Both Kells and Egremont Rangers have been relegated from the Premier Division of the National Conference.
Defeats at the weekend to Wath Brow and Heworth closed the escape route for the two Cumbrian sides with one game still to play.
Each had made decent starts to the campaign but a series of crucial injury blows have disrupted the teams, with the result that the second-half of the season has been a nightmare for them both.
It would hurt Kells particularly that it was a 46-16 defeat to local rivals Wath Brow that tipped them over the edge.
Kells had fought back level 16-16 early in the second-half of their game with the Hornets but Wath Brow showed their superiority with five unanswered tries to pull well clear.
Ellison Holgate (2), Jake Moore, Morgan McCourt, Karl Dixon, Cole Walker-Taylor, Josh McConnell and Sam Curwen scored the Hornets tries. Walker-Taylor kicked seven goals.
For Kells there were tries for Jack Ainley, Karl Garner and Clarke Chambers, two of them converted by Dominic Wear.
It’s been a fraught finish to the season for Egremont who have lost their last nine games, with the 40-14 defeat to Heworth officially rubber-stamping their relegation.
They trailed 22-10 at half-time with Fraser McNee going over twice and Tom Houghton converting one of them. Jack Conway scored their only try in the second half.
In Division Two the Cumbrian duo of Barrow Island and Ellenborough Rangers are still in the mix to be relegated, and it will all go down to the final games of the season on Saturday.
The Islanders gave themselves a chance of surviving with a fine 32-8 win at Saddleworth Rangers – a result which condemned their hosts to the drop.
They had raced into a 26-0 half-time lead and were able to see it through to collect the precious points.
The Islanders tries came from Finley Dutton-Rosconie, Josh McBain, Carl McBain, Declan Baines and Max Anderson-Moore, playing on dual registration from Barrow Raiders, Sam Jones kicked six goals.
Millom took a massive stride to safety with a 52-10 win over Myton Warriors, who are now relegated.
All this after a brilliant start by the Warriors who were 10-0 up in five minutes. But Millom responded well and by half-time had established a 28-10 lead.
Jude Lupton (2), Connor Terrill (2), Josh Blinkhorn (2), Joseph Wright, Tom Askew and Kyle Evans scored the tries for the Woolybacks with Jack Newbegin kicking eight goals.
Ellenborough Rangers crashed 68-2 at second-in-the-table Wigan St Jude’s and know they need to beat Normanton Knights at home on Saturday to clinch their safety.
Andrew Ostle and Rocco Okesene scored the Elbra tries with Dean Jones kicking two goals.
Elbra coach Paul Gorge said: “We were beaten in every department and I think they were the best team we’ve played so we can’t complain. It’s going to be a great game next week between them and Shaw Cross to see who wins the League.
“But for ourselves, I thought young Rocco Okesene and our captain Andy Ostle gave their all with two outstanding performances. Andy got our man of the match.
“We want to stay in this Division so it all comes down to this Saturday and we will be getting the lads fired up for this one against Normanton.”
In Division Three the big game was at Distington where the home side lost their derby clash with Hensingham 24-16.
Distington have led the table for most of the season but now face the prospect of going into the play-offs to try and clinch promotion.
Hensingham owed their win to four first-half tries by Jamie Brown, Reuben Butterworth, Luke Charlton and Jack Kellett, all converted by Jay Weatherill.
Distington, 24-4 down at the break fought back in the second half but couldn’t do enough in the end.
Their tries came from Callum Fox (2), Scott Rooke and Jack Speight – all of which went unconverted.
Distington coach Aiden Worthington said: “I think overall that Hensingham probably deserved it but we had a really had 20 minute spell in the first half which cost us.
“We came back well in the second-half but the fact that we have lost some key players through injury has affected us over the last few weeks. It’s looking like the play-offs now.”
Hensingham coach Kris Coward added: “I was very pleased with the win which came from a game of two halves. We had started really well, with good shape and we scored four good tries.
“We knew Distington would come at us in the second half and they did. We weren’t doing what we had been in the first half and the momentum had shifted. We struggled with game management so did it the hard way. Our scrambling defence was superb and the lads worked really hard for each other to get us over the line.”
Seaton played their final home game against Beverley and it could have gone either way before they lost 14-10.
Matt Dixon and Ellis Nixon scored the Seaton tries, one of which was converted by Kieran Mewse.
Seaton coach Gus Frazer said: “We probably should have won it but we just never offered anything in attack. We defended really well at times to force errors but then couldn’t do anything with the field position.”
