WEST HULL took a huge step towards becoming the league leaders in the National League’s inaugural season with a 14-12 victory at SIDDAL – the side they beat in last autumn’s National Conference League Grand Final.
Wests, who have won all 13 of their games to date, will be acutely aware that topping the table doesn’t secure the championship.
Siddal learned that very lesson in 2024 and 2025, heading the NCL standings each time but subsequently missing out to Hunslet ARLFC, then West Hull.
The sides could yet meet again in this year’s decider but for now Wests can celebrate having completed a double over Siddal (they prevailed 28-24 in Hull).
Josh Wood and Eligh Wilkinson crossed to help earn the Green and Golds a 10-0 lead at half-time but Siddal were back in contention six minutes after the restart, Harvey Williams converting his own try.
The hosts then had a touchdown ruled out (controversially in their view) for a knock-on and the visitors made the most of the escape, Jack Sanderson – who had converted Woods’ score – landing a couple of penalty-goals as the game entered the final quarter.
Siddal, who had been seeking a fourth successive win, pegged Wests back to two points with a Henry Turner try on 76 minutes which Williams improved, but Wests held out for an important win.
WATERHEAD WARRIORS are second – ahead of Hunslet ARLFC, who lost to Thatto Heath – but seven points shy of West Hull, courtesy of a 34-14 victory over WIGAN ST JUDES, who they had beaten 40-14 in Oldham.
Judes, who had been targeting a third win on the hoof, never looked like thwarting the Warriors’ eight-match unbeaten run and were 34-0 behind on 50 minutes, Waterhead having posted a brace apiece for Ciaran Dean and Harrison Dodd, with Matty Fletcher and Tyrone Chipchase crossing previously and Kegan Brennan having added five goals.
The Saints had the better of the rest of the contest with unanswered tries by Harry Parkinson, Danny Cassidy and Calum Palmer, plus a Kenny Baker conversion. But it was quite simply too little, too late,
THATTO HEATH gained revenge for the 40-12 defeat in St Helens with a 24-12 win at HUNSLET ARLFC, who have lost three of their last four fixtures.
The Heath, unbeaten in their last three outings, are fourth after having led 16-0 two minutes into the second period, Ryan Houghton improving two of tries by Ryan Forshaw, Jacob Woods and Callum Gregory.
Tyler Dargan hit back for the home side, Jordan Gale adding the extras, but Thatto assumed control with a Jamie Holroyd effort and Gregory’s second touchdown.
And Hunslet ARLFC were unable to force their way seriously into the issue, despite Gale improving Stan Boyes’ try ten minutes from time.
HEWORTH, in ending an eight-match losing run with a 48-30 victory at LOCK LANE, are out of the bottom two, leapfrogging inactive neighbours York Acorn.
The Lane, who are fourth-bottom and above Heworth solely on points difference, looked like exacting retribution for the 36-30 defeat in York when Morgan Punchard converted tries in the first seven minutes by Kieran Purdy and Calum Butler to help forge a 12-0 lead.
Heworth, though, were 18-12 ahead on 22 minutes, thanks to touchdowns for Ellis Southerington, Ben Barnard and Riley Barstow, with Jack Sadler adding the first three of his eight goals from as many attempts.
The hosts’ Lewis Price and the visitors’ Barnard then traded tries, but the Villagers went in at the break 30-16 ahead, courtesy of Barnard’s hat-trick score.
Tom Clarke dotted down seven minutes after the resumption, after the hosts had Morgan Jones (professional foul) and Butler (dissent) yellow carded, to help establish a 20-point cushion.
And although the Lane hit back through Tom Gibson and (twice) Morgan Jones – Jones adding a goal – Heworth stayed out of sight with tries by George Dodsworth and Frazer West.
WEST BOWLING were never likely to suffer a third successive defeat when bottom side ROCHDALE MAYFIELD, who have yet to win this season, travelled to Bradford, and so it proved.
Wests, who had prevailed 34-24 in Rochdale, cruised to an 82-14 win in which Oliver Bartle had a hat-trick and Andrew Gabriel bagged a brace.
Harry Williams contributed a try and eight goals while Lewis Camden chipped in with a try and five conversions.
Lewis Magson, Owen Simpson, Haydn Spence, Lewis Taylor, Josh Orimogunje, Cody Birkett and Owen Jackson also dotted down.
