and a refurbished Junior Boys’ School. From Autumn 2014, all pupils at Bolton School will have iPads to complement their studies. ISI Inspections assess the

School as “outstanding” and annual GCSE and A level results regularly place the School among the top 100 schools in the country. Girls and boys are able to enrol at the School at different stages in their journey: educational some begin as babies in the Nursery or join the Nursery Class for 3 and 4 Year Olds, others join the co-educational Infant School or wait until the single-sex Junior or Senior schools, each of which has its own Sixth Form. Whatever section of the School they join, children are guaranteed an education of academic rigour, wide extra-curricular choices and lots of individual support in small classes.

Our “best of both worlds” offer means girls and boys can focus on their studies in single-sex classes but regularly collaborate in co-educational activities such as music, drama, outdoor pursuits and trips abroad. A coach network covering over 20 routes means pupils can access the School from Lancashire, Greater Manchester and Cheshire. This year’s Open Morning will take place on Saturday 11 October (9.30am-1.00pm).

Further details about the School can be requested

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Courier EDUCATION

Students awarded prestigious Nutrisport bursary

SEVEN Wigan & Leigh College students are celebrating after receiving the prestigious Nutrisport bursary.

Joanne Deveney, Sarah Jameson, Jane Hobley and Sarah Boyle have received the award after completing the College’s Access to Forensics course, while Kieran Taylor achieved his Level 3 Extended Diploma in Applied Science.

Students Olympia Mitchinson and Kurtis Leather have been granted the bursary following A Level study. The award means that the students will receive up to £6,000 per year towards the cost of Higher Education. The students all attended the annual Nutrisport Bursary Awards evening at Wigan & Leigh College’s Parson’s Walk Centre, Wigan. Awards were presented by Scott Adams, founder of Nutrisport Limited, the makers of high energy food and drink supplements. Scott, a Microbiology graduate and founder/benefactor of the award, set up the bursary scheme to encourage students from Wigan and Leigh to progress in Science, Technology,

and Mathematics Engineering (STEM) subjects. Talking about the award, Scott said: “The key thing for me is social mobility and helping young people from non-privileged backgrounds to reach their full potential in STEM subjects. We want our young people to raise their aspirations.” Wigan & Leigh College’s Vice Principal, Gabrielle Lagan, added: “We were delighted to welcome award winners and their families to our event which celebrated the ambitions and achievements of our future doctors, scientists and mathematicians. “We wish all our students well and were very pleased to see other award winners from St John Rigby College, St Mary’s Catholic High School and The Deanery High School and Sixth Form College.” Nutrisport trustees, Conor Davis and Adrian Hardy, were thanked for organising the student interviews. Wigan & Leigh College students who have received the grant,are going on to the following Universities: Jane Hobley – University of Central Lancashire – Forensic Science, Joanne Deveney – University of Salford – Biomedical Science, Kieran Taylor – University of Salford – Pure

& Applied Physics, Kurtis Leather – Lancaster University - Chemistry, Olympia Mitchinson – Manchester University Metropolitan Mathematics Sarah Boyle – University of Salford – Biomedical Science, Sarah Jameson – Liverpool John Moores University – Biomedical Science Our Picture shows: (back row, left to right) Conor Davis, Sarah Jameson, Scott Adams, Kurtis Leather, Kieran Taylor, Adrian Hardy. (front row, left to right) Olympia Mitchinson, Joanne Deveney, Sarah Boyle, Jane Hobley.

Hope School visit

EDNA Hulme secretary for the Friends of Haigh Country Park is pictured with teachers Claire and Jill, with the young people from Hawkley Brook College (Hope School) who were helping out with the gardening work for their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award on the Crazy Golf at Haigh. Edna said: "We are extremely pleased to have had these young people helping out on the Crazy Golf at Haigh they are working hard towards their Duke Of Edinburgh’s Award." "The Friends Of Haigh Country Park are very pleased in being able to help these young people to achieve their award. We wish them well."

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Review courtesy Auto Express, your No1 stop for news and information about the motor trade

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If MINI purists have recovered from the launch of the C o u n t r y m a n , Clubman, Roadster and Coupe, it’s time for them to be up in arms once again with the arrival of a fivedoor version of the standard MINI hatchback.

It makes complete sense, though – the five-door hatch market is twice as large as that for threedoors, and MINI admits people have been going elsewhere as its car only has three doors.

