Wood's penalties fail to halt leaders

Billingham 25

Sandal 9

Billingham stole a march in the race for the title with a comfortable four tries to nil victory over the leaders.

The visitors suffered an early blow when Billingham went over to grab a 5-0 lead but, facing a strong wind, Sandal kept in touch with a penalty from Greg Wood.

The home side started to pull away when they charged down a 22 drop out and ran in a try and landed a penalty to turn round 13-3 in front.

With the elements in their favour, Sandal began the second half well with two penalties by Wood. However, two further tries and a conversion from Billingham underlined their dominance.

Sandal are two points behind the leaders with a game in hand but an inferior points difference.

Carlisle 25

Pontefract 24

Pontefract produced good form but still find themselves nervously looking over their shoulder at the relegation zone.

Individual errors saw Pontefract trailing at the break. The hosts were 6-0 but Pontefract took the lead when captain Derek Eaves produced the break for No 10 Glenn Boyd to score, Andy Dean converting.

The home side scored a converted try only for the lead to change again on 25 minutes when Eaves powered forward to score with Dean converting.

Pontefract's defence allowed Carlisle to grab another try to lead 20-14 at the break.

Dean struck a penalty but Pontefract then conceded a further try. They reduced the gap when Nick Dykes broke and created space for Simon Spears to go over and Dean landed a conversion but late pressure proved to no avail.

Driffield 21

Old Crossleyans 13

Driffield moved back into the top three when they fought from behind to win their final home game of the season.

Despite playing into the wind, Driffield struck when full-back Lee Birch sprinted over for a try after 15 minutes.

Birch missed the conversion, and Crossleyans pulled back a penalty from Chris Jones before Birch also hit the target.

Jones added a second penalty and the visitors then took a 13-8 lead when, five minutes before half-time, centre Jack Hammond touched down for a converted try.

With Birch having taken a knock on the leg, fly-half Jordan McGregor took over the kicking for Driffield and scored the opening penalty of the second half.

Oliver Cooper, who had come into the second-row as a replacement, scored an unconverted try midway through the half to give Driffield a 16-13 lead, and with 10 minutes to go, Birch ran in his second try, although McGregor was wide with the conversion.

Gateshead 23

Ilkley 15

Ilkley may complain after Gateshead fielded an illegal player after a substitution error.

Peter Shanks ran in their first try which he converted and then the pack rumbled their way over to put Ilkley 12-3 in front.

Gateshead pulled a try back in the second half, before a penalty from Shanks.

However, a couple of sin-binnings and some poor decision-making by Ilkley soon saw the game turn on its head and Gateshead piled on 15 unanswered points to storm to a 23-15 victory.

Old Brodleians 27

Hartlepool Rovers 23

Brodleians came from behind to take another step towards safety.

Three penalties and a converted try put Rovers 16-3 up after 25 minutes butBrodleians produced a super move before centre Chris Hartley went over.

Ollie Ackroyd added the touchline conversion to his earlier penalty and with the wind at their backs after the break, the home side soon took the lead when Nabeel Salama went over for a converted try.

Hartley added his second five minutes later and Ackroyd kicked the conversion and then a penalty. Some sloppy play in the last 10 minutes let Hartlepool in for a converted try.