UNBEATEN leaders WEST HULL posted a sixth successive win – 30-4 at struggling LOCK LANE.
There was little between the sides at the break, Wests having gone 10-4 up with the help of a Tom Verity try on the half-hour.
But the Castleford outfit were unable to add to Morgan Punchard’s touchdown – which had been registered in the twelfth minute in response to Jack Lazenby’s early score and the first of Jack Sanderson’s three goals.
Ryan Langton crossed for the Green and Golds on 48 minutes, Kian Goodhand nipped over as the game entered the final quarter, and victory was sealed with tries in the last twelve minutes for Luke Moss and Kieran Masike.
Title aspirants HUNSLET ARLFC thwarted WATH BROW HORNETS’ bid for a fourth win on the hoof with a 26-16 triumph in south Leeds.
Hunslet were 16-0 ahead after as many minutes courtesy of tries by Tyler Dargan and, twice, Josh McLelland, with Lewis Heckford adding a couple of goals.
Deen Pattinson replied for the Cumbrians, but the hosts went in at the break 20-4 ahead, thanks to McLelland’s hat-trick score.
Hornets reduced the arrears to just four points when Matthew Creasey and Devan Sharp shot over in a five-minute spell straddling the hour-mark, Sam Curwen kicking both conversions.
But second-placed ARLFC ratified victory when Jamie Field crashed over on 66 minutes and Heckford added the extras.
THATTO HEATH, with three wins on the trot, are also declaring title ambitions as the leading trio put four points of daylight between themselves and the chasing pack, while YORK ACORN remain in the red zone after the Crusaders posted a 28-10 away victory.
The visitors blasted into a 16-0 lead on 25 minutes, Sean Leicester and (twice) Adam Saunders having crossed.
Ako Sovatabua squeezed in for Acorn as the interval beckoned but Thatto immediately hit back through Ryan Forshaw – with Ryan Houghton kicking his third goal – to help establish a 22-4 half-time lead.
Acorn raised their hopes when Ryan Gallacher raced over eleven minutes into the second period, Nath Hammerton’s conversion pegging Thatto back to within two scores.
But a try by Kye Siyani three minutes from the close, plus Houghton’s fourth goal, sealed the St Helens side’s first-ever win at Thanet Road and condemned the hosts to a third defeat on the trot.
Acorn and their neighbours HEWORTH are joint third-bottom, on the same points difference.
Heworth have been leapfrogged in the table by WEST BOWLING, who cruised to a 44-6 win over them.
The young Villagers side were already 40-0 adrift before Billy Sturdy crossed on 72 minutes and Jack Sadler improved.
Wests, however, had the last word with an Owen Simpson touchdown,
The Bradford outfit had controlled the first half, when Richard Lumb and Lewis Taylor bagged a brace apiece, with Nat Light also crossing on the way to a 28-0 interval lead.
Alix Stephenson and Harry Williams added tries on 57 and 63 minutes respectively, while Williams landed six goals.
ROCHDALE MAYFIELD, who remain rooted at the foot of the section, are still without a win and were never in the hunt at SIDDAL, who have risen three places in the standings to fourth following an 82-1 stroll.
The Halifax outfit’s win was, however, marred by a suspected fractured ankle sustained by Freddie Walker midway through the first half, which led to a 36-minute stoppage.
In terms of the game itself Mayfield had the last word, Cole Connolly landing a field-goal on 74 minutes.
Harvey Williams scored 38 points, from three tries and 13 goals, for the hosts, who were 40-0 in front at the break.
There was a hat-trick for Henry Turner, while Jamie Greenwood and Christian Ackroyd bagged a brace apiece.
Other touchdowns went to Mikey Holmes, Sam Walsh, Dan May and Canaan Smithies.
WATERHEAD WARRIORS leapfrogged WIGAN ST JUDES, who have slipped from fourth to eighth, with a 40-14 win.
That result didn’t look likely in the early stages, Judes having gone 10-0 up with tries by Harry Parkinson and Elliot Garrido, the second of which Danny Fallon improved.
