Division Three of the National Conference makes good reading for two of the West Cumbrian participants.
Distington and Hensingham are first and second in the table after both picked up important wins at the weekend.
Unfortunately the third local side, Seaton Rangers, are still seeking that elusive first win of the season.
Distington entertained dangerous opponents East Leigh and finally triumphed 28-20 after a fight-back from the visitors.
The villagers had led 26-10 and appeared to be cruising when their visitors pulled back to within six points, although a late penalty from Scott George settled any home nerves.
The Distington tries had been scored by Aaron O’Donnell, Scott Rooke, Jack Penrice, Kieran Worthington and Sean Sutton with George converting three of them.
Distington coach Aiden Worthington said: “It was a good win in the end but we are still learning. We were 28-10 to the good with 10 minutes to go and switched off and I do think that if there had been another ten minutes we wouldn’t have held-on.
“In the Cumberland League when we scored two or three tries the game was virtually over but that isn’t the case in this League. They were well organised and the best team we have played so far.”
Hensingham produced a strong second-half performance at bottom side after they had trailed 14-12 at half-time.
They stormed back to win 36-20 and stay right on Distington’s heels, two points adrift.
Miller Dalton (2), Kier Starkie, Scott Egan, James Stanaway, Fletcher Holgate and Dan McGarry scored the Hensingham tries with Adam Williamson landing four goals.
Coach Kris Coward said: “It’s nice just to keep winning although it was a game of two halves. We were poor in the first half, although to be fair Featherstone have improved. They have had some poor results but have been getting players back.
“We got control in the second-half and scored some good tries to go clear and their try late on maybe didn’t give a proper reflection of the game. But as they say a win’s a win.”
Seaton looked on course for that elusive first win when they led Milford 16-6 at half-time but the game changed dramatically in the second-half and the visitors ran out 28-16 winners.
Jordan Pritt and Evan Nicholson scored tries for Seaton before former Workington Town forward Caine Barnes celebrated his return to his original amateur club with a third touchdown. Jon Carl Bryan converted two of them.
Coach Gus Frazer said: “We made a few errors at the start and had to defend for the first ten minutes but we came back well to lead at half-time.
“But in the second-half we just didn’t get out of our own half through making errors and conceding penalties. I think we only had two good ball sets.
“Under the hot conditions, as well, no team can do the amount of defending we had to do and not concede and they were a big, enthusiastic side.”
Up in the top flight Kells got back to winning ways when they beat Thatto Heath 42-6, as the Crusaders slipped to their fifth defeat in a row.
The points were virtually in the bag at half-time with Kells 30-0 ahead and although the second-half was tighter there was never any suggestion that the Crusaders could turn things round.
Jake Parker (2), Grant Gainford (2), Nathan Clarke, James Ennis and Paul Cullnean scored the Kells tries with six conversions from Gainford and one by Parker.
Kells coach Peter Smith said: “We looked at our effort areas from last week and they were poor.
“I asked for commitment, concentration an discipline – and we got it so we now move on to another home game against the bottom side Lock Lane, and the same rules apply.”
Wath Brow were also home winners, beating York Acorn 30-6 as the visitors slipped to a fourth successive defeat, which has followed an impressive start to the season.
Acorn had actually taken the lead with a converted try on six minutes and Wath Brow were behind until a flurry of scoring just before half-time.
Morgan McCourt, Peter Caddy and Josh McConnell all went in for tries, all of which were converted by Cole Walker-Taylor for an 18-6 half-time lead.
There was no further addition to the scoreline until the final quarter when the Brow scored two further tries from Ellison Holgate and Fran King, both converted by Walker-Taylor.
Acorn’s chances weren’t helped by two sin-binnings on 26 minutes for a professional foul and 47 minutes for a tip tackle.
Egremont, after their superb win over Hunslet ARLFC, were unable to follow-up and went down 22-10 at Heworth, who had been beaten late on in successive matches by the Cumbrian pair of Kells and Wath Brow.
At half-time Egremont trailed 12-4 with Paul Corkhill scoring an unconverted try on 32 minutes.
In the second-half they could only add a try from Jon Paul Brocklebank which was converted by Matt Bewsher.
Coach Rhys Davies said: “I was disappointed in our performance because I thought we were quite flat from the start. But we were also beaten by the better side on the day.
“They just wanted it more but we will reflect and re-group at training this week ready to go again on Saturday when we have another big test at home against leaders Siddal.”
There were good wins in Division Two for Ellenborough and Millom, but Barrow Island were beaten.
Ellenborough were able to leapfrog Thornhill when they beat the Trojans 22-10 after conceding the first points.
Thornhill scored first in a tight first-half but Elbra led 8-4 at the break and went on to have a bit more in hand at the end.
Rocco Okesene, Zac Olstrom and Keenan Winter scored tries while there were four goals from Winter and a final penalty by Sean Mumberson.
Elbra coach Paul Gorge said: “I was really chuffed with a good win because Thornhill came thinking they were going to beat us.
“It was a tight first-half but we pulled away a bit in the second-half with good performances from the whole team really, particularly Zac Olstrom, big John Todd and Shane Ackerley who came off the bench.
“We are proud of our home record and it was really good to keep that going.”
Millom were 30-4 winners over Saddleworth Rangers, building on an 18-4 interval lead.
Lee Postlethwaite finished with five goals and there were tries for Josh Blinkhorn (2), Aidan Wilson, Connor Terrill and Ki Amanaki.
Barrow Island had the toughest test when they hosted Oldham St Anne’s and that was reflected in a 32-12 defeat.
It was a third successive defeat for the Islanders and they must have felt it coming as they trailed 26-6 at half-time. But the second-half was shared six points apiece, some small consolation to the south Cumbrians.
Aaron Wright and Sam Jones scored the Islanders tries with Jones landing two goals.
