WATH BROW HORNETS added to their credentials as genuine championship contenders by inflicting a first defeat of the season on League Leaders’ Shield winners WEST HULL after the sides had been level at 6-6 at the interval.
Hornets, who will face a tough battle through the play-offs from sixth spot, are nevertheless certainly in fine form with no defeats in the last five outings and will travel to fourth-placed Thatto Heath in confident mood, having beaten Wests 16-10 to add to the 14-13 triumph at Siddal the previous weekend.
The Cumbrians, who had lost 44-26 in Hull, prevailed through a Morgan McCourt brace and four goals by Cole Walker-Taylor. The Green & Golds registered tries by Jack Lazenby and Josh Wood, plus a Jack Sanderson conversion. And, after having dropped their first points of the campaign the previous week against Hunslet ARLFC, the table-toppers will be keen to dispel suspicions that their bubble may have burst.
Second-placed HUNSLET ARLFC have now gone nine games without defeat after gaining revenge for the 26-12 loss at SIDDAL by registering a 28-6 victory in south Leeds.
The hosts were 22-0 up on 39 minutes, thanks to tries by Harry Shackleton, Harry Dodd, Craig McShane and Ben Shulver.
Siddal though pegged Hunslet back to 22-6 at the break, Jamie Greenwood improving Oliver Lewis’ touchdown. And in an attritional second period there was no score until the closing seconds, when McKenzie Haigh powered over and Shackleton kicked his fourth goal.
THATTO HEATH CRUSADERS have leapfrogged Siddal, who haven’t won any of their last three fixtures, into fourth place, courtesy of a 56-14 stroll over 16-man LOCK LANE, who had been edged 24-18 in Castleford.
The Crusaders, who haven’t lost in seven games, closed with a Callum Gregory hat-trick, a brace for Alex Speakman and touchdowns to Sean Leicester, Sean Kenny, Jacob Woods, Jamie Tracey and Kye Siyani, with Ryan Houghton adding eight goals.
The Lane, who responded to Speakman’s opener with a Brandon Worsley effort, were 38-4 adrift at the break before Tom Boardman scored first in the second period and Nathan Fozzard added the extras. But the visitors subsequently conceded two tries after Thatto had lost Jake Dickinson to the sin-bin for repeat offending. And Connor Wilson’s late touchdown – followed by Siyani’s score – was nothing more than a consolation effort for a side that had already sealed top-flight survival.
Third-placed WATERHEAD WARRIORS crushed YORK ACORN, who had a full complement of players and had won 26-4 at home, 94-0.
Acorn, who were already free of relegation worries but have now lost four of their last five games, had a grand performer in loose forward George Hunt, but otherwise the celebrations were all Waterhead’s.
Callum Cameron scored a hat-trick in the romp and there was a brace apiece for Jenson Hamilton, Harrison Dodd, Kegan Brennan (who booted 15 goals for a 38-point contribution) and Matthew Holland.
Mitchell Birch, Nathan Mason, Tyrone Chipchase, Matthew Fletcher and Vinny Arthurs closed the account.
ROCHDALE MAYFIELD, who have been rooted at the foot of the table throughout the season, have bowed out of the top-flight in style and, after the previous week’s unfortunate defeat at York Acorn, toppled WIGAN ST JUDES 26-6 to end a six-match losing sequence.
The eighth-placed Saints, who have lost their last eight games, were 18-0 down before Declan Parkinson crossed on the cusp of half-time and Danny Fallon added the extras.
Wigan, who had won 40-10 at home, were already 22-6 adrift when Jacob Dugdale was yellow-carded for dissent. Cole Connolly booted the resultant penalty and, on 75 minutes, a third, having converted first-half tries by Joe Hickey, Jack Green and David Mills.
WEST BOWLING, who were never behind, notched a fourth successive win with a 46-26 victory over relegated HEWORTH.
The Bradford outfit, who are six points shy of the play-off berths, closed with two tries each for Lewis Camden and Andrew Gabriel, while Liam Darville, Cody Birkett, Lewis Galtress and Archie Halmshaw also dotted down. Harry Williams improved six scores and Richard Lumb improved the last effort, while the Villagers posted a Tino Mulase brace, a Harrison Briggs touchdown and, in the last twelve minutes, consolation tries by Dan Clarke and Finley Tait, with Jack Sadler adding his second goal.
