Tynedale 23 Wharfedale 20: Greens sunk by Hodgson

Once they had drawn level, the fine game management and excellent kicking of fly-half Joel Hodgson kept the Greens at bay until his 76th minute penalty produced the killer punch.

Hooker Steve Graham’s early try was converted by Tom Barrett adding the simple conversion before Simon Horsfall crossed.

Hodgson’s penalty and conversion of a try by Alan Rodgers followed before Dan Solomi extended the Greens’ advantage even though a further penalty by Hodgson pegged them back to 17-13 at the break.

Barrett’s penalty was to remain his side’s sole further score as Wharfedale failed to press home some promising moments.

Tynedale grew in confidence and Chris Harris burst through the middle to score between the posts for Hodgson to convert to level before he struck a deserved match-winning penalty.

Ionians clinch derby honours at the double as pack dominate

Hull Ionians, although eight places down the pecking order prior to this match, completed the season’s league double over neighbours Hull with a 22-16 home victory.

Hull took an early lead with the first of James Cameron’s three penalties, although Ionians went ahead when full-back Mike Bateman crossed for a try which Glenn Boyd converted.

Hull turned round 16-7 ahead with an interception try from full-back Jim Wigglesworth, converted by Cameron.

But, in the second half, the Ionians pack dominated and they drove home their advantage with bonus-winning tries from hooker Tom Rice, second-row Robert Kench and No 8 Joe Sanders.

A second-half fightback was not enough to stop Sheffield Tigers going down 17-10 at Leicester Lions.

Leicester, who failed to score a try when Tigers won at Dore Moor in December, were playing with the elements in the first half and, as Tigers were pressured into mistakes, took a 17-0 interval lead thanks to two penalty tries which James Stokes converted after an early penalty.

Forward pressure by Tigers was rewarded within five minutes of the restart when full-back Liam Wallace touched down and centre Jamie Broadley also raced over after a pass from Jon Buchanan.

Harrogate were 21 points ahead at Kendal after 32 minutes but the home pack grew in strength, gradually took control and the visitors hung on for a 21-15 victory.

James Tyson touched down for the opening try and Jack Latus converted before hooker Aarin Yorke sustained a knee injury and was replaced by Nico Nyemba.

Dickie Davies then split the defence for Harrogate’s second fine converted try before Tyson added his second.

Kendal scored with the last move of the half through winger Kris Bratten and, after the break, Liam Hayton crossed and Mark Ireland struck a drop goal.

Huddersfield ended a disappointing run with a 34-31 win at home to Preston Grasshoppers.

Huddersfield supporters must have feared the worst with their side 17-0 down in 16 minutes.

No 8 Dominic Moon scored twice but Chris Johnson converted his own try on 21 minutes and just before the interval winger Dave Hall scored out wide. Johnson landed the difficult kick.

Adam Ryder put his side ahead with the third try on 47 minutes, Hall adding his second four minutes later. The scores were level once more on 66 minutes following Preston’s fourth try, but Tom Owen crossed with ten minutes left. Johnson added a long-range penalty into the wind with two minutes remaining and Preston’s converted try was not enough.

An impressive display saw Otley win 32-27 against a strong Stockport side.

Jonathan Matthews’s try was converted by Christian Georgiou but Stockport levelled through winger Myles Hall’s converted try.

No 6 Toby Williams and Michael Coady struck for Otley either side of a penalty by Joshua Longmore nut Jan Andrews’s converted try left Stockport just two points adrift at the break.

Georgiou kicked a penalty and converted a try from James Twomey before Daniel Eccles grounded and Howard Parr was yellow carded. Georgiou eased the situation with a penalty and, although they conceded another pushover try to No 7 Nicholas Smith, Otley held out.

Beverley and Morley consigned to the drop

A COMFORTABLE 19-0 win for Beverley was not enough to save them from relegation with results elsewhere on the final day of the season going against them.

After a devastating first half of the season when they were decimated by injuries Beverley had fought heroically to make up the lost ground.

They needed a win with a four-try bonus point and they went flat out for tries.

Full-back Richard Bussey crossed for a try after 10 minutes and centre Junior Tupai converted and scrum-half Chris Infield added another before the break.

Prop Tom Bagnall powered his way over for a third which Tupai converted but Burnage held out to deny them a fourth, although given the other results it would have proved of no consequence.

Morley also went down after an embarrassing 88-13 defeat at Birkenhead Park.

The Maroons had conceded eight tries before getting on the score-sheet. They fell behind after just 22 seconds and were 54-0 down before Morley pressure eventually allowed fly-half Shaun Dadswell to score a try converted by Simon Bradshaw. The left winger added two penalties in the second half as Morley shipped a further six tries.

Sandal finished off with a 25-14 defeat at West Hartlepool. Despite taking the lead through a penalty from Greg Wood they were 14-3 down inside the first quarter after conceding two quick-fire converted tries.

The two sides traded penalties to make the half-time score 17-6 and Wood pulled it back to 17-9 only for the hosts to add a kick of their own and collect their third try out wide with 10 minutes left.

Sandal flanker Jonny Gatus crossed in the closing minutes to complete the scoring.

With nothing at stake for either side, Bradford and Bingley lost 43-49 at home to Lymm.

It is evident that the Bees are not at their best when the game opens up to such an extent that it resembles a training game of touch and pass.

The game should have been won and wrapped up by the home side as they cruised to a 43-32 lead in the 53rd minute, but Lymm won the game in style with 17 unanswered points in the final quarter.