THE PREMIER DIVISION game of the day lived up to its billing as THATTO HEATH CRUSADERS and WATERHEAD WARRIORS fought out a 24-24 draw.
Thatto, who had won 42-16 in Oldham, were 14-6 ahead early in the second half but with time running out found themselves 24-20 adrift.
However with only seconds remaining, Jamie Holroyd crashed over for the levelling score – but Ryan Houghton, who had earlier landed four goals, was unable to kick what would have been the winning conversion from 25 metres to the side of the posts.
The Heath have therefore slipped to sixth, below Wath Brow Hornets.
Waterhead, who had been seeking to extend a six-match winning run, had led through a try and four goals by Kegan Brennan and touchdowns to Matty Holland, Mitchell Birch and Ciaran Dean.
Thatto had established a 20-6 advantage early in the second period with the help of a Sean Kenny brace and a Kye Siyani try.
Leaders WEST HULL completed a double over LOCK LANE, who remain too close to the drop zone for comfort, with a 36-16 home success.
Wests, who had won 30-4 in Castleford, stay unbeaten after forging a 22-4 lead as the interval approached with the help of tries by Jack Sanderson, Mason Opie Palmer, Eligh Wilkinson and Bobby Tyson-Wilson.
The Lane, who had replied through Morgan Jones, hit back with a Leyton Davies touchdown and Jones’ second effort, with Morgan Punchard landing two goals.
But the Green and Golds stayed out of sight with second tries by Wilkinson, Sanderson (who booted four goals) and Tyson-Wilson.
Second-placed HUNSLET ARLFC avoided a third successive defeat with a 26-0 victory at YORK ACORN, who had been toppled 34-0 in south Leeds and have now gone nine games without a win.
Hunslet ARLFC prevailed through tries in the first half for Stan Boyes and McKenzie Haigh, with Jaden Barraclough, Tyler Dargan and Joe Abson crossing in the second period. Harry Shackleton landed three goals.
Bottom side ROCHDALE MAYFIELD, who have yet to win a game this season, were always likely to struggle against SIDDAL, who have been Grand Finalists in each of the last two seasons and who won the fixture in Halifax 82-1.
Mayfield’s cause wasn’t helped by the sinbinnings of Joe Taira (twice – on 22 minutes for a slap and on 41 for a late challenge) and Cole Connolly on 45 for staying in the ruck.
Siddal, who were 18-0 ahead at the interval, marked a third successive win with tries by Jacob Grierson, Sam Walsh, Jamie Greenwood, Josh Brown, Ed Barber, Christian Ackroyd and Oliver Lewis, six of which Harvey Williams improved, before Taira crossed on 71 minutes and Connolly converted in a 40-6 result. Mayfield’s Zac Baker was red carded late on for alleged use of the elbow.
WATH BROW HORNETS edged WEST BOWLING, who are now five points adrift of the play-off placings, 28-18, breaking an 18-18 deadlock on the hour with unanswered tries by Josh McConnell and Fran King, plus Sam Curwen’s fourth goal.
Owen McCartney, Nat Dougan and Karl Dixon had opened for the Cumbrians, who had won 40-32 in Bradford, while Wests had been level through tries by Owen Simpson, Lewis Galtress and Liam Coe, the latter landing two conversions and a penalty-goal.
WIGAN ST JUDES recovered from 10-0 down as the interval approached to win 17-16 at relegation-haunted HEWORTH, who had lost 32-16 at Parson’s Meadow and have now suffered eight successive defeats.
Judes were 16-10 ahead on 50 minutes, courtesy of tries by Lewis Melling, Connor Parkinson and Harry Parkinson, plus a couple of Kenny Baker conversions.
And a Danny Cassidy field-goal on 65 minutes proved to be crucial, the Villagers being kept at bay despite a Dan Clarke touchdown on 71 minutes and Jack Sadler’s second goal. Zack Towse and Ben Barnard had earlier scored tries for Heworth.