But does it work or does it ruin what is the current Auto Express Car of the Year? We’re pleased to report that it’s as brilliant as the threedoor, with a surprising dose of practicality. So let’s start with some numbers. An extra 72mm has been added to the wheelbase, which has all gone straight into rear legroom. There’s also an extra 89mm of bodywork at the back, meaning an extra 50 litres of boot space, giving a total of 278 litres – still less than a Ford Fiesta, but a decent enough space that’s easy to access. Then, there’s the price – our Cooper S costs from £19,255, a £600 premium over the three-door, which is mirrored throughout the range (which follows that of the three-door with One, Cooper and Cooper S and three petrol or diesel engines). Economy takes a slight tumble – 47.9mpg vs 49.6mpg – and CO2 rises by 3g/km. Not a huge difference in the general scheme of things. You won’t notice the 0.1second increase in the 062mph time, either. The 2.0-litre turbo engine offers real punch from low revs,

while the whoosh from the turbo and distant pops from the exhaust up the excitement level, too. Of equal importance is how practical the new car is. The five-door is new from the windscreen backwards, but from the front seat it feels identical to the three-door car: there’s the same high quality, typical upright MINI driving position and loads of hi-tech kit available on the all too tempting options list (which now includes ultra premium MINI Yours bits). To get into the front seat, you’ll have to open a shorter door complete with window frames – unlike the three-door. It doesn’t make getting in any more difficult, but the rather stubby rear doors look a bit unusual and are the only real sticking point to five-door ownership. The opening to the back seats isn’t exactly gaping, especially at the bottom where you have to angle your feet to get them inside. Once you’re in, you’ll be surprised by the space. The rear seats appear quite upright, but are comfy enough, while we managed to get a six foot tall passenger behind a six foot driver with reasonable comfort, if not legroom to spare. Headroom is good, though, so you’ll be more comfortable than you would be in a Fiesta. A third passenger in the middle is possible, but a poor relation. All that extra space does have an impact on the looks – it’s not quite as cohesive as the three-door MINI, but still cute. Those small rear doors look odd and the rear seems to lift up at the back, but the same smiley front end with fancy LED driving lights remains. As does the driving experience, which has the ability to thrill, even at low speed, while the ride comfort compromises of MINIs of old are long gone. Set the adaptive dampers to

Sport and it’s still firm, but not wincingly so. You can even tune the Sport setting to leave

Verdict

The MINI 5-door is a worthy addition to the range of our reigning Car of the Year, and adds s u r p r i s i n g practicality to the fabulously fun package of the three-door car. The MINI is better than ever to drive, easier than ever to live with and cooler than ever to look at, plus has an array of advanced tech, too.

OSPEC

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the adaptive dampers in comfort mode, but still enjoy sharper throttle response and steering. That steering remains light, but quick to react, with seemingly zero body roll for MINI’s traditional go-kart feel. Prices remain reasonable, but with every MINI, it’s more about where your price finishes than where it starts, such is the array of options. The MINI is now a seriously advanced bit of kit, with everything from head-up display to an auto box that works with the nav to select the right ratio. Clever stuff.

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Courier SPORT IT’S THAT time of year again. As you read this, the playoff semis are upon us, and as always, some very interesting fixtures are looming.

Of course, not everyone’s happy. There are no Yorkshire representatives remaining, while of the four clubs left, Wigan, Warrington, St Helens and Catalan Dragons, the two most likely to create a really pulsating Grand Final – Wigan and Warrington – have been drawn against each other. For this, we can thank Saints chairman Eamonn McManus, who, perhaps inevitably, used the Club Call to provide his team with what he considers the potentially weakest opponent – Catalan. It’s the first time to my memory that the Club Call, which I’ve long considered a gimmick, has provided the team who’ve won it with a real advantage. But for everyone else it could be seen as unfortunate, as it ensures that at least one of the two clubs most neutrals supposedly want to see play each other in the final

Paul Finch is

The Insider

Wigan Warriors from the Inside Out...

