WEST BOWLING were denied the chance to temporarily go top of the table on Friday evening, visitors SIDDAL prevailing 38-22 to leapfrog the Bradford outfit into second spot.
The hosts were 16-14 ahead at the break but found themselves ten points adrift within eight minutes of the restart, Lewis Hosty and Ben Hinsley having crossed the visitors, with Hosty adding both goals.
Bowling hit back immediately through Aiden Scully, Harry Williams landing his third conversion.
But Siddal again posted a double-whammy, Christian Ackroyd and Canaan Smithies powering over in the last nine minutes and Hosty completing a five-goal contribution.
Wests had led through tries by Lewis Taylor, Lewis Magson and Liam Darville, while the Halifax side’s response involved touchdowns to Henry Turner, Harry Milnes and Oliver Lewis.
Bowling’s Alix Stephenson (delaying a restart midway through the first half) and Siddal’s Harry Georgiou (high tackle five minutes shy of the hour) were sinbinned.
Leaders WEST HULL are two points clear of Siddal and West Bowling, thanks to a 32-18 victory at WATERHEAD WARRIORS, who remain in fourth spot because of defeats for York Acorn and Wath Brow, while Lock Lane were held to a draw at Leigh Miners.
Waterhead looked likely winners in the early stages, a 10-0 lead having been established through tries by Danny Bridge and Vinny Arthurs, with Kegan Brennan adding a conversion.
Wests, however, were 12-10 ahead by the break, Jack Townend and Leon Stewart popping over and Townend improving both efforts – the second as the interval whistle blew.
Brennan restored parity with a penalty-goal eight minutes after the restart, but the visitors responded through Benn Arbon, with Eligh Wilkinson goaling this time.
The sinbinning of the Warriors’ Jenson Hamilton on the hour proved to be seminal, the Green and Golds posting tries for Oscar Ellerington and Kieran Masike (Wilkinson converting both scores) prior to Hamilton’s return.
Callum Murphy gave Waterhead some hope with a try three minutes from time which Brennan improved. But a Wilkinson penalty-goal ratified the visitors’ win.
Reigning champions HUNSLET ARLFC are the form team in the section and, in winning 30-16 at YORK ACORN, posted a fourth successive victory.
Acorn, who were seeking a third win on the hoof in the quest for a play-off spot, were 18-0 behind by the half-hour, Jordan Gale having scored a try and three goals, with George Rayner and Harry Shackleton also dotting down.
Matt Chilton opened the hosts’ account two minutes before the interval, Jack Green adding the extras, but Hunslet ARLFC restored their 18-point cushion when Oliver Whitford raced over on 55 minutes, Gale again improving.
Acorn made light of the sinbinning of Eddie Prescott for a late tackle as the hour beckoned, tries by Ryan Gallacher and Green – plus Green’s second goal – pegging the visitors back to 24-16.
But the south Leeds side survived Kieran Webster’s yellow card (for delaying a restart) before wrapping matters up with a Ben Shulver touchdown and Gale’s fifth goal.
Hunslet ARLFC are, despite their victory, still in the drop zone, THATTO HEATH CRUSADERS and Rochdale Mayfield being clear of the bottom three solely on points difference.
The Crusaders ended a three-match losing run to beat play-off aspirants WATH BROW HORNETS, who had not lost any of their previous three games, 40-6.
Ryan Houghton personally dominated the opening exchanges with three tries and three goals to establish an 18-0 lead for his side by the 14th minute.
Further touchdowns followed for Kean Gilford and Ellis Keppel, a Sean Leicester conversion easing Thatto 28-0 clear.
Hornets replied with Peter Caddy’s conversion of Morgan McCourt’s try to reduce the arrears to 28-6 at half-time.
But Thatto sealed their success with unanswered touchdowns by Oliver Owens and Andy Lea, both of which Leicester improved.
MAYFIELD, meanwhile, beat bottom side DEWSBURY MOOR MAROONS – who have yet to sample victory this season – 40-32.
The Moor opened the scoring through Keiran Hepworth but Mayfield led 16-4 at half-time, thanks to tries by Noah Lawton, Max Riseham and Tyrone Chipchase.
Chipchase and Joe Lowe added touchdowns after the restart to help forge a 26-4 lead – the second after Mayfield’s Jack McConnachie and Dewsbury Moor’s Aiden Ineson had been sinbinned for an altercation.
Cole Connolly’s conversion of Chipchase’s hat-trick score on 58 minutes stretched Mayfield’s advantage to 24 points, Ieaun Higgs having emulated Connolly’s two goals, while Ineson had crossed in the meantime for the visitors.
That cushion was needed, as the gallant Moor roared back with a James Samme hat-trick, a Gregory Colbridge try and four Ineson goals.
The flurry pegged Mayfield back to ten points at one stage, but the hosts were never in any real danger, thanks to the last two of Riseham’s three tries.
LEIGH MINERS RANGERS are seven points adrift of the safety area, but it could be worse if not for a stunning fightback by the Twist Lane outfit.
The Miners were 16 points down at half-time to LOCK LANE, but blasted back with tries in the last 16 minutes by Liam Kenyon (twice) and, in the closing seconds, Ben Turner. Crucially, Isaac Hewitt – who had converted his own touchdown in the first half – improved Kenyon’s second effort from the touchline before slotting over the levelling conversion from in front of the posts.
The 22-22 draw ends a seven-match losing run for Leigh while the Lane would, had they prevailed, have nosed above Waterhead into fourth place.
The Castleford outfit had led through a Harvey Kear brace, tries for Brandon Worsley and Lewis Price, and three Morgan Punchard conversions.