YORKSHIRE
Two tries in the first eight minutes set the platform for ROTHERHAM GIANTS to win 30-10 against SCARBOROUGH PIRATES and close in to within a point of their visitors in the play off race.
The hosts went ahead through a third minute score from Joel Barratt and Joe Barber crossed soon after, Craig Weston converting.
Tom Jenkinson finished off a sublime play for the visitors as he crashed over posts the posts to bring Scarborough to within four points as Millward converted.
Giants then had three consecutive sets after two penalties for dissent, and the Pirates defence collapsed under the pressure as Steve Burns went in and Rotherham led 14-6 at the interval.
It was very much a sense of déjà vu as Giants scored two quick fire tries at the start of the second half through Weston and Tom Obern to put daylight between the sides.
Pirates kept fighting and got their reward as Billy Parker crashed over on 64 minutes. It was the hosts who had the final say, though, Jordan Mee touching down between the posts for an easy Weston conversion.
Twenty-four unanswered points in the second half sent MILFORD MARLINS home with the spoils after defeating YORK LOKOS 32-18.
The introduction of the experienced Gav Brown at half time proved inspirational for the Marlins, and the home side never looked back after being down 8-18 at the interval.
It was the hosts who struck first through prop Paul Tharme in the 8th minute but two responses from York through Richard Rodger and a self-converted Luke Campbell try put them in control.
Martin Loveridge cut the gap with a touchdown on 24 minutes but York re-established their prominence with Rodger’s second of the match and a try by stand off Liam Watling.
Brown was introduced and it took Ryan Oxtoby seven minutes to score for the home side.
The young Marlins responded to Brown’s organisational prowess and posted four tries in the final 18 minutes to sink the visitors.
Winger Joe Burns started the procession, Brown went in and scores from Joe Ramsdon and Daniel McDermott, in the final minute, capped off a memorable fight back for the Leeds side.
MIDLANDS
Three tries in the final 15 minutes helped BRISTOL SONICS overcome runaway leaders COVENTRY BEARS 22-16 in a nailbiting contest at Little Stoke Park.
Trailing 16-4 with 20 minutes of the match to go, few gave the home side a chance but two quick tries from hooker Harry Marson – both converted by stand-off Dom Swann – tied the scores with less than ten minutes to go.
An end-to-end frenzy of attacking play ensued, before Bristol winger Joey Atwell stepped his way through some tired defenders for the match-winning score with 78 minutes on the clock, Swann's conversion confirming the win.
After a physical first half in which both sides squandered excellent opportunities, Bristol finally opened the scoring on 38 minutes.
A near perfect Swann kick bounced kindly for Atwell, who raced over in the corner.
Swann could not convert in a gusting wind and the Sonics led 4-0 at half time.
Coventry bounced back early in the second period, though, and deservedly levelled the scores.
Stand off Nikki Hemopo was in the right place, picking up a loose ball on half way and racing away to touch down between the posts.
His conversion gave the Bears a slender 6-4 lead.
After a 20 minute break for a neck injury to Bristol second row Gary Carpenter, the Bears took control of the match with two quick tries either side of the 50-minute mark.
First Iestyn Pratt finished off a fine move started by scrum half Barry McGuffog, before Hemopo grabbed his second try after a break from Nathan Tilsley.
Glen Burnside converted to give the Bears a seemingly comfortable ten-point lead.
With defences dominating and chances being squandered on both sides, it seemed Bristol would go away empty handed – until Marson's late magic turned the game on its head and scrum half Joel Keen slipped a pass to young flier Atwell who stepped his way to glory.
A debut hat-trick from home centre Aaron Fowke was not enough to halt LEICESTER STORM’S charge to the play-offs as they beat GLOUCESTERSHIRE WARRIORS 42-24 at Sandyleaze.
Storm captain Simon Anniss chipped in with a hat-trick himself as the visitors built a 26-14 halftime lead before running out comfortable winners to end the Warriors’ interest in the play-offs.
Greg Hurst opened the scoring for the Storm with Callum Corley adding the first of his four goals after an even opening ten minutes before Anniss grabbed his first try, diving over from a metre out.
Ty Watson then powered over, quickly followed by Max Oxton-Morris as the Storm built a 20-0 lead.
Fowke scored his first to open the Warriors’ account but Anniss cancelled that score out with his second.
As the contest approached the interval the Warriors gave themselves a chance with tries from Fowke and Josh Kelly but George Leng’s scintillating break gave the Storm breathing space early in the second period, and Watson and Anniss then ensured the win.
