
A LAST-MINUTE field-goal by Harry Williams, landed from 30 metres in front of the posts, meant WEST BOWLING registered a dramatic 11-10 triumph at leaders SIDDAL.
Bowling, beaten 36-18 by Siddal on their own Bradford patch, posted a fourth successive victory in exacting retribution, while at the same time bringing the Halifax outfit’s seven-match winning run to an end – despite the home side scoring two tries to one.
Wests, who are only two points behind the top two, went in front in the eleventh minute through a Williams penalty-goal, but Siddal went in at the break 6-2 ahead, Conner MacCallum crossing on 19 minutes and Jamie Greenwood improving.
The visitors, who made light of the sinbinning of Liam Darville on 36 minutes for dissent, regained the advantage two minutes shy of the hour, Williams converting Oli Bartle’s try.
The lead was shortlived, Harvey Williams dotting down by way of response just four minutes later.
But in a dramatic finale, Harry Williams restored parity with a penalty-goal three minutes from time before firing his clinching one-pointer.
WEST HULL stay second, but are behind Siddal solely on points difference, thanks to a 44-12 success at bottom side LEIGH MINERS RANGERS, who had lost 38-0 on the east coast.
There was little between the sides late in the first half when the Miners trailed only 16-12, Joe Tyrer having converted tries by Tom Farrimond and George Maloney.
But Wests, who were never behind, dominated the rest of the game to leave Rangers reflecting on 13 games without a win.
Elliott Jones crossed two minutes before the break and grabbed his second try nine minutes after the restart.
Jack Lazenby nipped over between-times and the Green and Golds wrapped matters up in the final quarter with touchdowns for Lennox Green and Tom Verity, with Eligh Wilkinson completing a six-goal contribution.
Wilkinson, Verity and Keiron Masike had crossed for Wests in the early stages.
WATERHEAD WARRIORS, who had also won the corresponding fixture in Oldham 36-18, won 26-10 at Rochdale Mayfield to stay fourth in the standings and within touching distance of the leading group.
Mayfield, after three successive defeats, are only outside the relegation zone through a superior points difference to Lock Lane.
Last year’s Division One champions established a lead they were destined not to lose when Matt Holland charged over on eleven minutes, influential scrum-half Kegan Brennan adding the extras.
Brennan landed a penalty-goal as the half-hour mark beckoned and although Mayfield, for whom hooker Oli Morgan excelled, hit back through Ieaun Higgs, the visitors went in at the break 10-4 ahead, courtesy of another Brennan penalty-goal.
Jenson Hamilton raced over ten minutes after the restart, Brennan again improving, but the sinbinning of Phil Joy for a professional foul paved the way for Mayfield’s Max Riseman to cross.
Higgs’ conversion pegged the Warriors back to 16-10, but the visitors had the better of the last ten minutes, sealing a third win on the trot with tries by Harrison Dodd and Callum Murphy, the first of which Brennan converted.
Second-bottom DEWSBURY MOOR, who had beaten basement side Leigh Miners seven days previously, backed up that success with a 10-4 victory at YORK ACORN.
The wins may prove to be too late to save the Maroons, who are six points adrift of fourth-bottom Mayfield, from the drop.
But Acorn, who have prevailed in only one of their last six fixtures, are now too close to the drop zone for comfort, with only a two-point cushion.
George Woodcock kicked two penalty-goals in the first eight minutes and then converted Luke Adamson’s try at the opening period’s midway point to help forge a 10-0 interval lead.
Acorn, who had won 24-4 in Dewsbury, scored the only points of the second period, Jack Green touching down on 56 minutes, but the hosts were unable to notch the further try that could perhaps have rescued the situation.
THATTO HEATH CRUSADERS, who had won 40-6 in St Helens, marked a stunning double with a 46-20 triumph at WATH BROW HORNETS.
The Crusaders, who are a point adrift of fifth-placed Hornets in the standings, bounced back from an early Isaac Scott try to lead 22-6 with the help of touchdowns from Adam Saunders, Jamie Holroyd (twice) and Brad Ashurst.
Luke Jeremy, either side of the interval, replied for Hornets, with Andy Lea responding for Thatto.
With only twelve points separating the sides, Ryan Houghton grabbed the crucial score on 61 minutes, firing a short kick and, after pulling off a one-on-one ball-steal, dotting down and adding the fifth of his seven goals.
Alex Speakman closed the visitors’ account with a brace before Morgan McCourt grabbed a late consolation score for the Cumbrians, for whom Greg Rooney kicked two goals.
HUNSLET ARLFC maintained their bid for a play-off berth by completing a double over relegation-haunted LOCK LANE with a 30-12 success.
The reigning champions, who had prevailed 30-6 in Castleford, opened with a Josh McLelland try which Jordan Gale converted, but the visitors went in at the break 8-6 ahead through a McKenzie Coulson touchdown and two Nathan Fozzard goals.
Hunslet ARLFC shot into an 18-8 lead within seven minutes of the restart, Jake Dearden and Gale popping over and the latter improving both efforts.
Lock Lane hit back when Dylan Whitham dotted down on the hour but the south Leeds side sealed victory with a Gale penalty-goal, Dearden’s second try and a McKenzie Haigh try, Gale adding his fifth goal.
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Image: Vic Heritage