But by the time the visitors posted their next score (by Reece McNally, with three minutes left) the Warriors were 26 points clear.
Gareth Owen and Kegan Brennan had popped over for Waterhead in the last ten minutes of the opening period, Brennan booting the first two of his six goals to help establish a 12-10 interval lead.
Nathan Mason, Owen and James Perks added touchdowns by the hour and Callum Cameron crashed in as the game entered the final quarter. And, after McNally’s try, the Oldham side closed in style with a Callum Murphy effort.
PILKINGTON RECS, despite having a full complement of players and a brave fullback in Aidyn Jones, struggled to contain DIVISION ONE leaders DEWSBURY CELTIC, who won their sixth game in as many outings 76-0.
Jordan Hirst led the way against struggling Pilks with a try and ten goals while there were two touchdowns each for Josh Frain, Casey Canterbury, Billy Yarrow and Drew Judge-Clark.
Luke Hirst, Alex Wightman, Nathan Lawrence, Joel Gibson and Callum Wilkins also dotted down for Celtic, who were 40-0 up at the turn.
Are WIGAN ST PATRICKS, who had won their first four games of the season, in freefall?
That’s the question being asked after Pats’ first defeat (a 48-0 slump at Stanningley nine days ago) was followed by a 34-4 home reverse against KELLS, who are now second.
The Saints, who were 14-0 down at the interval, posted their only try – by Jack Sproat – nine minutes after the restart.
But the Cumbrians closed with a flourish, notching unanswered touchdowns in the closing quarter for Aaron Burns (twice), William Ennis and Clark Chambers.
Chambers, Jacob Hodgson and Eddie Calvin crossed in the first half for the visitors, when Ross Gainford kicked the first of his three goals.
DEWSBURY MOOR, who are behind Kells solely on points difference, prevailed 22-10 at OLDHAM ST ANNES, who have lost all six games so far.
The Maroons, who have now won four successive games, owed a great deal to George Woodcock, who contributed 18 points with two tries and five goals.
Aiden Ineson also crossed for the visitors, who were 14-4 ahead at the interval.
Saints’ tries went to Craig Basnett and Callum Cashin, Matt Whitehead adding a conversion.
A try five minutes from time by Ben Dale, with Luke Littlewood landing the difficult conversion from midway between the posts and the touchline, helped EAST LEEDS edge STANNINGLEY 22-20 (and go level with their rivals in the standings) in a pulsating derby.
Easts led 10-0 midway through the first half, courtesy of tries by Rob Jowett and – after the visitors’ Alfie Peach had been yellow carded for dissent – Kiedan Hartley, with Littlewood improving the first effort.
Logan Temple hit back for Stanningley, only for Easts to go in at half-time 16-4 ahead, Littlewood goaling Kieran Brining’s late try.
The west Leeds side, though, blasted back with touchdowns for Nathan Stone, Jamaine Ruane and Connor Aveyard, Josh Phillips’s two conversions helping forge a 20-16 advantage, But Easts were not to be denied.
Evan Stephenson’s 24 points, from three tries and six goals, went a long way to a 36-12 victory that enabled SHAW CROSS to leapfrog 16-man LEIGH MINERS RANGERS in the table.
The Sharks were 24-0 ahead at the interval, tries by Ben Land and Harrison Sutcliffe complementing Stephenson first two scores.
Leigh MR, despite having Jack Hamer sinbinned on 43 minutes for dissent, recovered to 24-12 by the hour, Lucas Tyrer converting tries by Isaac Hewitt and Marco Williamson.
But Shaw Cross thwarted their efforts to register the further try that could have blasted the contest wide open. Instead, the Dewsbury outfit closed on top with converted touchdowns by Seb Jeffers and Stephenson.
A late penalty-goal by Joe Lewis helped EGREMONT RANGERS seal a 34-26 win over OULTON RAIDERS in a meeting of sides too close to the drop zone for comfort.
