SIDDAL remain on course to retain the League Leaders’ Shield, but any celebrations were put on hold by reigning champions HUNSLET ARLFC.
The south Leeds outfit, who are in something of a rebuilding process, are targeting the play-offs, via which they lifted the title last year by climaxing with a Grand Final win over Siddal themselves.
Hunslet, in fact, looked like exacting revenge for the 40-6 reverse in Halifax when, after having never previously been ahead, they forged a 10-8 lead when Ben Shulver crashed over with three minutes left.
But the visitors were handed a lifeline when the hosts were penalised for a high tackle, ten metres in from touch, in the closing seconds. And Harvey Williams was coolness personified in landing a goal that secured a 10-10 draw.
Williams was a key figure, with three goals in total, in a match in which the south Leeds side scored two tries to one.
Henry Turner crossed for Siddal in the seventh minute, Williams adding the extras, but Hunslet made light of the sinbinning of Joe Abson for a high tackle on 26 minutes to post a Matt Scott try in his absence, Jordan Gale improving.
A late Williams penalty, though, nosed the visitors 8-6 ahead at the break and that was how it stayed until the dramatic finale. Siddal must now beat either Thatto Heath or Dewsbury Moor, in their last two league fixtures, to seal pole position.
WEST BOWLING have slipped from second to third after losing 28-20 at ROCHDALE MAYFIELD, who are keeping up the pressure on Hunslet for the crucial sixth spot.
In a game in which the lead changed hands on six occasions, Mayfield exacted retribution for the 28-26 reverse in Bradford by bouncing back from 20-16 adrift early in the second half, thanks to tries on 56 and 69 minutes respectively for Ben Metcalfe and Max Riseham, with Ieaun Higgs landing the last two of his four goals.
Higgs, Tyrone Chipchase and Jake Ramsden also crossed in Rochdale’s fourth successive win, while Bowling had led through a Lewis Taylor brace and tries for Hayden Spence and Lewis Camden, plus two Harry Williams goals.
In an occasionally stormy clash, Noah Lawton (Mayfield) and Wests’ Oli Bartle were yellow-carded on 29 minutes for ‘running in’; Lawton was red-carded in the closing seconds for alleged punching, Bowling’s Archie Halmshaw also being sent off for the same reported offence.
LOCK LANE are in grave danger of joining Leigh Miners Rangers and Dewsbury Moor Maroons in being demoted to Division One after losing 44-0 at home to WEST HULL, who had edged the issue on the east coast 30-28.
Wests ensured that the Castleford side’s ten-match run without a win continued with tries in the first half for Eligh Wilkinson, Josh Oliver, Jack Watts and Benn Arbon.
The procession, despite the efforts of Lane second row Tommy Newbould, continued in the second period, when Leon Stewart, Tom Verity, Jacob Moore and Josh Jarvis dotted down, with Wilkinson completing a six-goal contribution.
Kegan Brennan scored three tries and five goals as title hopefuls WATERHEAD WARRIORS beat YORK ACORN, who after three successive defeats are too close to the drop zone for comfort, 50-6.
Waterhead, who had lost the game in York 18-14, were 38-0 up at half-time, having posted two tries each for Adam Robinson and Brennan, with Harrison Dodd, Scott Parnaby and Danny Bridge also nipping over.
Acorn limited the Warriors to touchdowns by Dodd and Brennan in the second period, when Finn Rodgers landed both goals, with York’s Danny Byworth converting Jordan Potter’s try between-times. Four players, meanwhile, were yellow-carded: Hamilton (throwing the ball) and Mitchell Birch (running in) for Waterhead, together with the visitors’ Ethan Frary (high tackle) and Josh Thompson (running in).
THATTO HEATH consolidated their play-off prospects with a 32-6 success at LEIGH MINERS, who had been toppled 42-24 in St Helens.
The Crusaders led 10-0 through tries by Alex Speakman and Adam Saunders, with Sean Leicester adding the first of his four goals.
Isaac Hewitt converted Liam Kenyon’s touchdown by way of response but, after the Miners’ Ben Turner had been sinbinned for a high tackle, Jack Jones nipped over to give Thatto a 14-6 interval lead.
Kye Siyani powered over eight minutes after the restart and the Heath duly ratified their success with tries in the last seven minutes for Keane Gilford and Adam Carr.
WATH BROW HORNETS beat DEWSBURY MOOR 30-8. Hornets, who had prevailed 42-22 in Yorkshire, led 14-6 at the interval and posted tries by Cooper Howard (twice), Morgan McCourt, Clarke Riley, Devan Sharp and Matty Creasey, plus three goals by Cole Walker-Taylor.
The Moor replied with a Ryan Crossley touchdown and two goals by Gregory Colbridge.
Round-ups of the other NCL divisions can be read here.
Image: Vic Heritage