ARE EAST LEEDS unstoppable? It’s looking that way after last season’s Division Three champions passed the 70-point mark for the third successive Saturday, in each case against promotion-chasing sides.
The latest victims, THORNHILL TROJANS, were scuttled 76-0, with Shane Plunkett snaring five tries. George Clarke, Ajay Wilson, Jake Normington and Alfie Crawford had a brace apiece while Elliott Windley and Kieran Brining also raced in. Luke Littlewood landed eight goals.
The Trojans’ cause wasn’t helped by the dismissal on 56 minutes of Elliott Robson (contact to head) and yellow cards for Josh Richter (30 minutes, for retaliation) and Sam Ratcliffe (40 minutes, dangerous contact).
NORMANTON, who were already 8-0 ahead through tries by Noah Halliday and Alex Barker, brushed aside the sinbinnings on 18 and 20 minutes respectively of Adam Biscomb and Adam Crowther (both for high tackles) to beat ELLENBOROUGH RANGERS 56-6.
Elbra were 34-0 down before Daniel Penman crossed, Brett Stevenson goaling. Halliday, meanwhile, claimed a second try for the Knights, for whom Jacob Crossland crossed twice and Adam Biscomb bagged a late brace.
Other Normanton touchdowns went to Elliott Davey, Crowther, Ryan Bowie and Luke Roe, while Tyler Carter kicked six goals.
Fourteen-man SKIRLAUGH, who are still without a win, were level at 16-16 midway through the second half at CLOCK FACE MINERS, but the sinbinning of Jack Taylor for a tip-tackle proved costly.
The Miners went on to secure a 42-16 victory with unanswered tries for Harrison Rigby, Jack Graham (two), Tom Taylor and Max Adamson, while Lewis Geraghty finished with five goals. Taylor, Ben Daniels and Kenny Hughes got Clock’s earlier tries, prior to Josh Morgan being yellow carded for a dangerous tackle.
George Thompson bagged a brace for Skirlaugh, Lochlan Fitzgerald nipped over, and Connah Oliver booted two goals.
DRIGHLINGTON, who had only 15 players, lost 46-0 at home to DEWSBURY CELTIC. Dane Windrop and Joe Mitchell had a brace apiece for the Green and Whites, and Jordan Hirst registered a try and five goals. Further touchdowns went to Billy Yarrow, Casey Canterbury, Bailey Arnold and Oliver Thornton.
HULL DOCKERS, who travelled with a bare 13 players, went 8-0 up at BARROW ISLAND through a Harvey Harrison try and a conversion and a penalty-goal by Dan Suddaby.
The gallant visitors, though, were 46-8 behind before Alex Fowler scored their other try, Suddaby adding the extras in, ultimately, a 56-14 reverse.
Carl McBain crossed twice for Barrow Island, Sam Jones chipped in with a try and eight goals, and others to dot down comprised Ian Irvine, Will Hadwen, Jordan Staffieri, Fin Dutton-Rosconie, Ryan Wilson, Ollie Holmes and Jack Sutherland.
PILKINGTON RECS, who brushed aside being reduced to twelve men for more than half of their 26-16 victory, leapfrogged HENSINGHAM into the top six by dint of a strong second-half performance in which loose-forward Ryan Lockett excelled.
The visiting Cumbrians, with hooker Fletcher Holgate to the fore, had the better of the opening period, going in front in the tenth minute through a Miller Dalton try which Adam Williamson improved.
The St Helens outfit hit back midway through the first half, Callum Derrick powering over and Kyran Knapper adding the extras, but a touchdown on 24 minutes for Mike Maudling, with Williamson again converting (plus the dismissal on 31 minutes of the Recs’ Ben O’Connell for alleged homophobic language) helped the visitors to a 12-6 interval lead.
It didn’t last long. Pilkingtons were, five minutes after the resumption, 18-12 ahead, courtesy of tries by George Hannan and Jake Topping, both of which Tom Connick goaled.
Connick extended the lead eight minutes later with a penalty-goal, and although the Hens pegged their opponents back to 20-16 when Danny Stables sped over on the hour, the Recs effectively settled the issue when Connick converted his own touchdown with 15 minutes left.
