Slow start costs Leeds Tykes at home to Birmingham Moseley

The Yorkshire side had to settle for two bonus points against the Midlands outfit for the second time this season, having lost out 33-32 at Birmingham back in October.

Tykes’ fitness helped them fight back from a 20-5 deficit at half-time, but they couldn’t quite do enough to take the win and remain second bottom of the table.

Birmingham Moseley were 17-0 ahead before Leeds opened their account, inside centre Tom Williams scoring late in the half, but the conversion was missed and Birmingham’s Dan Lewis added another penalty to make it 20-5 at the break.

Full-back Charlie Venables pulled back a penalty shortly after play resumed as the Tykes came out looking sharp for the second half.

However, while they were threatening to add more points an interception saw Oliver Allsopp run the length of the pitch to score for the visitors, suddenly hosts Leeds were 27-8 down.

Venables converted his own try to narrow the gap to 27-15, and flanker Will Smith and prop Xavier Valentine both scored tries, Venables converting once to close to 30-27 and ensure at least a bonus point.

But hopes of a late winning try were dashed by the whistle.

Hull continued their march towards the National Two (North) title with a 27-10 victory over hosts Harrogate, their 12th league win in a row.

Winger Keane Naylor dashed over for their first try on nine minutes, and after Harrogate’s stand-off Rory MacNab kicked a penalty, full-back Reece Dean raced in for Hull’s second try and a 10-3 lead at half time.

Inside centre Stephen Johnson’s 48th minute try took the score to 15-3, and Naylor bagged another on 57 minutes, Simon Humberstone converting for a 22-3 lead.

MacNab scored and converted on 72 minutes to narrow the gap to 22-10, but Hull had the final word with Dean scoring his second.

Second-placed Rotherham Titans are still in the hunt for the title too, after beating visitors Stourbridge 17-10 at Clifton Lane.

Stourbridge took an early lead with a converted try after 20 minutes, but the Titans chipped away with full-back Matt Minogue kicking penalties on 26 and 30 minutes to make it 7-6.

Two more penalties took the score to 10-9 at half time, but Rotherham soon took a lead they would not relinquish.

Minogue added a fourth penalty on the hour mark, and wing forward Zak Poole touched down on 71 minutes to wrap up a 17-10 win.

A Kian Stewart try and Will Milner conversion weren’t enough for Huddersfield who lost out 10-7 to visitors Chester at Lockwood Park.

Two tries from scrum-half Sam Pocklington and one from stand-off Ben Smith, plus all three conversions from centre Lewis Minikin, weren’t enough for Hull Ionians who lost out 27-21 to hosts Sedgley Park.

Centre Jamie Broadley scored twice and Mark Ireland added both conversions, but Sheffield Tigers still lost out 26-14 to Blaydon.

Wharfedale were beaten 16-10 by visitors Luctonians, despite tries from hooker Steven Graham and prop Joseph Altham.

Leaders Otley were beaten 27-12 by second-placed Preston Grasshoppers as the race for the North Premier title narrowed to just three points.

Elsewhere Sandal ran in seven tries on their way to a much-needed 47-41 win over relegation rivals Burnage also in North Premier.

And in North One East second-placed Ilkley pulled level with leaders Driffield following their 42-19 win over Morpeth.