Long inspires Hoppers at Harrogate as Huddersfield are denied by the Lions

In the first minute, Sean Long’s break was supported by the visiting pack and No 8 Dominic Moon powered through for a try, converted by Nathan Fowles.

Harrogate were still very much in contention and a searing break by Mike Aspinall split the Hoppers’ defence.

Preston conceded a penalty at the breakdown which was quickly taken and Ed Smithies squeezed in at the corner.

A promising Harrogate counter-attack from defence was halted by a forward pass decision and Preston set up another attack from the subsequent scrum. Quick ball put full-back Sean Taylor into space but he still had work to do before scoring a fine converted try.

Harrogate then built a series of attacks from a powerful drive by Ryan Peacey, Preston went offside and Aspinall kicked the penalty. He then added another to bring Harrogate within three points of the leaders at the interval.

This was as good as it got for Harrogate. The workmanlike Hoppers’ pack kept providing good ball for their talented backs and they took advantage.

A pinpoint kick from former rugby league star Long was gathered by right winger Matt Gargett for the next converted try.

This was shortly followed by a badly judged kick to Gargett, who broke clear for his second score. Harrogate continued to play attacking rugby but gifted an interception try to left winger Phil Baines.

This was Preston’s sixth converted try but they spoiled their 100 per cent record with their final score.

Another fine cross-kick by Long led to Baines’s second try but Fowles had been substituted and Long narrowly missed the conversion.

In the final move of the match, Harrogate counter-attacked from deep and scrum-half Phil Wickham sold a dummy to open a huge gap and score a converted try.

Huddersfield had to settle for a 18-18 draw at fourth-from-bottom Leicester Lions after conceding a try from the last play.

The visitors dominated the early exchanges and took the lead with a penalty try, converted by fly-half Chris Johnson.

Leicester hit back with two penalties to trail by a point at the break. Huddersfield were down to 13 men after the interval, with yellow cards for front-row James Davies and captain Nick Sharpe. That helped the Lions take the lead with a converted try by full-back Gareth Collins.

However, once Huddersfield were back to full-strength a great line from winger Matthew Clark resulted in a try. Huddersfield regained the lead with a penalty and a drop-goal by Johnson but with seven minutes added on, Leicester drew level with a try, the touchline kick sailing wide.

Sheffield Tigers moved ahead of their rivals when they completed the double over Stockport with a 25-16 win at Dore Moor.

Stockport went ahead with a second minute drop goal by stand-off Josh Longmore, but his opposite number Jonny West kicked a penalty five minutes later and then added a second before Longmore levelled with a penalty.

James Broadley, playing at outside centre for Tigers, scored the first try of the match on the half -hour to give Tigers an 11-6 lead which was eroded by Longmore’s next penalty.

Stockport moved into a 16-11 lead when Longmore converted centre Jamie Anthony’s try before the Tigers staged their rousing finish.

Winger Callum MacKenzie put Tigers level with an unconverted try and West landed three late penalties to deny the visitors a losing bonus.

Hull ran out emphatic 44-10 victors over Caldy, with fly-half James Cameron providing most of the points.

He kicked five penalties, two conversions and touched down for a try to take his personal tally to 24 points.

Other tries for Hull came from winger Joe Donkin, wing forward Ben Dorrington, second-row Chris Murphy and No 8 Olly Cook, who ran in from 65 yards out in the last few minutes.