THREE promotions in a row have powered Dodworth Miners Rugby League team up the divisions.

The club have achieved the impressive feat with a core of local lads.

It goes against the grain for a South Yorkshire-based team to have success in a sport which is primarily played in the west of the county.

But the sport is thriving in Dodworth with around 180 youngsters also involved at the club with scouts from the country’s biggest teams eyeing their youngsters.

It’s the first team’s success which has been building the club’s reputation in the short-term.

Chairman Matthew Lock said: “Ultimately rugby league does not get the coverage other sports do.

“But we have turned that negative into a positive and flipped it around.

“Being in Barnsley we’ve actually got a bigger catchment area as we are the only local club in the area.

“We show that rugby league is a great alternative to football and the seasons don’t clash so we have that in our favour too.

“A large majority of the team are local lads and have played together for a long time.

“It means they have a brotherly bond.

“All the team have contributed this season.”

The club will now compete in Division One their highest ever position.

It’s a rapid rise after the club was reformed in 2019 after initially folding back in 2013.

They finished second in this year’s campaign and suffered a play-off final loss to East Hull at Batley last month.

It mattered little as two teams were promoted and Dodworth had done more than enough to secure that berth.

It has earned them a slot in the Sporting Achievement category.

Matthew added: “It is one hundred per cent an honour to be recognised and shows that all the hard work behind the scenes has been paying off.”