Champions Morley turn attention to Cup quest

Morley claimed the Championship in emphatic style, capping an excellent season with a seven-try romp that included three tries by second-half replacements.

The victory meant they went through the campaign with only three defeats and it took them past the 100-point mark, two ahead of second-placed Stockport.

Peter Dadswell put Morley on their way after four minutes with Simon Bradshaw adding the first of his four conversions.

The home side quickly hit back with their only score of the game after which it was all Morley as they relentlessly took apart their North East opponents.

John Stannard and James Derbyshire went over to put the visitors 17-7 up at the break and substitute back-row forward Will Smyth extended the advantage early in the second half.

Right winger Karl Bradshaw, another replacement back-row forward Will Nutbeen and stand-in No 10 Scott Benton all got in on the act as Morley cruised to victory but their celebrations will have to remain low-key for the time being as they face a Champions Cup Level Five semi-final home tie with Ampthill of Bedford on Saturday.

West Park SH 31

Cleckheaton 13

Cleckheaton looked to go out on a high in this trip across the Pennines, but the St Helens side did not read the script and scored a converted try in the first minute.

Cleckheaton had most of the play for the first 15 minutes after the early shock but all they had to show was a penalty from Pete Murphy.

With both sides being frustrated by refereeing decisios, Cleckheaton had Matt Piper binned in the 16th minute and Park lost Rob Morley in the 22nd.

Cleckheaton again had most of the play and were camped in the Park 22 for 10 minutes without scoring.

Park's coach was sent to the stand just before the break but his side responded by scoring a try.

The second half started with early pressure from Park and they went in for a converted try from what looked like an offside position.

Cleckheaton hit back with a try from Joe Massarella, which Murphy converted, but James Burrows was binned in the 57th minute.

The only further reward for Cleckheaton in the second half was a 66th-minute penalty from Murphy in reply to two converted tries from Park.

Birkenhead Park 28

Sheffield Tigers 31

Tigers, after turning round 23-6 down, looked to be heading for the latest in a string of league defeats but turned in an impressive second-half performance against a team five places ahead of them.

Birkenhead took the lead after two minutes with the first of three penalties by winger Dave Hall.

Tigers pulled back a penalty on 24 minutes through full-back Tom Outram, but the home side quickly regained the initiative when their other winger, Greg Hughes, sprinted over for a try which Hall converted.

Hall ran in the next try which he also converted, and Outram pulled back a second penalty on the stroke of half-time to make the score 23-6 at the turnround.

It took Tigers only three minutes to gain the upper hand in the second half, centre Gareth Morley touching down for a try which Outram converted.

Two minutes later, hooker Alastair Thompson crashed over for Tigers' second try, which was not converted.

Birkenhead prop Martin O'Keefe scored a try in the 52nd minute to put the home side 28-18 in front, but that was to be their final score as Outram pulled back penalties on 59 and 63 minutes.

With a 15 minutes still to play, Tigers took a one-point lead when replacement flanker Nav Sandhu ran in a try, and Outram's conversion sealed their win.

Tigers defended well in the closing stages as Birkenhead continued to press.