will go out. Of course, nothing is guaranteed at this stage. There is no reason why either St Helens or Catalan couldn’t play their part in a storming end-of-season finale. The former finished top of the league almost by default – mainly this was thanks to Catalan’s unexpected 28-6 defeat of Castleford, but on the whole St Helens have performed very well this year. However, even their own fans have expressed concern about their lightweight pack and lack of first choice halfbacks. They’ve certainly been stricken with injuries in 2014 (as certain punters who shall be nameless never cease to tell us). It’s also the case that Saints will have had possibly the easiest route to Old Trafford (if indeed they get there), that I personally can remember. Their Qualifying Round opponents were Castleford, and though on paper that looked a tall order, Cas have for several weeks been a shadow of the force they were, as illustrated by Saints’ 41-0 victory. Saints’ semi-final opponents

meanwhile, Catalan, though they can put up a fight at home, have a reputation for being poor travellers. In addition, they only finished seventh in the league; it’s a rare occasion indeed, if not unknown, for teams finishing so low in the top eight to make it into the semis. Of course, Catalan may offer a few surprises of their own. They beat Leeds thrillingly in the Qualifying Round, and their Eliminator Round battle with Huddersfield was terrifically exciting, though sadly played in front of what looked like a completely empty stadium (about which more later on). Only losing by 16-18, the Giants covered themselves with a little more glory than they did a week earlier at the DW Stadium, where Wigan gave them a beating more severe than almost anything I’ve ever seen dished out in a play-off round before. That said, the Dragons were up to the task. They are famous for their muscular pack, but they also have match-winners in their backline, and were worthy winners in the end.

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So there is still no guarantee that Saints will reach the final. Catalan are in the mood, and could provide a real stiff challenge. Wigan v Warrington could also go either way. Neither have consistently been at their best this season, yet both are formidable forces on their day. In 2014, Wire have clearly felt the loss of Lee Briers and Adrian Morley, who while both were veterans when they moved onto pastures new, were integral parts of the Primrose and Blue machine, and had a talisman impact whenever they were on the teamsheet. But Wire still have top men everywhere else on the park: Ratchford, Myler, the Monaghans, Westwood, Waterhouse – you name it, they are all tried and tested performers, and can never be written off in any circumstances. Wigan meanwhile appear to be following a familiar routine of having dipped in form during the latter quarter of the league campaign, only to step it up again enormously as the business end gets under way. The final two league matches saw them beat Leeds convincingly by 216 and win an arm-wrestle of a game against Warrington by 24-20. Then came that 57-4 thumping of Huddersfield Giants in the

Qualifier Round. There were bound to be some questions asked about this one. Teams who’ll benefit from having a second bite of the cherry are often accused of chucking the towel in early if their opponents get ahead. If such a mentality has ever existed, and I can’t understand how it would in professional sport, Huddersfield Giants have got to be the best ever candidates for having displayed it at the DW a couple of weeks ago. Okay, Wigan were good, but were they that good? It’s true the Giants were missing Danny Brough, but he’s not exactly Alex Murphy. His team still fielded one of the biggest and most feared packs in Super League, and yet Wigan brutalised them almost to death in the first half – to such an extent that in the second half the Cherry and Whites were able to cut loose and score a succession of spectacular tries. The stage is certainly set for two fascinating semi finals, which may be taking place as you read this article. I just hope that, if they are, the attendances are not too embarrassing. Which brings me to my second point of the week. Despite Wigan attracting criticism for drawing only 8,652 fans to their Qualifier Round against Huddersfield, that match

Are promotion hopes now but a dream? DESPITE A promising preseason and a plethora of new signings, Wigan Athletic’s start to the new Championship season has been l a r g e l y disappointing. At the time of writing we haven’t won any our last four games, which have included losses to Blackburn, Ipswich and Bournemouth. For a team that should be focusing on the play-offs, if not winning the league, this is plainly unacceptable.

By our Latics columnist Sam Oliver

surely give us more options in the final third of the pitch. I’m not saying we should get rid of Rosler. He clearly has his methods, and when they work, they work incredibly well. The thing we need most at the moment is consistency. Instead of rotating the squad so much for every game, we should keep key players in place for consecutive matches. I’m not being naïve. I know that players need resting at certain points

starting him ahead of the dependable Leon Barnett is a mistake? Don Cowie is very overrated, and Fortune has no pace or stamina to trouble the opposition - he makes Emile Heskey look like Lionel Messi. Starting with I try to be as optimistic Oriol Riera would as I can in this column but recent results have been incredibly frustrating. With nine games gone, we’re currently in 18th place WARRIORS' Scrum with two points – 12 Half Matty Smith has put points adrift of league pen to paper on a new leaders Norwich. It seems like Uwe four-year deal with the Rosler’s magic formula has suddenly run dry. Wigan Club. Signed from Salford in July 2012, What happened to the team that played some Matty has become an integral part of sensational football Shaun Wane’s team. Smith won the towards the back-end of Lance Todd Trophy in the 2013 last season? Challenge Cup Final and played a Rosler’s team huge role in Wigan’s double-winning selections have also success last year. bamboozled many Smith has been key player this Latics fans. In our most recent game against season, scoring 276 points for the Bournemouth (a 2-0 Club, with his form earning a call up loss) he started with to the Super League Dream Team for young Rob Kiernan in the second consecutive year. The defence, Don Cowie in new deal will see Smith stay with the midfield and Marc Warriors until the end of the 2018 A n t o i n e - F o r t u n e season. upfront. Wigan Warriors Head Coach Kiernan is a promising Shaun Wane said: “I am so pleased prospect, but surely

