Kells produced a fine performance to topple NCL Division One leaders Hull Dockers and keep up the pressure.
Peter Smith’s side won 14-6, so having lost 19-12 on Humberside, took the two key games on aggregate by a point to underline how well the two sides are matched.
Kells are two points behind the Dockers with a game in hand and they do have a better points differential than the Hull side.
Smith said: “It was a great performance after two poor results. Everyone, from one to 17 played their part in a very tough victory.
“It was summed-up by a fantastic tackle by Aaron Burns who chased back to stop the Dockers’ second row putting the ball down over the line with five minutes left to play.”
Then home side had led 10-0 at half-time through tries by Burns and Harley Nelson, one of them converted by Grant Gainford.
Although the Dockers reduced the arrears on 54 minutes with a converted try, a second try for Burns was the clincher, and his late try-saving tackle underlined the committed performance from the Cumbrians.
Kells and Wath Brow were the only Cumbrian winners in the Conference as there were defeats for Egremont, Barrow Island, Millom, Seaton and Hensingham.
The Hornets gained revenge for an away defeat earlier in the season when they beat Pilkington Recs 20-16 in the Premier Division.
It had been 10-10 at half-time after an even first-half and it took two Wath Brow tries in the third quarter to put some daylight between the two sides. The visitors kept hopes alive with a late converted try but Wath Brow held on.
Greg Howland and Adam Ramsden scored the key tries in the second half, one of them converted by Cole Walker-Taylor.
Earlier in the game Nathan Lucock and Walker-Taylor had scored tries, one of them converted by Walker-Taylor.
Egremont Rangers appear to be heading for relegation to Division One after another defeat, this time 34-14 at title-chasing Thatto Heath Crusaders.
It was looking hard work at half-time when they trailed 20-0 but to their credit they fought back and scored the first ten points of the second half.
Aaron Turnbull and Jake McBride went in for tries, one of them converted by Kieran Glenn.
But the Crusaders regained control to pull well clear so that Sam Appleby’s late try was no more than a statistical addition.
In League Two Barrow Island slipped to third place after another defeat. The former table toppers went down 46-12 at Clock Face Miners.
The first half an hour was pretty grim for the Cumbrians as they trailed 22-0 but by early in the second half they had reduced the deficit to ten points. Tyler McPoland and Brandon Corrie scored tries for the Islanders, both converted by Max Anderson-Moore.
Unfortunately the Miners regained control with four more tries to win with p;lenty in hand.
In Division Three promotion chasing Seaton Rangers suffered a set-back against one of their main rivals as they went down 40-16 at Waterhead Warriors.
They were still just about in contention at half-time, trailing 24-10, but couldn’t get nearer against a good home side.
The Seaton tries were scored by Lewis Mason, JJ Key and Luke Crossman with Dominic Smallwood converting two.
Millom had been well beaten at Seaton the previous week and they went down again after a tight game at home to Bentley, who edged it 24-22.
Bentley snatched the win with a converted try seven minutes from the end after Millom looked to be on course for their ninth win of the campaign.
It had been all square, 12-12, at half-time and the Millom tries came from Jarty Robinson, Ethan Kelly, Thomas Askew and Kian McPherson. Jack Carswell converted three.
Hensingham went down again, this time 68-12 at Shaw Cross Sharks after all looked lost at half-time when they trailed 28-0.
Koby Conway and Scott Egan scored the Hensingham tries, both converted by Noel Branthwaite.