Mayfield were 46-0 behind before Jacob Andrews-Smith and Reece Hamlett crossed as the break beckoned. David Mills forced his way over shortly before the hour, Cole Connolly improving to reduce the deficit at that stage to 58-14.
YORK ACORN’S fixture with WATH BROW HORNETS was postponed until Saturday, August 1.
KELLS head DIVISION ONE after beating visitors LEIGH MINERS, who were targeting a fourth successive win, 26-10.
Leigh MR, who had lost 22-20 at home, replied to an early Clarke Chambers try with touchdowns by Jack Hamer and Harry Darby, Callum Ashurst’s goal earning a 10-4 lead.
But the Cumbrians led 18-10 at the interval, thanks to an Aaron Burns brace and the last two of Ross Gainford’s three goals, and duly eased home with unanswered tries in the closing quarter for Jacob Hodgson and Harley Nelson.
DEWSBURY CELTIC lost 28-22 at fourth-placed EGREMONT and are now second.
Celtic, who had won 34-22 in Dewsbury, seemed set for a double at half-time when, after Jensen Burney had opened for Rangers, an 18-4 lead was established with tries by Dylan Kindelaw and, twice, Drew Judge-Clark, with Oli Thornton also crossing and Joel Gibson kicking a goal.
By the hour, however, the Cumbrians were 24-18 ahead, courtesy of two tries by Kie Glenn and touchdowns for Tom Houghton and Jak Conway, plus a couple of Joe Lewis conversions.
A Gibson touchdown pegged Rangers back to two points but the hosts sealed victory when JP Brocklebank nipped over on 69 minutes.
Third-placed DEWSBURY MOOR, who have won four of their last five games, completed a double over bottom side OLDHAM ST ANNES, who they had beaten 38-14 away, with a 38-0 home success.
Aidy Gleeson shone for the Saints but the Moor, who led 20-0 at the interval, held sway with tries by Jackson Walker (who was sinbinned in the closing seconds for reasons that the hosts found unclear, while Bradley Adams was similarly yellow-carded late in the first half), Joe Berry, Taylor Russell, Harry Hartley, Kieren Hepworth, Jake Butterfield and George Woodcock. Louie Walker aded five goals.
Kane Riley’s second try, seven minutes from time and converted by Roy Railton (his third goal), helped 16-man EAST LEEDS to a 22-18 victory at SHAW CROSS on Friday evening.
Easts, who had won 38-14 in Leeds, also posted tries by Joey Clarkson and Isaac Coleman.
The Sharks, in a game in which the lead changed hands on five occasions, had led through a try and three goals by Evan Stephenson and touchdowns to Ben Land and Jack Toulson.
Shaw Cross lost Sam Busfield to the sin bin on 62 minutes for a professional foul while Easts’ Ryan Woofitt was yellow carded five minutes later for dangerous contact.
OULTON RAIDERS, who are targeting the play-offs after three successive wins, leapfrogged STANNINGLEY with a 28-14 triumph to gain revenge for the 24-14 reverse at Raider Park.
Stanningley opened with a Josh Phillips try which Zack Clayton improved, but then had Jamaine Ruan sinbinned on 15 minutes for dangerous contact.
Archie Craggs and Hal Day crossed in his absence, with Adrian Holdsworth and Isaac Rotherham adding tries as the interval beckoned.
Craggs booted each goal for a 24-6 half-time lead and although Stanningley rallied with touchdowns for Jacob Morgan and Nathan Stone, the Raiders – despite the sinbinning of Ben Brady for a professional foul – effectively sealed victory when Noah Crawshaw nipped over 17 minutes from time.
WIGAN ST PATRICKS toppled relegation-haunted PILKINGTON RECS, who had only 16 players, 64-12.
Pilks, who had lost 30-18 in St Helens, were 20-0 down before Ian Mather crossed on 26 minutes, and had the last word when Lewis Davies nipped over at the death and Tom Connick kicked his second goal.
Pats otherwise dominated with a Lewis Armstrong hat-trick, two tries and eight goals for Conor Taylor and a brace apiece for Adam O’Neill and Ben Harper. Jack Foulkes, Jordan Penny and Reece Rowcroft closed the account.