HEWORTH joined champions Wigan St Judes in earning promotion to the top flight.

The York outfit made certain of second spot with a 48-8 home win over already-relegated WOOLSTON ROVERS, who had pulled off a surprise 34-32 victory in Warrington.

The Villagers, who would have closed on top of the table had they prevailed at Woolston, were 12-0 up on 16 minutes, Jack Sadler improving tries by Liam Richmond and Fraser West. 

Woolston hit back through Ryan Brown’s conversion of Harry Files’ touchdown, and Heworth found themselves only 12-8 ahead at the break when Brown fired a late penalty-goal.

It was, however, one-way traffic in the second period. Richmond, George Burton and Billy Sturdy crossed by the hour and, in the final quarter, George Elliott grabbed a hat-trick – and added a conversion – and Richmond scored his third try, while Sadler kicked his fifth goal.

INCE ROSE BRIDGE, who needed to beat demoted CROSFIELDS to have any chance of overhauling Heworth, did just that, by 50-6 – inflicting an eighth defeat on the trot on their guests – but were obviously unable to control events in York.

The Bridge, though, will harbour high hopes of winning the promotion play-offs involving the teams finishing third to sixth (they host Shaw Cross on Saturday in the semi-finals) and illustrated their pedigree with a ten-try thumping of the 13-man Soap, who had lost 46-6 in Warrington.

The Wigan side, who have won their last six games, were 32-0 ahead as the break beckoned, having lodged a Jack Heaton brace and tries by Kallum Rogers, Brad Birch, TJ Boyd and Casey Shaw, plus three goals by Mason Fillingham and an Eli Steinberg conversion.

Bobby Hill replied for Crosfields, Nathan Taylor adding the extras to reduce the arrears at half-time to 32-6, but Ince hit the half-century with unanswered tries by Heaton and, twice, Rogers (for their hat-tricks) then Boyd, with Fillingham booting his fourth conversion.

WIGAN ST PATRICKS needed to beat STANNINGLEY – and hope that neighbours and champions Wigan St Judes prevailed at Oldham St Annes – to force their way into the promotion play-offs. Neither happened.

Stanningley, who were certain of fourth spot regardless of the result and will now host Oldham St Annes in the play-off semis, went behind in the 55th minute, Pats’ Dean Zammit breaking the deadlock and Jack Sproat improving.

The Leeds side, though, restored parity by the hour, Adam Butterill converting Jack Sykes’ try. And Sykes’ second touchdown just four minutes later, with Butterill again landing the goal, sealed a 12-6 victory to add to the 38-6 win in Yorkshire.

Loose-forward Matt Whitehead led the way with a try and five goals as St Annes sealed their spot in the promotion play-offs with an ultimately convincing 26-6 win over St Judes.

It hoisted them above Shaw Cross, who lost at Kells, into fifth, with Judes, already certain of pole position and automatic promotion, unable to complete a double after their 42-24 victory in Wigan, or to close the campaign with an eleventh successive win.

Annes, who are hitting the play-offs with a trip to Stanningley on Saturday in good form, having lost only one of their last four fixtures, were pretty much in control throughout.

Connor Rose opened the account on 14 minutes, Whitehead followed suit nine minutes later, and Michael Cashin struck on the half-hour, Whitehead adding each conversion to help establish an 18-0 lead. 

Joey Brady, the visitors’ best player, quickly crashed over by way of response, Adam Holt improving to peg Annes back to 18-6 at the turn.

But a Whitehead penalty-goal six minutes after the restart gave Annes a 14-point cushion and Hayden Howarth’s try on the hour, plus Whitehead’s fifth goal, effectively ended Judes’ challenge, especially on a very wet afternoon which rendered handling difficult.

KELLS ended their season with a third successive win but fell short of a place in the promotion play-offs, closing in seventh spot (only two points shy of opponents SHAW CROSS SHARKS, who slipped from fifth to sixth following the 22-14 defeat.

The Cumbrians, who had lost 28-20 in Dewsbury, exacted retribution – and inflicted a fourth defeat on the trot on the Sharks – through a clinching try seven minutes from time by Ryan Starkie. 

Shaw Cross, who had never been ahead, had been in contention through a Louis Fisher brace, an Isaac Murray effort and an Evan Stephenson goal.

Kells had led 18-8 at the break, through Ross Gainford’s conversions of two tries by Harry Watson and an Ashton Sice touchdown.

OULTON RAIDERS, although relegated, closed the season by notching back-to-back wins, beating EGREMONT RANGERS, who saw the campaign out with three successive defeats, 34-0.

The Raiders, who had lost 34-14 in Cumbria, were 22-0 ahead at the interval, with the help of two tries by Adrian Holdsworth and touchdowns for Tom Stevens, Jacob Griffin and Bailey Metcalfe. 

Stevens and Griffin grabbed their second tries after the break, while Archie Craggs completed a two-goal contribution and Griffin improved the last score.

Loose forward Pat Wells shone for Egremont.