during a season, but if they can’t play at least three games in a row, then they don’t deserve to earn £20,000 a week. We need players who will attack the opposition and give them hell; one such player who’s been underutilised is Roger Espinoza, who runs teams ragged and puts in 100% every game. Drop Cowie to the bench and replace him with the Honduran. You may think I’m being incredibly harsh, and maybe I am.

However, the Championship is a ruthless league and we’re sliding to the bottom instead of rising to the top.

By the time you’ll read this we’ll have played Nottingham Forest at home. Let’s hope it becomes the turning point in Wigan Athletic’s season. Otherwise, we could be earning ourselves a one-way ticket to the third tier of English football.

Smith signs one year deal

that such an influential and skilful

player like Matty has committed his future to us. His desire for success is a perfect match for us as a Club and an organisation. He wants to be the best and he knows he can achieve that at Wigan.” Wigan Warriors Rugby General Manager Kris Radlinski added: “We

are thrilled to have secured the services of Matty Smith for four further years. His form has been outstanding this season, having played every game and leading the team through an injury crisis. “He has a level-headed and committed approach to Rugby League and has a proven big game mentality. We now expect Matty's career to kick on even more as he looks to take his Super League form onto the International stage.” Matty Smith said: “I love everything about the Club. Once the contract had been offered it didn't take me long to make my mind up to sign. Wigan have surpassed all the promises that were made when they originally signed me. "My game has improved significantly under the guidance of Shaun Wane, who was an important factor in me extending my stay."

was still the best attended of the weekend; even Leeds, who were facing sudden death, only drew 7,112. But let’s not pretend that is a good thing. It clearly isn’t. Though it flies in the face of all logic, play-off crowds are largely terrible. Much in-depth thinking has been expounded on this. It must be down to the state of the economy. It must be down to the season ticket culture. It must be down to the mismatches the early rounds can throw up. It must be down to the fact it isn’t always knock-out football. It must be down to the fact these fixtures are screened live in our favourite pubs and bars. Do you know what – waffle! I’ll tell you what it’s down to – the fans. I may make a few enemies here, but I’ve long suspected that too many

Rugby League supporters don’t deserve the game they follow. For so long now they’ve had this wonderful sport at their disposal, played by some of the best athletes in the country – men in peak condition, who go and clobber the living daylights out of each other purely to provide entertainment (and yet are grotesquely underpaid by the standards of other professional sports stars) – and yet so many of these fans can find something else to do when vital play-off fixtures come around. And why? Because such fixtures aren’t accounted for on the annual season ticket. What kind of complacency does this reveal? How much a sense of entitlement do some Rugby League fans have? Not everyone can afford it. I appreciate that, but that doesn’t explain the legions

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who seem to stay away at play-off time. I hear all the criticism levelled at the RFL, and I agree with most of it. But when the fans doing the complaining fail to show up for showpiece events like the play-offs, and leave the Sky cameras with no option but to pan across tier after tier of empty seating – which must be meat and drink to the game’s enemies – it leaves me frustrated and flabbergasted. These are big matches with huge potential to showcase the game at its best. And yet at present almost the exact opposite effect is being created. Think about that, people. If there is still a semi-final to be played as you’re reading this, stop fidgeting around in the autumn sunshine, and go out and watch it.

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Courier SPORT Warriors stroll to the semis

WARRIORS 57 GIANTS 4 PLAYOFFS FIRST ROUND W I G A N WARRIORS are just 80 minutes away from another Grand Final after demolishing Huddersfield Giants in a one sided playoff tie. The reigning champions were utterly dominant against a Giants side who played well below their best and who were blown away in a barnstorming second period. Josh Charnley scored two tries and Joel Tomkins

