Paul Ballard

Two tries in four second-half minutes from Paul Ballard helped Blackpool to a 36-14 win over Lancashire rivals Rochdale in the Co-operative Championship One. Martin Keavney, Neil Holland and John Clough all crossed as the hosts established an 18-4 lead, before Ballard's double and further tries from Casey Maybury and Paul Alcock sealed the win. Rochdale had second-half efforts from Wayne Corcoran and Dayne Donoghue. In last ght's other game, Oldham pulled away in the second half to claim a 29-16 win  

WHITEHAVEN were last night handed a great chance of reaching the Carnegie Challenge Cup last-16 after pulling a fourth round tie at Championship One Blackpool Panthers. Blackpool, who last season won the inaugural Northern Rail 9s on home soil, include ex-Haven utility back Paul Ballard in their ranks. Ballard notched seven tries in nine matches for Haven, after joining the club on loan from Super League Celtic Crusaders last term, but opted to join the Panthers this season.  

The new look for getting around downtown was unveiled today as transit officials rolled out the buses for the Music City Circulator. The buses and vans will offer free rides around downtown and the Gulch, Monday through Saturday as early as 6 a.m. and as late as midnight. Buses will roll by about every 10 to 15 minutes.

With the Circulator in service, we hope a lot of people will just hop on the bus and not worry about parking   -Paul Ballard

 

The Thunder may have been clapped out but take nothing away from this storming Panthers display, easily the biggest win in their history. Blackpool's previous 30 matches in the Northern Rail Trophy had brought only one victory, but this 14-try spectacular ensured that for once the start-of-season tournament will not have been wiped from every Panthers supporter's memory by the time the league campaign begins next month. Hooker Martin Keavney notched a hat-trick, every back scored at least once and scr