Wath Brow Hornets ground out a 16-2 home win over Kells in a National Conference Premier Division derby.
The visitors had led from the fourth minute with a Ross Gainford penalty and they held onto that advantage until the 57th miniute.
It was a gritty effort by Kells, who were missing half a dozen regulars, but Wath Brow scored three tries to wrap up two more points in pursuit of the league’s top spot.
Jay Weatherill, Hornets’ top try scorer, gave them the lead for the first time and three minutes later Owen McCartney scored the second.
Ten minutes from the end Cole Walker-Taylor scored the third Wath Brow try and his second conversion ended the scoring.
The Brow remain three points behind leaders Hunslet Amateurs who have a massive game this weekend against fourth placed Rochdale Mayfield. The Hornets make the long trip to Humberside to take-on Hull Dockers.
Kells coach Peter Smith discusses his side’s performance in conversation with John Walsh below:
In Division One Egremont Rangers are up to second after an excellent 40-16 win at Stanningley.
Deep into the first-half the Cumbrians were behind 16-8 but they had closed to within two points at the break before going on to dominate the second-half without conceding a further point.
John Paul Brocklebank was the hat-trick hero for Egremont while Aaron Turnbull crossed twice and the other tries came from Kristian Tyson and Kieran Glenn. Tyson finished with six goals.
In Division Two Wigan St. Jude’s leap-frogged Barrow Island when they beat the south Cumbrians 20-12 at Parson’s Meadow.
The Islanders won the second-half but the damage had been done in the first-half when St. Jude’s built a 12-0 lead.
Tries from Shane Sanderson, two minutes after the break and Jake Stoicdale (54), both converted by Adam Jackson pulled the visitors level.
But they couldn’t maintain the momentum and a try on the hour, followed by two penalties, carried the hosts to victory.
In Division Three there’s a three way tie for the lead, involving Ellenborough Rangers with Millom out on their own in fourth.
The new order followed Elbra’s fine 20-18 win over Leigh East, in what had started as a third versus second clash, and Millom’s excellent 26-16 win over leaders Oldham St. Anne’s.
Elbra change places with their visitors following a good recovery against Leigh East as they trailed 12-4 at half-time. It had been a cracking contest and at one point the Cumbrians were 12-0 behind.
In the end a try from Gary Taylor late in the game edged Paul Gorge’s men through to a narrow win.
Zac Olstrum had scored two tries while Kai Gillhespy also crossed and Owen Hoyles kicked two goals.
The top three are all separated by points differential – although Leigh East have played a game more.
Millom are still in contention with a game in hand of the top two and two on Leigh East, after their splendid win against Oldham St. Anne’s.
The Woollybacks always led the contest and were 18-6 to the good at half-time before a converted try gave St. Anne’s hope going into the final quarter.
But Millom were able to pull away again and record an important victory to stay on the heels of the top three.
Hosea Saumaki, Amanaki Saumaki, Kian McPherson and Ethan Kelly scored the Millom tries with Lee Postlethwaite landing five goals.
At the other end of the table Hensingham went down 26-16 at home to Bentley and weren’t helped by a sin-binning for Neil Branthwaite midway through the second-half and a red card for Miller Dalton three minutes from time.
Dan McGarry, Jake Rothery and Jack Kellett scored the Hensingham tries, two of which were converted by Dalton.
