SOMETHING had to give when unbeaten leaders EAST LEEDS hosted DEWSBURY CELTIC, who were seeking a sixth successive win. In the end Easts prevailed 28-12 after leading 16-0 at half-time.
The hosts went on to lead 28-0, Luke Littlewood having converted four of tries by Ajay Wilson, Callum Windley, Ryan Wooffitt, Jake Normington and Isaac Coleman.
And although Celtic closed with touchdowns by Alex Wightman and Jordan Wilkins, both of which Jordan Hirst improved, there was no doubting Easts’ superiority on the day.
Second-placed CLOCK FACE MINERS’ hopes of a fourth successive win looked forlorn when visitors NORMANTON eased to an 18-0 lead midway through the first half, thanks to Jacob Crossland’s conversions of tries by Taylor Carter, Adam Crowther and Nathan Evans.
The match, however, then turned on its head. Tom Taylor crossed five minutes before the break for the Miners, who restored parity eight minutes into the second period with touchdowns for Jack Graham and Brandon Lewis. And that was how it stayed until three minutes from time when Nathan Benson dotted down for Clock, Lewis Geraghty’s fourth goal cementing a 24-18 win.
Fifteen-man BARROW ISLAND registered a fourth successive win with an 18-4 victory at THORNHILL TROJANS, who have now lost six games on the trot.
The Island were 16-0 ahead after as many minutes, courtesy of tries by Perry Singleton, Jon Walsh and Fin Dutton-Rosconie, who improved two efforts.
Ryan Mitchell responded on the half-hour but Dutton-Rosconie’s penalty-goal on 39 minutes proved to be the last score of the game, despite Barrow Island having Trent Ruddy sinbinned on 68 minutes for a professional foul.
ELLENBOROUGH, who were at PILKINGTON RECS, also had only 15 men but suffered a 58-6 reverse.
Rangers were 46-0 down before Joe Appleby crossed on 62 minutes and Brett Stevenson added the extras. Pilks, meanwhile, closed with an Aidyn Jones hat-trick, a brace apiece for Tyrese Daley and Andy Knapper, and touchdowns to Josh O’Connell, Mark Ashton, Callum Derrick and Callum Johnson. Kyran Knapper kicked seven goals.
Bottom side SKIRLAUGH are still without a win after slipping 46-16 at HENSINGHAM.
The Hull side were only 22-16 behind on the hour but then leaked tries by Ben Pearce, Jordan Pritt, Rorie Henderson, Noel Branthwaite and Adam Williamson, with Miller Dalton kicking his fourth goal and Williamson converting his own score.
Logan McAvoy, Pearce, Luke Charlton and Matt Williams had opened for the Hens, while Skirlaugh had to settle for tries by George Thompson, Nathan Dunn and Billy Stead, with Tom Gray kicking two goals.
HULL DOCKERS slipped to a fifth successive reverse with Friday evening’s 26-22 defeat at DRIGHLINGTON.
There was little in it with ten minutes remaining, the Leeds outfit having responded to Jack Smith’s early try to forge a 22-16 lead with a Joe Sheldon brace, touchdowns to Max Liddimore and Luke Hudson, and three Mick Sanderson goals.
Zak Smith crossed, however, to give Drighlington a ten-point buffer, which was needed when the Dockers hit back through Dan Suddaby on 76 minutes, Suddaby adding his third conversion. But the hosts held out against a side who had also posted a couple of Oli Agar touchdowns.