Oulton, who travelled to Cumbria from Leeds with only 16 players, scored first, in the second minute, through Robbie Powell, but Egremont were 26-8 ahead at the break, thanks to a Sam Williams hat-trick and touchdowns by Connor Williams, Lachlan McDowell and Jayden Tyson.
Oulton, who had been limited to a Kieran Walpole try by way of response, blasted back in the second period with a Noah Kershaw effort and – after Ben Caine had dotted down for Rangers and Tom Houghton had landed his second goal – a late brace by Archie Craggs, who improved all three scores.
But Lewis’ two-pointer put paid to the Raiders’ challenge.
SCOREBOARD
Results
Saturday 18 April
NATIONAL LEAGUES
PREMIER DIVISION
Heworth 6 West Bowling 44
Hunslet ARLFC 26 Wath Brow Hornets 16
Lock Lane 4 West Hull 30
Siddal 82 Rochdale Mayfield 1
Waterhead Warriors 40 Wigan St Judes 14
York Acorn 10 Thatto Heath Crusaders 28
DIVISION ONE
Dewsbury Celtic 76 Pilkington Recs 0
East Leeds 22 Stanningley 20
Egremont Rangers 34 Oulton Raiders 26
Oldham St Annes 10 Dewsbury Moor Maroons 22
Shaw Cross Sharks 36 Leigh Miners Rangers 12
Wigan St Patricks 4 Kells 34
CONFERENCE REGIONS
CUMBRIA CONFERENCE: Ulverston 18 Dalton 50; Barrow Island 64 Seaton Rangers 10; Hensingham 28 Millom 18; Hindpool Tigers 22 Ellenborough Rangers 50; Maryport 22 Distington 18.
NORTH WEST CONFERENCE: Blackbrook 32 Ashton Bears 12; Clock Face Miners v Crosfields; Leigh East 6 Orrell St James 54; Saddleworth Rangers 40 Woolston Rovers 36.
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE: Eastern Rhinos 14 Hammersmith Hill Hoists 50; London Chargers v Brentwood Eels -pp; North Herts Crusaders v Wests Warriors -pp.
YORKSHIRE A CONFERENCE: Beverley 24 Keighley Albion 34; Drighlington 6 Thornhill Trojans 18; Mirfield Spartans v King Cross Park -nr; Moldgreen v Stanley Rangers -nr; Myton Warriors v Bradford Dudley Hill -nr.
YORKSHIRE B CONFERENCE: Bentley 18 Siddal Academy 10; Hull Dockers 10 Milford 24; Kippax Welfare 18 Fryston Warriors 36; Newsome Panthers 76 Normanton Knights 4; Skirlaugh 26 Featherstone Lions 18.
REGIONS
CUMBRIA MEN’S LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION: Cockermouth Titans 16 Wath Brow Hornets A 38; Flimby Vikings 22 Roose Pioneers 44; Askam v Lowca -nr.
DIVISION 1: Maryport A 28 Dalton A 24; Aspatria Hornets 40 Egremont Rangers A 28; Glasson Rangers 24 Hensingham A 0; Seaton Rangers A v Millom A -nr.
NORTH WEST MEN’S LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION: Chorley Panthers 80 Halton Farnworth Hornets 0; Shevington Sharks 26 West Bank Bears 12; Waterhead Warriors A 0 Hindley Stags 42; Westhoughton Lions 48 Heysham Atoms 26; Wigan St Judes 22 Folly Lane 30.
DIVISION 1: Golborne Parkside v Wigan St Cuthberts -nr; Garswood Stags 44 Newton Storm 22; Leigh Miners Rangers A v Bank Quay Bulls -nr; Rochdale Mayfield A v Salford City Roosters -nr.
DIVISION 2: Blackpool Scorpions 18 Clock Face Miners A 6; Latchford Albion Giants 38 Saddleworth Rangers A 10; Orrell St James A 24 Oldham St Annes A 0; Portico Vine 18 Hindley Stags Reserves 10.
