Kells produced the performance of the day in the National Conference’s Premier Division.
The Whitehaven side handed out a 26-18 defeat to title hopefuls Rochdale Mayfield, whilst moving themselves towards mid-table security.
It was another set-back for Mayfield who had also suffered defeat at Lock Lane (who are a point behind Kells) and have now slipped to fourth after being joint leaders for a while.
Kells, in fact, had been 12-0 down and were still trailing by six points at the break, but they came back to lead 18-12. When Mayfield levelled after 62 minutes it looked as though they might have the momentum to go on and wion it.
But Kells again rallied ands finished the stronger with a last-minute try clinching a memorable victory.
Tries by Devlin Long and Joe Taira, both converted by Jordan Parr, had given Rochdale a strong start but Kells pulled one back through Dominic Wear before the break and Ross Gainford converted.
Ryan Watson’s try, early in the second-half, converted by Gainford pushed Kells level and then man of the match Wear scored his second, converted by Gainford to put them ahead.
Back came the Rochdale visitors with a try by Ben Metcalf, converted by Parr, to leave the sides levekl going into the last quarter.
When Taira was sin-binned Gainford popped over the penalty to regain the lead and David Lowery made the victory certain with the late try, again converted by Gainford.
West Cumbrian neighbours Wath Brow were unable to capitalise on Mayfield’s defeat as they also went down, beaten 24-18 at York Acorn who had lost 24-0 when they visited the Hornets earlier in the season.
After five straight victories it was only Wath Brow’s third defeat of the season, and stemmed really from a poor start. Acorn went 12-0 ahead in as many minutes – a period of play that was to prove costly to the Cumbrians.
By half-time Wath Brow had scored tries themselves through Jake Moore and Peter Caddy, both converted by Cole Walker-Taylor but another converted York try in between those touchdowns, gave Acorn an 18-12 interval lead.
By the 55th minute the Brow were level with a Gregg Rooney try, converted by Walker-Taylor but the winning surge did not materialise and the only further score was a try for York, again converted, to seal the victory.
Egremont Rangers went third in Division One with a 42-16 home win over Crosfields, and they trail second-placed Heworth by only two points.
It was really a second-half surge which earned victory for the Mont after they had led 16-10 at the break.
In fact they had opened-up a 16-0 lead but the visitors scored a couple of tries, converting one to get themselves back into the contest at half-time.
Tom Horner, Sam Appleby and John Paul Brocklebank had scored the first-half tries for the Rangers, two of them converted by Brocklebank.
Matt Hutchins and Leon Crellin scored further tries for Egremont, one converted by Brocklebank, before Crosfield scored another converted try.
But that was it from them and Egremont continued to score freely with further tries from Horner, Crellin and Paul Corkhill – two converted by Brocklebank.
Barrow Island moved into the top half of Division Two and within sight of the play-offs with a 30-10 home win over Milford.
Although conceding first the Islanders hit back to lead 20-6 by the break and although the second-half was tighter they still had plenty in hand at the finish.
The tries came from Fin Dutton-Rosconie (2), Ryan Clegg (2), Joe Satterthwaite and Ryan Wilson. Adam Jackson landed three goals.
Highlight in Division Three was Seaton Rangers’ 14-10 home win over Beverley. It was only Seaton’s second win of the season and nice pay-back for an 80-6 defeat at Beverley earlier in the season.
It was a check, too, for Beverley as they chase a play-off place as the top three start to pull clear.
Tries by Liam Kirkbride and Billy Southward gave Seaton a nice lead, and with Dom Smallwood converting both they were 12-0 ahead at the break.
Smallwood increased that advantage with a penalty goal on 50 minutes but two tries, one of them converted by Beverley, meant it was a pretty tense finish before that elusive second win was assured.
Ellenborough continued on a roll, notching a fifth successive win when they came back from Bentley with a 30-12 victory.
Although they conceded a converted try to trail, Elbra had gone ahead 12-6 at the break with tries from Matty Bell and Andy Ostle, which were converted by Owen Hoyles.
Charlie Scott and Brett Stephenson added to the advantage with tries before Bentley scored a second converted try on 58 minutes.
It was Elbra who finished strongly, though, and there were further tries from Zack Olstrum and Gary Taylor, one of which was converted by Stephenson.
Hensingham were the other Cumbrian team in action and they had a torrid time at leaders Oldham St. Anne’s as they went down 62-8 – with the points virtually spit evenly across the two halves. The Cumbrians had trailed 30-4 at the break.
Miller Dalton scored on 37 minutes for Hensingham and Jessie Joe Parker grabbed the second touchdown ten minutes from time.
