Round-up: Millar drops in to seal opening day triumph for Hull Ionians | Harrogate made to suffer by Hinckley | Otley lose out at Sale

Hull Ionians got the new season off to a winning start with a 16-10 National One victory at home to Darlington Mowden Park.
HENRY PACKARD: Scored a try for Sheffield Tigers but it was not enough as visitors Luctonians won 22-10. Picture: Ian AndersonHENRY PACKARD: Scored a try for Sheffield Tigers but it was not enough as visitors Luctonians won 22-10. Picture: Ian Anderson
HENRY PACKARD: Scored a try for Sheffield Tigers but it was not enough as visitors Luctonians won 22-10. Picture: Ian Anderson

Isaac Green got them off the mark with a penalty but the visitors soon took the lead as Santiago Socino’s try was converted by Caolan Ryan.

Ionians started the second half strongly as Zak Poole ran in a try for Green to convert. Green added a penalty before Lee Millar sealed the points with a drop goal.

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Ryan scored a penalty for the visitors in the final minute but the home side had done enough.

In National Two ,Harrogate lost 21-7 to promoted Hinckley at home. The visitors scored all their points before the break, and although Harrogate dominated the second half with Luke Edwards scoring a try and Charlie Morgan converting, it was not enough.

Sheffield Tigers played some good rugby but lost 22-10 at home to Luctonians.

Luctonians opened the scoring through a penalty from Louis Silver and they were soon further ahead when Jordan’s Street’s try from a rolling maul was converted to make it 10-0.

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After the break, Henry Packard scored a converted try to make it 10-7 and new stand-off Angus Bowyer made his mark with a penalty to level.

Further tries from Piers Morell and Louis Silver handed victory to the visitors.

Otley lost 27-3 at Sale.

Doncaster Phoenix and Morley, promoted from North One East, marked the start of their National Three North campaigns with wins.

Phoenix scored two tries to one at Castle Park in a 20-5 win over Firwood Waterloo, last season’s fourth-placed side.

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Hull handed Kendal, last season’s North One West winners, their first home defeat for 12 months with a 20-15 win.

Kendal opened with a try, but Hull pulled back a penalty by fly-half Tomasi Tanumi and took the lead when new winger James Watt raced over. Kendal regained the upper hand with tries in the 43rd and 66th minutes, but Hull flanker Danny Hague scored a catch and drive try which Tanumi converted. Then, with the last play, Hull broke out for prop George Thornton to crash over.

Morley were 25-3 winners at home against Stockport, but Ilkley and Cleckheaton both lost, Billingham winning 29-16 at Stacks Field while Cleckheaton went down 17-10 at home against Lymm.

Cleckheaton had the lion’s share of territory and possession in the first half but knock-ons and other errors in Lymm’s danger zone thwarted attempts to get on the scoreboard.

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The game remained 0-0 after 30 minutes but two tries from Lymm winger Owens made it 10-0 at the break.

Cleckheaton went further behind when a missed tackle in the middle of the field created a race to the line. The try was converted.

Cleckheaton dug in and a wave of pressure culminated in the referee awarding a penalty try. Ronan Evans converted and then struck a penalty.

Cleckheaton camped in Lymm’s 22 but lost their own lineout near the line and their last chance was gone.

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Lymm took the four points, leaving Cleckheaton with the consolation of a bonus point.

Sheffield, transferred to National Three Midlands, opened with a 14-6 win at Bridgnorth, winger Rupert Broadley scoring the game’s only try in the 53rd minute.

Bradford and Bingley, last season’s runaway Yorkshire One winners, were held 17-17 draw in their opening North One East match at Durham City, salvaging the two points when centre Ali MacDonald scored in the 79th minutes and centre Schalk Oosthuizen converted.

Malton & Norton, the other side promoted from Yorkshire One, lost 25-7 at Pocklington, who gained a four-try bonus when fly-half Joe Holbrough raced over for his second which, like the first, came from a pass from his brother, Jack.

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No 8 Ali Coe got a pushover try for Malton late in the first half, Ian Cooke converting.

Driffield slipped up 17-5 at Morpeth.

Two tries by flanker Steve Leitch helped Dinnington to a 19-14 win at Wheatley Hills.

In Yorkshire One, promoted West Leeds ran in 10 tries in a 66-14 home win over North Ribblesdale. Captain Sam Neave and winger Jack Marshall both scored hat-tricks.

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