Derby joy for Huddersfield and Otley as Hull duo both triumph

With both sides involved in a battle for points it was a nail biter to the last.

Harrogate took the lead, Otley then seemingly took charge only to be pulled back before securing full points in the final minute and sending their visitors home empty-handed.

Centre Toby Quarendon was given a penalty under the posts in the first minute but Otley were in confident mood, No 6 Toby Williams continually battering the Harrogate defence and they forced a penalty, full-back Christian Georgiou levelling then, from the restart, Michael Coady, a handfull throughout, broke through to give winger James Wood chance to go over in the corner.

Again from the restart, Howard Parr charged forward before handing on to fly-half Tom Rock who found James Twomey with a long mis-pass and the winger rounded the cover to score.

Now in charge they added a third try when No 8 Luke Watts was driven over but Harrogate fought back, Quarendon adding a seond penalty before the break.

Harrogate fought back when sub Ryan Peacey was driven over to get within a score but sub Oliver Richards settled the issue, snapping up loose ball on halfway to burst through and score, Georgiou converting.

Huddersfield picked up their first win in four with a tight 22-20 success at home to Sheffield Tigers.

Huddersfield had to be content with penalties in the first half.

Fly-half Chris Johnson gave his side a 6-0 lead after 11 minutes only for Sheffield to hit back with a try from centre John Buchanan, converted by fly-half Johnny West.

The two sides traded penalties and in injury time a fourth successful kick from Johnson took Huddersfield in at the break with a two-point advantage.

Centre James Broadley scored a converted try for Sheffield and West added a penalty.

However, a series of pick-and-goes ended with a try for centre Dave Hall, Johnson converting to leave a point in it.

Huddersfield then snatched the points with a penalty by Johnson five minutes from time.

Hull completed the season’s double over Preston Grasshoppers with a 36-29 victory on their visit to Lancashire, scoring six tries to move ahead of their rivals by virtue of the bonus point achieved.

Preston themselves scored two bonus points, and would have still been ahead on scoring difference but for Hull’s bonus.

Hull took an early lead with a try by full-back James Wigglesworth after just four minutes, James Cameron landing the conversion.

Winger Joe Donkin touched down midway through the first half, and although fly-half Cameron missed the conversion he himself scored an interception try two minutes later which he converted to give Hull a 19-10 interval lead.

Donkin and Wigglesworth both scored again in the second half, and the other try was from a catch and drive by wing forward Rob Devonshire.

Back in East Yorkshire, Hull Ionians scraped a 29-24 victory over Luctonians.

They scored four tries in the nail-biting match, but had to rely on an injury time try from centre Sam Bowring to secure the points.

Other tries for Ionians came courtesy of No 8 Joe Sanders – who had a very good display – scrum-half Adam Thomas, winger Sam Wilson and replacement winger Gary Stephenson, while David Marshall kicked two conversions.