BENTLEY are on top of the section, courtesy of a 20-18 win over previous leaders SADDLEWORTH RANGERS, who have slipped to third.
Rangers, who had prevailed 18-0 in Oldham, had looked certain winners early in the first half, an 18-0 lead having been established through Josh Bradbury’s conversions of tries by Rob Charles, Hayden Enziano and Jay Taylor.
But in a remarkable transformation Saddleworth were denied any further score. Bentley were only four points behind by the break, Matty Hall having crossed twice and Alex Bates barging in.
And, in the second period, the only try went to Scott Smith, on 65 minutes, with Kieran Lewis landing his second (and match-winning) goal.
KEIGHLEY ALBION, who toppled bottom side BEVERLEY 32-22, are behind Bentley solely on points difference.
Beverley, who had lost 35-22 at home, were 22-20 in front with only nine minutes left, having posted tries by Joe Newton, Connor Matthews, Tom Burnett and Alec Hardie, with Hardie (two) and Joe Dobson adding the goals.
But Albion, who had trailed 16-4 at the break, took the spoils through tries by Josh Tenniswood and Jamie Stephenson, with Col Hudson adding the last two of his four goals. Cobi Denton, Kieron Blakeley, Morgan Robinson and Tenniswood had crossed earlier.
FEATHERSTONE LIONS (the form side in the section with three wins on the trot) beat MILLOM, who are rooted in the bottom two, 42-4.
The Woolybacks, who had won 30-6 in Cumbria, had to wait until eight minutes into the second half before opening their account, through Reien Weightman.
That score pegged the Lions back to 22-4 but the hosts reassumed control with tries by James Metcalfe, Spencer Howcroft and, after Millom’s Dom O’Brien had been yellow carded for a high tackle, Ash Smith and Ash Allman.
Smith, Jordan Walker, Dec Nicholson and Allman had crossed in the first half, when Liam Kay kicked the first three of his five goals.
LEIGH EAST, who were targeting a fifth successive win in the bid to join the leading trio, were scuttled 20-18 by MILFORD, who are two points clear of the re-election zone.
Visitors Milford, who had lost 30-16 on their own Leeds patch, couldn’t stop an 8-0 lead being turned into an 18-8 deficit, but took the spoils through late tries by Joe Tharme and Callum Clarke, with Josh Cawood kicking the last two of his three goals.
Ben Brown had opened Milford’s account, Liam Lockwood improving, while East had led through a Marcus Mercer brace, a Matty Aspinall try and three Adam Holland goals.
Fifteen-man DISTINGTON opened the scoring at MYTON on eight minutes with a Jack Payne try.
The Warriors, however, controlled the rest of the contest, completing a double after the 14-10 success in Cumbria with a 46-4 verdict to go joint-third.
Tyler Fisher led the charge with 18 points from three tries and three goals, and there were two tries each for Lewis Benn and Nathan Slater. Alfie Wall and Ryan Walker also dotted down and Keelan Gregg landed two goals as the visitors’ bid for a third win on the trot was well and truly thwarted.