BEVERLEY will be obliged to seek re-election.
The East Riding side needed to beat MILLOM to have any chance of overhauling the Woolybacks out of the bottom two, but drew 18-18.
The Cumbrians would have prevailed but for Ben White’s last-gasp penalty-goal, awarded from short range for a ball steal.
Millom had led through tries by Tom Askew, Brad Crellin and Jonty Peters, who kicked three conversions.
Lewis Miller, Alex Paddock and Joe Rose replied for Beverley, with White (two) and Joe Dobson landing the goals.
At the other end of the section, KEIGHLEY ALBION are the new leaders, above Bentley on points difference through a 72-4 win over DISTINGTON, who had edged matters 14-4 in Cumbria.
Albion exacted retribution through hat-tricks for Adam Gaunt and Josh Tenniswood, while Ben Stead scored two tries and ten goals.
Other touchdowns went to Jamie Stephenson, Col Pickles, Sam Wild, Rob Spencer and Jack Kennedy while the visitors had to settle for a Deaton Askew try.
BENTLEY, meanwhile, gained revenge for the 28-0 away defeat by beating LEIGH EAST 14-6 to end the visitors’ remote bid for pole position.
East had the better of much of the game, going in front in the 14th minute when James Molyneaux converted Connor Grainey’s try.
Grant Hill replied for Bentley on 22 minutes and it stayed that way until six minutes from the end, when Hill’s second touchdown nosed the hosts in front.
And there was no way back for East when Charlie Harmer homed in in the closing seconds, Kieran Lewis adding the extras.
SADDLEWORTH RANGERS are just two points adrift of the leading duo – but have a superior points difference.
Rangers ended FEATHERSTONE LIONS’ top-two ambitions with a 22-6 verdict after the sides had been level at 6-6 at the interval.
Featherstone Lions, who had won 32-16 at the Millpond but have now lost three successive games, had recovered from Reece Hamlett’s early converted score with an Elliott Bell effort which Danny Johnson improved.
But Saddleworth eased home with unanswered tries between the 53rd and 71st minutes by Finn Stewart, Joe Taira and Evan Parry, with Connor Whitehead completing a three-goal tally.
MYTON WARRIORS – the form team of the section with four successive wins – are coming up on the rails and beat MILFORD, who are three points behind Millom with only two games left in their quest to avoid having to seek re-election, 38-12.
The Warriors, who had won 22-16 in Leeds, were 16-0 up on 19 minutes and closed the ledger with a Nathan Slater hat-trick and touchdowns for Alfie Wall, Tyler Fisher, Lewis Benn and Gabriel Ramianowski, five of which Jack Sanderson improved.
Milford, who were 26-12 behind until Slater’s third score, recorded tries by Max Hope and Logan Scott, both of which Josh Cawood converted.