MOM Matty Smith picked up 21 points in the Giants rout

scored his first for the club since returning from rugby union. The Warriors play WARRINGTON in his week’s sudden-death tie at

home on Friday night, when it is hoped that a better attendance than the 8,652 that witnessed this masterclass make it to the DW. The Giants had won on seven of their 10 previous visits to the DW Stadium and ended the regular season with a seven-match unbeaten run, but theye were comprehensively outclassed bythe Warriors who were marshalled superbly by half-backs Blake Green and Matty Smith, Smith finishing a M-O-M performance with 21 points from a try, eight goals and a drop goal. The Giants found themselves behind as early as the third minute when winger Joe Burgess collected Green's high kick

only unluckily to lose the ball attempting to ground it over the line. The Warriors opened the scoring with a Smith penalty and Huddersfield were hanging on grimly until full-back Scott Grix conceded a scrum 10 metres out which gave Wigan an opportunity they took with both hands, with four tries in a devastating 13-minute spell. Bowen's brilliant pass got Charnley over for his 22nd try in 19 appearances in 2014, and then Matty Smith took centre stage. First the scrum-half burst through the attempted tackle of Shaun Lunt and sidestepped Grix for a solo score, and then a measured pass put substitute Tony

Rugby Union Roundup with Geoff Lightfoot

Wigan 27 St Benedicts 27 North Lancashire and Cumbria League Saturday Sept 27th 14 WIGAN FACED a team capable in all aspects of the game, the best thus far from a Cumbrian outfit, fast backs out wide and a competent kicking game that was always asking questions of the Wigan defence. It was 'nip and tuck' throughout and at the final whistle a draw; a fair result.

Wigan opened with a Matty Price penalty but St Benedicts were quick to reply with a converted try to take the lead. Wigan went back in front, the ball

moving quickly along the line where Sam Heeley dummied outside and slipped over for a try, Price adding the conversion. Poor tackling from Wigan inside the opposition '22' allowed St Benedicts to break the length of the field for their winger to score an unconverted try to once again nudge ahead 10-12. Wigan went ahead again, Chris Lowton picking up from the breakdown to crash over, Price slotting the conversion but 'Bennies' kept in touch with a penalty to make it 17-15. From a line-out just inside St Benedicts half Heeley made the initial break to send Peter Rigby powering through the defensive line before finding Martin Gambles in close support on the inside who, although tackled just short, managed to offload to Josh Beever who went over. Price

converted for 15-24 at half time. In the second half St Benedicts came back with a converted try to make for a two point game and regained the lead once more with a try wide out. Wigan stuck at it and a penalty from Price in the last seconds evened it at 27-27.

Liverpool Collegiate 43 Orrell 3 South Lancs & Cheshire div 2 Saturday Sept 27th 14

STILL SEARCHING for their first win of the season Orrell went down again 43-3 away to Liverpool Collegiate. In the opening minutes Orrell gave away several penalties allowing Collegiate to take a 6-0 lead from a penalty and a drop goal. Orrell continued to infringe and with Lloyd Davies yellow carded the home

Clubb through a gap for a try. Wigan were cranking it up, and they topped an impressive first half with a long-range try, from great work by the left-wing pairing of Sarginson and Burgess, and finished by industrious second rower Liam Farrell in support. With Smith converting three of the tries, Wigan led 24-0 at the break, but the Giants gave themselves brief hope by scoring the first try of the second half. Lunt's darting run opened up the Wigan defence and Leroy Cudjoe's kick was palmed back to him by Craig Kopczak for the centre to touch down for an unconverted try That didn’t stop the Warriors sweeping forward

side added a second penalty. Although a man short Orrell managed to get into their opponents half and were on the board with a penalty from Adam Worley. Back to full strength, Orrell had Collegiate under pressure and should have scored but for dropped pass but just before the break Collegiate crossed for a converted try for 19-3 at the interval. Early in the second half the home side slotted a second drop goal and went in for a second try from a scrum close to the Orrell posts. With both Orrell props off injured and down to 14 men the game went to untested scrums. Collegiate took full advantage and crossed for two more converted tries to take the bonus point.

(Geoff Lightfoot)

again, with four more tries in a 12-minute spell. Smith's half-break enabled Tomkins to power his way over and then Sarginson took a return pass from Burgess to score the sixth try. Then Wigan took the stuffing out of the Giants with a 70-metre try from Bowen, fashioned by Green and Eddy Pettybourne, and with Wigan in top gear now, Charnley ran over the Grix to score his second try.

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Skipper Sean O'Loughlin juggled Green's pass to touch down, and Burgess went the full length of the pitch after collecting a wayward kick from Luke Robinson to score for his ninth successive matchand leave the Giants shell shocked and downcast. Smith took his goal tally to eight and then rounded off the scoring with a drop goal.

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