Harrogate off mark at expense of county rivals while Tigers lose

No 8 Tim Heaton put Harrogate ahead with a fourth-minute try, and this and another touchdown by full-back Oliver Denton were converted by Joe Rowntree.

Hull fought their way back into the game with a try by flanker Kerry Woods, converted by Greg Lound, and two penalties by Lound took Hull to within one point before Rowntree pulled back a penalty for the visitors.

Hull contained the visitors for the last 15 minutes of the first half, but Rowntree opened the second period with a penalty and then converted when centre Sam Bottomley touched down.

James Cameron, who had come on for the injured Lound, converted a try by winger Dominic Lespierre, bringing the score back to 27-20, and Rowntree and Cameron exchanged penalties in the closing stages.

Sheffield Tigers competed well in the backs but failed to win enough ball and went down 34-22 on their visit to Leicester Lions.

After Leicester had opened with a penalty by Jon Boden, Tigers took the lead with the first of three tries from full-back Pete Swatkins and the visitors went in front again before half-time.

Centre Will Carrington converted Swatkins’s first try, but Tigers lost their lead when Leicester were awarded a penalty try on 24 minutes and Boden kicked the points.

Swatkins’s second try put the visitors back in front at 12-7 but Leicester regained the lead when full-back Kane Nixon scored a try which Boden converted.

Just on half-time, Carrington pulled back a penalty for Tigers.

Boden added a penalty six minutes into the second half and then converted a try by No 8 Rob Young but Tigers were still in with the chance of a losing bonus when Swatkins completed his hat-trick on 65 minutes and Carrington converted.

A fourth try from Leicester lock Thomas Cheney, converted by Boden, ended Tigers’ hopes.

Otley won 31-27 at home to Caldy despite, after making a good start, finding themselves two penalties to one down – both kickers, Mark Ireland and Caldy’s Richard Vasey, going on to have 100 per cent success rates.

On 17 minutes, winger Harry Hudson was put away to score in the corner and, as the forwards kept up the pressure, lock Jonathan Stannard forced his way over, but this enraged the visitors and they replied with three converted tries in seven minutes.

Winger Ben Eaves rounded the cover to make the corner, prop Derek Salisbury finished off a forward drive, and then Eaves went in for his second try.

With five minutes remaining before the break, Otley hammered at the Caldy line and successive penalties plus a yellow card cost the visitors a penalty try.

Caldy dominated the third quarter without gain and, as Otley came back into the game, temperatures rose and there were two more yellow cards for Caldy and one for Otley.

It was not until the final minute that scrum-half Stephen Depledge slipped down the blind-side of a five-metre scrum for the win and a bonus point.