ENTRY DIVISION: Hindley Stags Reserves v Widnes St Maries -nr; Ince Rose Bridge A v Langworthy Reds -nr; Burtonwood Bridge 12 Chorley Panthers A 30; Salford City Roosters A 54 Westhoughton Lions A 10; Rylands Sharks v Leigh East A -nr; Accrington Wildcats v Cadishead Rhinos -nr; Wigan Bulldogs 32 Blackbrook A 14; Woolston Rovers A v Chester Gladiators -nr.
YORKSHIRE MEN’S LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION: Dodworth Miners 24 East Hull 0; Doncaster Toll Bar 52 West Bowling Academy 0; Ossett Trinity Tigers 24 Newcastle Lightning 0.
DIVISION 1: Birstall Victoria 24 Wibsey Warriors 22; Upton 36 Sharlston Rovers 24; Stainland Stags 12 Seacroft Sharks 12.
DIVISION 2: Dearne Valley Bulldogs 22 Eastmoor Dragons 32; Goole Vikings 20 Castleford Panthers 40; West Hull 68 Cutsyke Raiders 0.
DIVISION 3: Bramley Buffaloes v Drighlington -nr; Dewsbury Moor v Underbank Rangers -nr; Queensbury v Dewsbury Celtic -nr.
DIVISION 4: Hemsworth Dragons 10 Sherburn Bears 36; Keighley Albion 32 Ossett Trinity Tigers Academy 28; Stanningley 6 Batley 10.
DIVISION 5: Farnley Falcons 24 Crigglestone All Blacks 42; Hull Wyke v Harrogate Hawks -nr; Methley Warriors v Shaw Cross Sharks -nr; York Acorn 12 New Earswick All Blacks 24.
DIVISION 6: Knottingley Mustangs 32 Garforth Tigers 36; Milford 84 Guiseley Rangers 10; Rycroft Hammers 4 Moorends Thorne Marauders 26; Sheffield Hawks 8 Moldgreen Rams 38.
DIVISION 7: Bentley 6 Clayton 56; Featherstone Lions 26 Boothtown Terriers 28; Thornhill Trojans 14 York Barbarians A 42.
ENTRY: East Leeds v Dearne Valley Bulldogs A -nr; Illingworth v Hull Knights -nr; Lock Lane 14 Heworth 26; Skirlaugh Academy 32 Woodhouse Warriors 32.
Fixtures
Friday 24 April
REGIONS
CUMBRIA MEN’S LEAGUE
DIVISION ONE: Egremont Rangers A v Seaton Rangers A.
Saturday 25 April
NATIONAL LEAGUES
PREMIER DIVISION
Lock Lane v Waterhead Warriors
Rochdale Mayfield v West Hull
Thatto Heath Crusaders v Siddal
Wath Brow Hornets v Heworth
West Bowling v Hunslet ARLFC
Wigan St Judes v York Acorn
DIVISION ONE
Dewsbury Moor Maroons v Wigan St Patricks
Leigh Miners Rangers v Dewsbury Celtic
Oldham St Annes v East Leeds
Pilkington Recs v Egremont Rangers
Oulton Raiders v Shaw Cross Sharks
Stanningley v Kells
CONFERENCE REGIONS
CUMBRIA CONFERENCE: Dalton v Hensingham; Distington v Hindpool Tigers; Ellenborough v Maryport; Millom v Barrow Island; Seaton Rangers v Ulverston.
NORTH WEST CONFERENCE: Ashton Bears v Clock Face Miners; Crosfields v Orrell St James; Leigh East v Saddleworth Rangers; Woolston Rovers v Ince Rose Bridge.
SOUTHERN CONFERENCE: Bedford Tigers v Hammersmith Hill Hoists; Brentwood Eels v North Herts Crusaders; Eastern Rhinos v Bristol All Golds; Wests Warriors v London Chargers.
YORKSHIRE A CONFERENCE: Bradford Dudley Hill v Mirfield Spartans; Keighley Albion v Moldgreen; Myton Warriors v King Cross Park; Stanley Rangers v Drighlington; Thornhill Trojans v Beverley.