DEWSBURY CELTIC have leapfrogged Kells to the top of DIVISION ONE – despite being held to a 22-22 draw at EAST LEEDS.
Celtic, who had edged the game in Dewsbury 18-14, had allowed a 10-0 lead forged with the help of tries by Oli Thornton and Paul Foulstone to be turned into a 12-10 interval deficit, Easts replying with converted touchdowns for Luke Littlewood and Owen Hughes.
Celtic’s Drew Judge-Clarke and the hosts’ James Duckworth traded tries on the restart, only for the visitors to go 22-16 ahead on 57 minutes with a try by Joel Gibson, who added his third goal.
But the hosts avoided a fourth defeat on the hoof when Duckworth grabbed his second try, ten minutes from time, and Littlewood landed his third, and levelling, conversion.
DEWSBURY MOOR did their neighbours a favour by ending KELLS’ ten-match winning streak with a 26-4 victory to exact retribution for the 30-16 reverse in Whitehaven.
The Cumbrians, who had not lost since the 26-18 opening-day defeat at neighbours Egremont, were 20-0 behind before Jacob Hodgson scored their sole try, on 55 minutes.
The Maroons were already in control at that stage, thanks to a Taylor Russell brace and touchdowns to Louie Walker and Bradley Adams.
And the Moor sealed their win (and are now four points behind Kells, but with a game in hand) with Ryan Crossley’s late try and Walker’s third goal.
PILKINGTON RECS, who had lost 22-12 at SHAW CROSS, won the return 16-6 to keep their hopes of avoiding relegation alive.
The Recs, who are still three points adrift of third-bottom Oulton Raiders, were on level terms at the break after the Sharks had responded to Tom Connick’s conversion of Phil Riley’s try with a Harrison Sutcliffe touchdown which Evan Stephenson improved.
But 16-man Pilks held sway through tries in an eight-minute spell straddling the break for Aidyn Jones and Connick, the first of which Connick goaled.
LEIGH MINERS RANGERS were left hanging on for a 28-24 win – their third on the trot – over bottom side OLDHAM ST ANNES.
The Miners, who had won 28-10 in Oldham, twice held twelve-point leads, including an 18-6 interval advantage, but were never quite able to shake the Saints off.
Now only a point shy of the top six, Leigh MR responded to Ady Gleeson’s opener with a Tom Burnett brace and tries by Andy Philbin, Diego Walker and Ben Turner, supported by four Callum Ashurst goals. St Annes stayed in contention with Gleeson’s second touchdown while Matt Whitehead was unlucky to finish on the losing side after scoring two tries and four goals.
STANNINGLEY ended a three-match losing run with a 36-24 victory over EGREMONT RANGERS, who had edged matters 10-8 in Cumbria.
The Leeds side, who led 16-12 at half-time, prevailed through two tries by Jacob Morgan and touchdowns for Nathan Stone, Kieran Massey, Connor Aveyard, Alfie Peach and Jack Burn, with Josh Phillips (three) and Sam Oldroyd adding the goals.
Egremont missed out despite tries by Brad Long, Aaron Turnbull, Connor Williams and Dylan Morris, plus four Joe Lewis goals.
OULTON RAIDERS have a place in the play-offs in their sights.
The Raiders, who have suffered only one defeat in their last five games, gained revenge for the 26-20 setback at WIGAN ST PATRICKS with a 38-8 win in the return.
Nathan Waring and Lewis Hagan nipped in for Oulton, with Archie Craggs landing the first of his five goals, before Jack Sproat dotted down for Pats.
Noah Kershaw, Joel Edmiston and Adrian Holdsworth added touchdowns prior to Logan Raughter replying for the visitors.
And late tries by Kershaw and Waring ratified a comfortable win over a Saints outfit who, after the four-point deduction for failing to travel to Dewsbury Moor earlier in the campaign, are three points shy of the play-off berths.