SHEER staying power helped leaders WEST HULL maintain their 100 percent winning record with a 34-4 win over a ROCHDALE MAYFIELD outfit who had crossed the Pennines in fourth position.
Wests went in front in the fifth minute, Josh Oliver crossing and Jack Townend adding the first of his five goals from six attempts.
But Mayfield quickly responded through Nico Rizzelli, and the contest was very much in the balance for the rest of the opening period, the Green and Golds being kept at bay until four minutes before the break, when Bobby Tyson-Wilson’s try helped establish a 12-4 interval lead.
West Hull took a real grip on the contest when Keiran Masike and Oscar Ellerington dotted down on 52 and 56 minutes respectively. And the pacesetters closed in style with unanswered scores in the last ten minutes for Leon Stewart and, with his second try, Oliver.
WEST BOWLING got back to winning ways after the previous week’s reverse at Waterhead, and are back in second spot, thanks to a 32-26 victory at DEWSBURY MOOR MAROONS, who remain rooted at the foot of the section without a win so far.
The Moor, who had previously only been in front for a nine-minute spell late in the first half, having responded to Harry Williams’ conversion of Lewis Camden’s try with touchdowns by James Samme and Felix Ellis (a Williams penalty-goal restoring parity at the interval) were 26-24 in front with ten minutes remaining, bouncing back from 20-8 adrift with tries by Samme, Kian Fisher and Ellis, each of which Gregory Colbridge improved.
But Wests had the better of the business end of the contest with Camden’s second touchdown and a conversion by Williams, who sealed victory with a last-second penalty (his sixth goal).
Hayden Spence – twice – and Chris Cullimore scored the Bradford outfit’s other tries.
WATERHEAD, meanwhile, slipped at fancied SIDDAL, who applied a stranglehold in the first half, forging a 12-0 lead with early tries by Jacob Rushworth and Harvey Williams, with Jamie Greenwood improving one effort and Lewis Hosty landing a penalty-goal.
Rushworth grabbed his second score six minutes after the restart, while the Warriors had to wait until three minutes shy of the hour before opening their account, through Jenson Hamilton.
Siddal eased 22 points clear with tries by Daniel May and Oliver Lewis, plus a Greenwood penalty-goal.
And although Waterhead hit back with Kegan Brennan’s conversion of James Perks’ touchdown, the hosts completed a 30-10 win with a Daniel Rushworth try, while the visitors’ Brennan was yellow carded for a professional foul.
Reigning champions HUNSLET ARLFC slipped to a fourth successive defeat, this time at LOCK LANE, who have eased into fourth spot through their 30-6 win.
Morgan Jones was again a key figure for the Castleford outfit, scoring the game’s opening try and converting his own effort – together with subsequent touchdowns for Harvey Kear and Keiran Purdy – to help establish an 18-0 interval lead.
Hunslet ARLFC forced their way back into the issue with Dillon Thornton’s try four minutes after the restart, Jordan Gale converting a touchdown registered soon after the hosts’ Harry Swan was sinbinned for a trip.
But the Lane denied the south Leeds side any further score, instead posting a Tom Sowerby try just short of the hour and a Shaun Pick effort three minutes from the close, both of which 14-point man Jones improved at a stage when each team was down to twelve men, Callum Butler (Lock Lane) and Tommy Corke (Hunslet) being sinbinned following an altercation.
YORK ACORN staged an audacious recovery from 12-0 down midway through the first half to beat WATH BROW HORNETS 26-18.
Hornets, who are perhaps too close to the relegation zone for comfort, established their early lead through Connor Molyneaux’s conversions of tries by Devan Sharpe and Nat Dougan.
Acorn blasted back with touchdowns for Ben Dale and, with a brace, Ben Husband, an Ant Chilton conversion nosing his side 14-12 in front.
Wath Brow, however, went in at the break 18-14 to the good, Kieran Eldon nipping over and Greg Rooney adding the extras.
But the points in the second period all went Acorn’s way with Jordan Potter and Lewis Lord grabbing the decisive tries on 52 and 57 minutes respectively, Chilton adding both goals.
THATTO HEATH CRUSADERS were never behind in seeing off promoted LEIGH MINERS RANGERS 42-24.
The Miners, who were only 12-10 adrift midway through the opening period, courtesy of tries by Andy Philbin and Leon Molyneaux – one of which Jonny Youds goaled – found themselves 42-10 behind early in the second half.
And although the visitors closed strongly with a Joe Tyrer brace, registered between the 55th and 76th minutes, with Ralph Wood crossing between times and Jack Hamer adding a goal, it was in reality too little, too late.
Sean Leicester had led the way for the Crusaders with 22 points from two tries and seven goals, while Brad Pinder also crossed twice.
Kye Siyani had opened the home account, while Adam Saunders and McKenzie Buckley also dotted down.
Read round-ups of the other National Conference League divisions here.
