Hull moving up as Whitehead hat-trick eases relegation fears

Waterloo 13Hull 27

Hull had a dominant first half against Waterloo to ensure maximum points and move themselves into fifth place.

James Cameron soon sent in Robin Kitching and Rob Devonshire shrugged off three challenges to set up Matt White for a try converted by Cameron.

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James O'Brien responded with a penalty but Olly Hardisty's kick was collected by Danny Smith, who touched down.

Hull's Darren Wigg was binned and Adam Anderson struck for Waterloo before Hull closed the half with a penalty.

They collected their bonus point three minutes after the interval when Sione Onesi finished after a succession of rucks.

Waterloo were awarded a penalty on the hour but substitutions by both sides disrupted the pattern of play and allowed Hull to leave Liverpool with five well-earned points.

Preston Grasshoppers 5

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Substitute flanker Mark Whitehead ran in a hat-trick of tries as Huddersfield eased their relegation worries.

Second-row Ben Harris scored the first of Huddersfield's seven tries and Chris Johnson added a penalty to his earlier conversion and was on hand again to add the extras when Whitehead, on as an early replacement because of injury, went in for his first try.

Preston touched down just before half-time but Huddersfield had control and piled on the pressure after the break.

Everything they tried seemed to come off, starting with a second for Whitehead before winger Adam Sutcliffe went over.

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Whitehead went on to grab his third, Nick Sharp scored another from second-row and Johnson landed his sixth conversion before taking his tally to 20 with a try after chipping forward and collecting his own kick.

Bradford & Bingley 18

Loughborough Students 38

RELEGATION-THREATENED Bees made the leaders fight all the way with their pack to the fore.

With the strong wind at their backs in the opening 40, the Bees dominated and were 13-0 ahead just before the break. Tom Davidson landed two penalties and converted a try from captain Ryan Wederall who ploughed over for his seventh score of the campaign on 28 minutes.

Hooker George Thomas replied with a try just before the break.

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Captain Phil Burgess opened the second half scoring for the students and they ran in a further four scores but it was far from a rout.

The sheer will of the home pack was finally rewarded as referee Andrew Vertigan awarded a stoppage-time penalty try but hopes of a bonus point disappeared when they gifted a try to winger Ashley Smith.