BENTLEY, with substitute prop Jordan Middleton a titanic presence, spoiled the party on KEIGHLEY ALBION’S return to the National Conference League after a gap of a quarter of a century by winning 26-24.
In a rip-roaring contest in which the lead changed hands several times, Albion opened the scoring in the sixth minute when Adam Gaunt darted over and Cal Hudson added the extras.
The Doncaster outfit, however, blasted back to establish a 16-6 advantage by the half-hour, courtesy of tries by Charlie Hamer, Grant Hill and Jack Craswell, two of which Kieran Lewis improved.
Gaunt grabbed his second touchdown, Jacob Cox converting on this occasion to peg the visitors back to 16-12 at the break.
Bentley nosed further ahead when Hill forced his way over five minutes shy of the hour, but Albion looked on course to celebrate when Jack Kennedy and Cox crossed, Hudson goaling both efforts to forge a 24-20 lead.
But Albion’s hopes of a dream return were shattered when, following the sinbinning of the hugely-impressive Gaunt on 74 minutes for a professional foul, Scott Smith – a bustling presence throughout at hooker – raced over with three minutes remaining to level matters, Lewis adding the match-winning conversion from close to the touchline.
MYTON WARRIORS, who have played two fixtures compared to only one by most teams in the section, are clear of the chasing pack following a 14-10 win at Cumbrians DISTINGTON.
The Hull side were 10-0 ahead at the break, thanks to a Tyler Fisher brace and a Jack Sanderson goal, but the hosts levelled when Keiron Worthington and Jack Penrice crossed and Scott George landed a touchline conversion.
Distington then looked likely winners after exerting strong pressure, only for Sanderson to thwart a field-goal attempt by pulling off a one-on-one steal to race 70 metres for the clinching try.
The Warriors had beaten BEVERLEY 24-14 in the section’s sole game the previous Saturday.
Beverley went in front against their neighbours with a try on eight minutes for Ben Clark but, on the restart, the visitors had Bobby Howdle sinbinned for a high tackle.
Alfie Wall crossed for the Warriors as Howdle returned, Fisher goaling.
Josh Poskitt nosed Beverley back in front, converting his own touchdown, but Myton went in at the break 12-10 ahead, thanks to Sanderson’s conversion of Wall’s second score.
Wall celebrated his hat-trick as the hour approached, only for Beverley to hit back to 16-14 with an Alec Hardie try.
But a Jono Douglas effort on 70 minutes, with Sanderson adding the conversion and a subsequent penalty-goal, saw the Warriors home.
Beverley looked like atoning for that defeat when tries by Poskitt, Casey Hutchinson and Ben Rowan – with Poskitt, who had improved William Wilson’s opener, completing a four-goal contribution – levelled from 18-6 behind at SADDLEWORTH RANGERS.
Rangers, though, posted a Connor Whitehead field-goal on 78 minutes, followed by a Steven Nield try and Whitehead’s fifth conversion, to register a 31-24 win.
Sam Ogden, Whitehead, Finn Winterbottom and Jack Bradbury had crossed earlier for Saddleworth.
FEATHERSTONE LIONS, who had to wait until the latter stages of last season to notch their first win, got off the mark immediately this time with a 10-8 victory over LEIGH EAST.
East were 8-6 ahead at the interval, thanks to unimproved tries by Matty Aspinall and Cameron Clarke.
But the Lions, who had led through Danny Johnson’s conversion of Declan Nicholson’s touchdown, secured the spoils through James Metcalfe’s touchdown 16 minutes from time.
MILLOM, who were 30-20 behind against MILFORD with twelve minutes left, grabbed a 32-30 win with late tries by Hadley Thompson and Josh Blinkhorn – Jonty Peters adding the last two of his four goals – with the winner landed from close to the posts.
Tom Askew (twice), Blinkhorn and Peters grabbed the Woolybacks’ earlier tries, while Milford led through a brace for Callum Platts and tries by Kyle Tasker, Ryan Greenhall, Kieren Tierney and Joe Tharme, plus three Hamish McLintock conversions.
