Wath Brow Hornets and Kells both won National League games on the road, but Egremont suffered a disappointing defeat on their travels.
In the Premier Division, after defeats to two leading sides, Wath Brow got off the mark with a confident 33-10 win at Lock Lane.
It was a fine all-round performance by the Hornets, much brighter in attack while as durable in defence as they had been against a good Siddal side a week earlier.
Lock Lane, who had also lost their first two games, were first to score with a well-worked try which they converted.
But then Wath Brow came back and started to dominate play. Dean Rooney, who was to emerge as man of the match scored a try and Sam Curwen put over the first of five goals to level the score.
Young half-back Devon Sharp went in for a second try and a drop goal from Rooney, followed by a Curwen penalty, gave them a 15-6 lead at the break.
Jamie Devine strode over for the third try and that was followed by a typical hooker’s try from Owen McCartney from close range.
With a 27-6 lead the game was as good as won and although Lock Lane scored a second try, the Brow had the final word with a well taken try by Morgan McCourt, again improved by Curwen.
You can hear what coach Ian Rooney thought of the performance by listening below:
Kells were 22-20 winners at old rivals Leigh Miners Rangers in Division One, a great result considering their hosts had gone into the game as league leaders.
It took only three minutes for the home side to take the lead with a converted try but Kells fought back to score three tries themselves from Clark Chambers, Dan Starkie and Ryan Watson.
However, none were converted and with Leigh scoring a second converted try it was 12-12 at the break – the Cumbrians scoring three tries to two.
Leigh scored a third try early in the second-half to lead 18-12 and a penalty stretched that advantage to 20-12.
But Kells finished well and after Starkie grabbed his second try Blain Graham also crossed and Ross Gainford landed his only goal of the game to snatch the win.
Kells coach Peter Smith gives his thoughts on the game below:
Egremont, however, also in Division One were on the wrong end of a 36-0 defeat at East Leeds.
The home side had won Division Two last season at a canter but had suffered two narrow defeats when they started life in the higher level.
They were dominant in their first win and unfortunately it was Egremont who were on the receiving end.
A West Cumbrian derby win over Kells and a narrow defeat at Shaw Cross Sharks had given Egremont hope going into their third fixture but they were well beaten.
East Leeds are a big, physical side with two good half-backs with a clever kicking game and they posed lots of problems.
Egremont did have a good spell of 15 minutes camped on the East Leeds line but a mixture of very solid defence and some unforced errors and wrong options meant Egremont couldn’t break them down.
To complete a miserable day for Egremont they lost Joe Lewis with a head injury while Henry Ogilvie-Brown broke his collarbone.
You can hear what coach Danny Barker thought of Egremont’s performance by listening below:
