RELEGATION looks increasingly likely for the bottom three sides in the section.
Cellar-dwellers WOOLSTON ROVERS lost 58-6 at home to WIGAN ST PATRICKS, who had won 36-10 at Clarington Park.
Rovers were only 10-6 behind as the half-hour approached, Ryan Brown having converted Tom Hailey’s try. Otherwise, though, Pats held sway, despite the sinbinning of Danny Ryding for a high tackle. Brad Smith led the charge with three tries and nine goals, Jack Sproat crossed twice, and other touchdowns went to Logan Bradbury, Connor Taylor, Matty Ellis, Dean Zammit and Connor Webb.
OULTON, who also need a miracle to survive, slipped to a 34-10 reverse at leaders WIGAN ST JUDES. Judes completed the double, after the 54-16 triumph in Leeds, through a hat-tricks and a goal by Reece McNally and two tries and a couple of conversions for Danny Cassidy, while Dec Parkinson and Calum Palmer also popped in. Oulton were 18-0 behind at the break before Luke Bibb and Ben Brady touched down, Josh Perkins adding a goal.
Third-from-bottom CROSFIELDS are six points shy of fourth-from-bottom Kells, with only four fixtures left, after losing 44-6 at home to promotion aspirants STANNINGLEY.
The Soap scored first, Nathan Taylor converting Tom Brown’s ninth-minute try, only for the Leeds side to go 8-6 up with a Connor Aveyard brace, claimed either side of Crosfields’ Sam Hickey being sinbinned for interference.
Zack Clayton booted a penalty for the visitors after the hosts’ Tom Millington and the visitors’ Jermaine Ruan had been yellow-carded for their part in a skirmish. And it was one-way traffic in the second period as Stanningley, who had prevailed 50-10 in Leeds, registered a Luke Townend hat-trick and a try (and five further goals) for Clayton.
KELLS, who are still in danger of the drop, at least in mathematical terms, lost 18-10 at home to third-placed INCE ROSE BRIDGE.
Ince, who had been stunned at home by the Miners 25-6, led 12-0 at the break, Byron Aspinall converting tries by Scott Finney and Casey Shaw.
Oscar Cook replied for Kells on 53 minutes, only for Peter Valentine to quickly respond and Aspinall to again improve. And David Lowery’s try on 73 minutes, which Blaine Graham converted, came too late to affect the outcome.
Second-placed HEWORTH, who had beaten OLDHAM ST ANNES 44-14 in York, were only 16-14 ahead early in the second period of the return fixture.
The Saints, though, were unable to add to tries by Callum Fletcher and Jimmy Hall, with Lewis Hollidge and Charlie McMannus having added the conversions and the latter firing a penalty.
Heworth marked a fifth successive win with tries in the last half-hour for Joe Deighton and George Elliott, while Jack Sadler kicked his third goal and Finlay Tait landed a conversion and a late penalty.
Sadler had bagged a brace in the earlier exchanges, while George Burton had crossed in the first minute.
SHAW CROSS gained revenge for the 24-10 defeat in Cumbria with a 40-10 victory over EGREMONT RANGERS.
Egremont were only 16-10 behind at the interval, courtesy of a try and a goal by Tom Houghton and a Dillon Scott effort.
The Sharks, however, had much the better of the business end of the contest with unanswered tries by Evan Stephenson (twice), Arian Woods and Callum Barker, while Stephenson totalled six goals.
Nathan Wright, Max Sheard and Joel Russell had crossed in the opening period.