YORKSHIRE B CONFERENCE: Featherstone Lions v Newsome Panthers; Fryston Warriors v Skirlaugh; Milford v Bentley; Normanton Knights v Kippax Welfare; Siddal Academy v Hull Dockers.
REGIONS
LONDON LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION: Wests Warriors A v London Chargers A.
FRIENDLY: Bedford Tigers A v Hemel Stags.
CUMBRIA MEN’S LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION: Roose Pioneers v Lowca; Kells A v Wath Brow Hornets A; Cockermouth Titans v Flimby.
DIVISION ONE: Millom A v Aspatria Hornets (also Cumbria Cup game); Hensingham A v Dalton A.
NORTH WEST MEN’S LEAGUE
PREMIER DIVISION: Folly Lane v Westhoughton Lions; Halton Farnworth Hornets v Hindley Stags; Heysham Atoms v Wigan St Judes; West Bank Bears v Chorley Panthers.
DIVISION 1: Golborne Parkside v Rochdale Mayfield A; Leigh Miners Rangers A v Garswood Stags; Salford City Roosters v Newton Storm; Spring View v Bank Quay Bulls; Wigan St Cuthberts v Runcorn Highfield.
DIVISION 2: Hindley Stags Reserves v Latchford Albion Giants; Clock Face Miners A v Oldham St Annes A; Ashton Bears A v Portico Vine; Orrell St James A v Thatto Heath Crusaders Academy; Saddleworth Rangers A v Blackpool Scorpions.
ENTRY DIVISION: Hindley Stags Reserves v Rylands Sharks; Blackbrook A v Accrington Wildcats; Cadishead Rhinos v Salford City Roosters A; Chester Gladiators v Ince Rose Bridge A; Chorley Panthers A v Leigh East A; Langworthy Reds v Wigan Bulldogs; Westhoughton Lions A v Burtonwood Bridge; Widnes St Maries v Woolston Rovers A.
YORKSHIRE MEN’S LEAGUE
PLATE: Guiseley Rangers v Rycroft Hammers.
PREMIER DIVISION: Ossett Trinity Tigers v West Bowling Academy; Brighouse Rangers v Doncaster Toll Bar; Hunslet v East Hull; Newcastle Lightning v Dodworth Miners.
DIVISION 1: Birstall Victoria v Stainland Stags; Seacroft Sharks v Upton; Sharlston Rovers v Emley Moor; Wibsey Warriors v York Barbarians.
DIVISION 2: Castleford Panthers v Dearne Valley Bulldogs; Cutsyke Raiders v Goole Vikings; Eastmoor Dragons v Lindley St Joseph’s; West Hull v Derby Elks.
DIVISION 3: Bramley Buffaloes v Queensbury; Dewsbury Celtic v Dewsbury Moor; Drighlington v Moortown Mambas.
DIVISION 4: Batley v King Cross Park; Hemsworth Dragons v Stanningley; Newsome Panthers v Ossett Trinity Tigers Academy; Sherburn Bears v Keighley Albion.
DIVISION 5: Crigglestone All Blacks v Hull Wyke; Harrogate Hawks v Farnley Falcons; New Earswick All Blacks v Methley Warriors; Shaw Cross Sharks v York Acorn.
DIVISION 6: Garforth Tigers v Milford; Guiseley Rangers v Rycroft Hammers; Knottingley Mustangs v Sheffield Hawks; Moldgreen Rams v Moorends Thorne Marauders.
DIVISION 7: Boothtown Terriers v Oulton Raiders; Featherstone Lions v Normanton Knights; Clayton v Thornhill Trojans; York Barbarians A v Bentley.
ENTRY: Dearne Valley Bulldogs A v Lock Lane; East Leeds v Hull Knights; Heworth v Illingworth; Skirlaugh Academy v Odsal Sedbergh.
FRIENDLIES: Bradford Dudley Hill v Spartans A.