ROUND-UP: Cool Jones lands Crossleyans victory

Old Crossleyans 26

Northern 25

Player-coach Chris Jones kept his nerve to land two late penalties and clinch victory in an entertaining contest.

Crossleyans bossed the first half and took a 13-3 lead thanks to two penalties by Jones and a try from centre Jack Hammond.

Northern hit back in stoppage time when a penalty came back off the post and they reacted quicker to touch down a converted try.

That gave them a boost going into the second period and they stormed into a 22-13 lead with two tries only for Crossleyans to hit back with a try from prop Mark Palmer.

In tense final quarter, Northern landed a penalty but then Jones calmly slotted home two kicks in the final 10 minutes to edge his side back in front.

The drama was not quite over with Northern awarded a penalty deep in stoppage time but to Crossleyans' relief the kick dropped short.

Pontefract 20

Hartlepool Rovers 19

In the seventh minute of stoppage time allowed by referee Claire Hadlett, Pontefract chose to scrum a penalty 30 metres out.

The scrum held firm, the ball was swept out, Michael Bateman breached the line and Simon Spears raced over to put Pontefract into the lead for the first time in the match.

Hartlepool dominated the early stages and were 12-0 up inside 25 minutes but with five minutes of the half to go, full-back Bateman put Pontefract on the board with an unconverted try.

That did not look as though it would be enough when Rovers stretched their lead to 19-5 early in the second half but Andy Dean landed a penalty and then added the conversion after Bateman ran in his second try.

Pontefract were on the up but could not breach a dogged defence until, with the Rovers forwards wrapped up in a scrum, the home backs finally managed to make the late breakthrough.

Wheatley Hills 16

Cleckheaton 15

Wheatley Hills fought from behind as Cleckheaton were left to salvage a losing bonus point.

Cleckheaton gained first blood when fly-half Iain Gordon landed a penalty from out on the wing after five minutes.

Wheatley were soon putting together some good attacking moves and were rewarded after 12 minutes when fly-half Dave Scully touched down for a try which Guy Townsley did well to convert into the breeze.

Cleckheaton pressed and from a line-out catch and drive, No 8 Simon Quinn crashed over for a try.

Townsley pulled back a penalty three minutes later.

As Wheatley tried to run the ball from their own 22, the visitors gained possession and first team newcomer James Wilson touched down for a try which Gordon converted to give the visitors a 15-10 interval lead.

Wheatley had territorial advantage in the second half but Cleckheaton tackled well. Gordon was excellent in defence, tackling both Wheatley's second-row Andrew Penno and full-back Craig Jeffels close to the line.

However, Wheatley clinched victory with penalties by Townsley on 43 and 50 minutes.

Driffield 6

Old Brodleians 26

OLD Brodleians left Driffield looking for their first win.

Driffield opened the scoring with the first of two penalties by Lee Birch after three minutes, but Brodleians equalised with a penalty from Oliver Ackroyd, who added another on 20 minutes and then converted when openside flanker Anthony Finn touched down for the first of his two tries.

Birch's second penalty put Driffield back to 13-6 at the break, but they were unable to halt the slide as Brodleians turned round with the breeze on their backs.

Ackroyd added two further penalties while Birch was in the sin bin, and with 35 minutes remaining Finn sprinted over for his second try, Ackroyd again adding the points.

Jack Moon, Brodleians' 18-year-old fly-half, was impressive.