Leeds Tykes hit back for fair share as Otley and Hull Ionians enjoy derby success

The Yorkshire outfit had drawn first blood with stand-off Tighe Maxwell-Whiteley kicking a penalty after 21 minutes, but their rivals got off the mark just before half time with a converted try five minutes before the break.

They added a second try early in the second half, and a third came on 52 minutes as they extended the lead to 17-3. However, the Tykes weren’t finished.

Replacement Charlie Venables touched down on 57 minutes and Maxwell-Whiteley converted to narrow the gap to 17-10, and hooker Ben Sugars burrowed over on 66 minutes, the conversion from Maxwell-Whiteley pulling them level.

Hull battled well against Oxfordshire outfit Chinnor, but ultimately lost out 29-15.

After their rivals had scored two early tries, Hull scrum-half Tomasi Tanumi had a try converted by full-back Reece Dean to open their account.

Dean added a penalty and No 8 Will Hall scored a try late in the game, but it wasn’t enough as Chinnor ran in three further tries.

The lead changed hands five times in a thrilling Yorkshire derby match between Wharfedale and Otley in National Two (North), visitors Otley taking the win at Threshfield.

It was finely balanced at half-time, the sides level at 13-13 with stand-off Tom Mann kicking two penalties and converting a try by scrum-half Sam Gaudie, while for Otley hooker Luke Cole crashed over and centre Gavin Stead kicked a conversion and penalty with full-back Callum Irvine also slotting over a penalty.

After the break Otley flanker Sam Hodge ran in a try which Stead converted, only for Wharfedale to hit back as flanker Matt Speres had a try converted by Mann.

Stead’s second penalty on 59 minutes edged Otley ahead, but Wharfedale hit back with replacement Ryan Hodgson scoring a try on 68 minutes, Mann converting for a 27-23 lead.

But Otley had the final word, centre Clark Wells scoring a try with two minutes remaining to secure the win.

Hull Ionians emerged 24-17 victors from their Yorkshire derby clash with Harrogate, but had to survive a second-half fightback.

Ionians led 19-0 after 21 minutes with two tries from prop Ben Bell and one from second row Tyler Heelas, stand-off Ben Smith converting two.

Left-winger William Yates got Harrogate off the mark with a try just before half time, but Ionians’ second row Joe Makin scored their fourth try early in the second half to put the East Yorkshire side 24-5 ahead.

Harrogate hit back with tries on 60 and 76 minutes from prop Tom Baxter and No 8 Tom Spencer-Jones, but it wasn’t quite enough for the win.

Two tries from prop Callum Thompson and others from scrum-half Joe Potter, winger Kian Stewart and stand-off Will Milner helped Huddersfield win 38-14 at home against Tynedale, with Milner kicking all five conversions and a penalty.

Rotherham leap-frogged their rivals to fifth in the table with a 26-21 win over Chester.

Tries from prop Dan Rylance and winger Oliver Parker plus four penalties and two conversions from stand-off Richard Hayes helped them to the win.

Sheffield lost out 47-17 at Sedgeley Park with their tries coming from winger Cameron Catleugh (2) and scrum-half Elliot Fisher.

City rivals Sheffield Tigers also lost away from home with hosts Fylde winning 20-11 despite a try from centre Lewis Taylor and penalties from Mark Ireland and Taylor himself.