SADDLEWORTH RANGERS are second in the tightly-contested table after completing a double over Leigh East, winning 32-16.
The Pennine side, bidding to avoid a fourth successive defeat in what is a truly topsy-turvy bottom tier, got off to an impressive start with tries in the first eleven minutes for Finn Winterbottom and Evan Parry, the second of which Connor Whitehead converted.
Saddleworth extended their lead when Whitehead converted his own touchdown on 21 minutes.
But East cut the lead to 16-4 by the break, courtesy of a Cameron Clark try.
Rangers nosed 16 points clear again on 54 minutes, Reece Hamlett powering over and man-of-the-match Whitehead improving.
Clark, however, grabbed his second score as the hour beckoned, the outstanding Jordan Hellam adding the extras.
But Saddleworth effectively settled the issue with quickfire tries in the closing quarter for Elliott Caine and Whitehead, the latter adding his fourth goal.
And a hat-trick touchdown for Clark, converted by Hellam, came too late to affect the outcome, although East remain ensconced in the top six.
With only two minutes remaining, Rangers, and everyone else present, were affected by a neck injury sustained by Sam Eyres, who was left motionless on the pitch following an innocuous tackle.
Eyres, who remained on the ground, unable to move, for around half-an-hour, has happily made a full recovery but will certainly not feature again this season, primarily on the instructions of the club.
MILLOM, who hope to avoid having to seek re-election by finishing above the bottom two, beat leaders BENTLEY 34-16.
Moreover, the Woolybacks went into the contest on the back of four successive defeats, while Bentley had prevailed 32-18 in Doncaster.
The Cumbrians were 22-0 up by the half-hour, helped by an early Hayden Jackson brace and tries for Jonty Peters and Connor Terrill.
Bentley had, by the hour-mark, responded with touchdowns to Jack Craswell and Jordan Middleton, but Rio Walker dotted down for Millom between them.
In a frenzied finale, Jude Lupton burrowed over for the hosts, with Lee Postlethwaite adding his fifth goal before, after the Woolybacks’ Andrew Dawson had been sinbinned for a high tackle, Kieran Lewis scored a consolation try for the visitors, the same player adding his second goal.
Millom, despite their notable win, remain in the re-election zone, on points difference to MILFORD, who lost 22-16 at home to KEIGHLEY ALBION, who have gone above Bentley into pole position.
Milford, who had been targeting a third successive win, were seeking retribution for a 22-18 defeat at Keighley – and that ambition looked eminently possible when, with ten minutes left, the north Leeds side led 16-12 through tries by Kiernan Tierney, Charlie Asser and Tayler Stephenson, two of which Josh Cawood had converted.
With seven minutes left, though, Jack Adams dotted down and Cal Hudson booted his third goal (Evan Jones and Josh Tenniswood had crossed earlier).
And, after three Milford men had been sinbinned (Jayden Ellis, Logan Stott and Kyle Tasker for, respectively, pushing after a try had been scored, a professional foul and dissent), with Adams also copping a yellow card, for running in, Albion sealed victory with a Connor Meagan try.
FEATHERSTONE LIONS, who trekked to DISTINGTON as the form team in the section with three wins on the hoof, were beaten 16-6.
The Cumbrians exacted retribution for their 60-0 hammering at the Millpond with a victory which keeps their play-off hopes alive, while the Lions remain in fourth spot.
Distington led 10-0 at the interval, thanks to tries by Scott Rooke and Jack Penrice and a Scott George penalty-goal.
Keiran Worthington extended the lead to 14-0 on the hour with a well-taken touchdown, before the Lions’ hopes were raised when Jack Lloyd popped over three minutes later and Liam Kay improved – but a George penalty-goal with five minutes left settled home nerves.