Bradshaw goes in at the double as Morley seek bonus in title challenge

Morley 18Chester 6

Despite the narrow scoreline, Morley dominated the match and kept alive their challenge for the title. They remain five points behind Stockport but with a game in hand.

In-form Simon Bradshaw, fresh from his four-try haul the previous week against Rochdale, scored all his side's points, including a further two tries.

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The left-winger landed two first-half penalties to give his side a 6-0 lead at the interval only for Chester to square things with two penalties of their own.

Morley's superiority was rewarded after the break when a break from Liam Frost put Bradshaw over in the corner and, on 58 minutes, Michael Ash seized on a poor Chester pass and hacked forward. Bradshaw followed up, kicked ahead and won the race to touch down and then landed the conversion.

The narrowness of the win, allowed Stockport to take a two-point points difference advantage so Morley will be looking for a big win and a bonus point when they face struggling Cleckheaton at the weekend.

Rochdale 34

Beverley 10

FOR the second week running, mid-table Beverley were up against a side which has raised its game in recent weeks in an effort to avoid relegation and again went down to a clear defeat.

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Rochdale took the lead in the second minute with a try from wing forward Gareth Adams which was converted by fly-half Steven Collins after Beverley had dithered in midfield and lost the ball.

Beverley had the better of the early territorial possession and reduced the arrears with a penalty from winger Jamie Gill. However, Rochdale, with increasing dominance, stretched further ahead when a cross-kick to the corner from Collins was gathered and touched down by winger Jim Flitcroft.

Collins added a penalty after Beverley had infringed at a ruck and then converted a try by scrum-half Robert Neave on the stroke of half-time.

Turning round 22-3 down, Beverley needed a positive start to the second half but the result was as good as sealed within the first five minutes, during which Rochdale scored two converted tries in the corner, one from winger Sean Campbell and the other from lock Thomas Helliwell.

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The second half was, in reality, no more than a damage limitation exercise for Beverley, who managed to hold out for the remainder of the match.

With the last action, they did get some consolation with a try from centre Jade Gardiner which was converted by Gill to leave a more respectable look to the final score.

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