In a stormy finish Wests had Oliver Bartle sin-binned for ‘hands in the face’ and Chris Cullimore red-carded for allegedly fighting with Heworth’s Tom Hardy, who was also sent off for reportedly running in and punching.
DEWSBURY CELTIC are the DIVISION ONE champions!
Celtic leapfrogged KELLS into pole position with a 26-8 home win, in a real ‘winner-takes-all’ clash on the last day of the regular season.
Kells, who had prevailed 36-16 at home, had travelled from Cumbria top of the pile through a four-point differential in the points difference column and would therefore have gained promotion, through finishing top, in the event of a draw.
The Miners will, however, have another bite of the cherry because the Grand Final winner, after the top-six play-offs, will join Celtic in the top-flight next year. If Celtic win the final, Kells, as the second-placed side, will be elevated.
Aaron Burns gave the Whitehaven outfit an early lead but Dewsbury led 8-4 at the interval thanks to touchdowns by Nathan Lawrence and Jordan Hirst.
Cobi Ellis extended Celtic’s lead on the resumption, with Harry Watson replying for the visitors, who have lost two of their last four fixtures. But the hosts sealed a ninth game without defeat with tries by Casey Canterbury and Bailey Arnold, with Hirst completing a three-goal contribution.
OULTON RAIDERS have leapfrogged EGREMONT RANGERS into fifth spot with a 40-18 victory, in retribution for the 34-26 defeat in Cumbria.
The Raiders, who have won six of their last seven games, recovered from 10-4 behind to lead 16-14 on 46 minutes.
Tries by Charlie Tetley and Bailey Metcalfe prompted a second touchdown by Rangers’ Connor Williams to reduce the arrears to ten points, but Oulton eased home with a Noah Kershaw brace in the last eight minutes, with Archie Craggs adding the last two of his six goals.
Alfie Hawkhead, Adrian Holdsworth and Joe Horan had crossed in the first half for the Leeds side while Joe Lewis scored a try and a goal or the visitors, who will go above Oulton if they can win at Wigan St Patrick’s next week in the closing game of the regular season.
STANNINGLEY registered a 56-6 win at relegated PILKINGTON RECS, gaining revenge for the 22-18 home defeat.
The Leeds side currently enjoy a five-match winning run and would have made an impact in the promotion play-offs if not for the fact that they will not feature, a top-six berth now being mathematically impossible.
Pilks were level midway through the first half, Scott Simmons replying to Connor Aveyard’s opener and Tom Connick improving.
But Stanningley went on to breach the half-century. Aveyard closed with a hat-trick and there were two tries each for Alfie Peach and Jacob Morgan. Ben Selby, Dion Henry and Luke Townsend also nipped in and Zak Clayton landed seven goals, with Jack Sykes then converting the final score.
Ninth-placed WIGAN ST PATRICK’S ended an eight-match losing run with a 38-12 triumph over third-placed DEWSBURY MOOR MAROONS, who had prevailed 52-4 at home.
Pats were 32-0 ahead before the Moor notched quick-fire tries through Kieren Hepworth and Matthew Race as the game entered the final quarter, with Louie Walker and Race adding the respective extras.
But Wigan closed strongly with a touchdown by Riley Dervan, with Jack Sproat appending his fifth goal.
Sproat had previously crossed twice on his way to an 18-point contribution while other home touchdowns went to Jack Lightbown, Adam O’Neill, Ronan Bradbury and Reece Rowcroft.
EAST LEEDS, who are fourth, avoided a third successive defeat by completing the `double’, after the 42-10 away win, over bottom side OLDHAM ST ANNES.
The Saints opened through Aidy Gleeson but Easts were never again behind once Nehemiah Mensah claimed the first of his three tries.
Keidan Hartley (2), Dave Gibbons, Luke Mullen, Tom Paddy, Luke Littlewood and Jake Walker added touchdowns and Littlewood landed eight goals.
Oldham’s other tries were scored by Callum Cashin (2), Oliver Bryan and Matt Whitehead, who kicked four goals.
Easts’ Kieran Brining and the Saints’ Kendal Davies were red-carded on 26 minutes for an alleged altercation while Oldham’s Thomas Taylor copped yellow midway through the second period for fighting.
LEIGH MINERS avenged the 36-12 defeat in Dewsbury with a 56-6 win over SHAW CROSS SHARKS, who have lost five of their last six games but would have stayed above Leigh, in seventh spot, had they prevailed.
The Miners ended a six-match losing run with two tries each for Jack Hamer and Noah Lancelott, while Isaac Hewitt chipped in with a try and eight goals.
Matt Parkes, Diego Walker, Tom Burnett, Brad Lewis and Dylan Hughes also crossed while the Sharks were 12-0 down before Jack Toulson touched down and Evan Stephenson added the extras.
The play-offs
THE road to Wakefield, and the National League’s inaugural Grand Final at the DIY Kitchens Stadium on Saturday, October 24, begins on October 10.
The top two – League Leaders’ Trophy winners West Hull and runners-up Hunslet ARLFC – have byes at the opening stage.
Waterhead Warriors, who finished third, are at home to sixth-placed Wath Brow Hornets while Thatto Heath Crusaders entertain Siddal as the sides finishing fourth and fifth respectively.
West Hull will host the lowest-placed side of the two survivors in the semi-finals, on Saturday, October 17, and Hunslet will be at home to the other team.
SCOREBOARD
Results
Saturday 26 September
NATIONAL LEAGUES
PREMIER DIVISION
Hunslet ARLFC 28 Siddal 6
Rochdale Mayfield 26 Wigan St Judes 6
Thatto Heath Crusaders 56 Lock Lane 14
Waterhead Warriors 94 York Acorn 0
Wath Brow Hornets 16 West Hull 10
West Bowling 46 Heworth 24
DIVISION ONE
Dewsbury Celtic 26 Kells 8
East Leeds 56 Oldham St Annes 28
Leigh Miners Rangers 56 Shaw Cross Sharks 6
Oulton Raiders 40 Egremont Rangers 18
Pilkington Recs 6 Stanningley 56
Wigan St Patricks 38 Dewsbury Moor Maroons 12
CROSS-CONFERENCE PLAY-OFFS
CHAMPIONSHIP (QUARTER-FINALS): Orrell St James 25 Newsome Panthers 12; Blackbrook 40 Keighley Albion 4; Saddleworth Rangers 6 Featherstone Lions 16; Ince Rose Bridge 26 Fryston Warriors 16.
The semi-finals, at Victoria Park Warrington on Saturday 10 October, are: Blackbrook v Orrell St James; Featherstone Lions v Ince Rose Bridge.
SHIELD (QUARTER-FINALS): Ashton Bears v Woolston Rovers -nr; Milford 32 Drighlington 10; Myton Warriors v Clock Face Miners -nr; Kippax Welfare 40 Crosfields 16.
The semi-finals, at Pilkington Recs on Saturday 10 October, are: Ashton Bears or Woolston Rovers v Milford; Myton Warriors or Clock Face Miners v Kippax Welfare.
REGIONS
CUMBRIA MEN’S LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION GRAND FINAL: Wath Brow Hornets A 28 Askam 16.
DIVISION ONE GRAND FINAL: Egremont Rangers A 50 Aspatria 8.
Both at Lowca.
NORTH WEST MEN’S LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION: West Bank Bears 18 Halton Farnworth Hornets 16.
DIVISION 1: Salford City Roosters 10 Garswood Stags 22.
DIVISION 2: Thatto Heath Crusaders Academy 32 Latchford Albion Giants 16.
ENTRY DIVISION: Burtonwood Bridge 20 Cadishead Rhinos 38; Langworthy Reds v Widnes St Maries -nr.
YORKSHIRE MEN’S LEAGUE
DIVISION 4: King Cross Park 0 Stanningley 24.
DIVISION 7: Clayton 12 Boothtown Terriers 40.
FRIENDLY: Upton A 16 Whinmoor Warriors 18.
Fixtures
Saturday 3 October
NATIONAL LEAGUES
PREMIER DIVISION
York Acorn v Wath Brow Hornets
DIVISION ONE
Wigan St Patricks v Egremont Rangers