Warriors finished strongly and Kirk Lewis crossed before Fowke completed his three-timer after a neat chip over the defence.
Fowke and Alex McEwan each added a goal for the Warriors, Dom Birch one for Leicester.
NORTH WEST
WIDNES WEST BANK BEARS extended their lead at the top with a 44-22 win over second placed LYMM.
Strong defence from both teams restricted scoring opportunities early on but a superb run from Wayne Courtnage saw Shaun Attwood score by the posts for Tommy Arrowsmith to land the first of six shots at goal.
Lymm responded with tries from Nat Ashurst and Jack Probert with one conversion from Keiron Naylor.
A rare first half penalty for the Bears allowed Ste Curphey to cross in the corner but a converted penalty for Lymm brought up a 12 all half time score.
Lymm were first on the score board in the second half but nice play from Ryan Bates put Attwood over for his brace to put Widnes back in front.
Mark Ryan’s blockbusting run went unrewarded when his pass to Ste Curphey was ruled forward but a good run from Ste Cowall sent Paul Curphey over.
Oliver Faye was next to cross straight from acting half back and good play and a nice pass from Dean French found Cowall in support who sprinted in to finish well.
Lymm came back into the game one more time with a converted score but West Bank finished off well when good ball movement put Adam Simm over for the final score.
WALES
BRIDGEND BLUE BULLS claimed their first win over reigning champions BLACKWOOD BULLDOGS for three years and their first ever victory at Glan-y-Afon Park with a 50-34 success.
Bulldogs got off to a great start when hooker Byron Williams scored in the opening minute but the next eight belonged to Chris McGrath.
The winger had only scored three tries in total during his four seasons with Bridgend but he raced over for a superb hat-trick in record time.
Great play from Tylon Mafi and Matthew Hutchings sent him over for his first then a Lindsey McCausland run resulted in his second before a superb cross field kick from Gareth David fell perfectly for McGrath who touched down for a third with just nine minutes on the clock.
But his celebrations were painful as the Bridgend Athletic Union player chipped a bone in his leg while crossing and had to be carried off the field.
David kicked a single goal. With McGrath off, Shaun Owens took over and scored a great solo try before David kicked ahead and speedster McCausland hacked on and won the race to the ball for the Blue Bulls fifth, David converting both.
Hutchings and Dan Smith then piled more misery on the home team both scoring with David adding a further goal but Blackwood had the final say scoring in the corner to make it 36-10 at the break.
Bulldogs scored again early in the second half to make it 36-14 but Connor McDonald hit straight back to put Bridgend past 40.
A second score from Bryon Williams then made it 40-20 before a great solo score from Gareth Howells furthered the Blue Bulls lead.
The game then turned sour and both sides had men red carded and in the final quarter hour as Blackwood showed some of the skills that won them the title last year with three good tries before Gareth David raced away to make the game.
VALLEY COUGARS consolidated their position at the top of the table with a 76-12 hammering of NEWPORT TITANS.
SOUTH
EASTERN RHINOS put themselves back into play off contention with a hard fought victory over well organised SOUTH LONDON STORM, triumphing 30-22 to move above their opponents into fourth.
For the second week in succession Rhinos were slow to settle defensively, conceding three tries in the first ten minutes and having to play catch up for the rest of the game.
From the kick off Easts pushed deep in to Storms half with an attacking first set and looked to be comfortably containing South London in their own half until Lee McCarthy out stripped the Rhinos defenders to score wide left after only two minutes.
Aaron Brown added to the Rhinos woes when he was perfectly placed under a high kick to score Storm’s second wide right and on ten minutes after a succession of penalties had the Rhinos on the back foot Storm spun the ball wide for David Wojceicehauz to touch down and make it 12-0 to the Storm.
From the re-start Pete LeMarquand found touch giving the Rhinos a scrum on the Storms 20 metre line from where they worked the ball across field, Tyrone Desilva finding a gap to force his way over from 10 metres.
The game was now finely balanced and it was a further 10 minutes before a penalty gave the Rhinos back to back sets and they were able to push Storm deep into their own half.
Gary Palmer's drive was halted just short of the line but man of the match Adam Cook scored with a scoot from dummy half, Pete LeMarquand converting to make the score 10-12.
Storm were rewarded for their hard work just before half time when, from a knock on, they spun the ball wide to their wing where Brown forced his way over in the corner.
South’s forced the Rhinos back deep into their own half but conceded a penalty form which Adam Cook broke through the retreating Storm players, breaking tackles and handing off cover defenders until he was finally dragged down 20 metres into the visitor’s half from where the ball was passed wide left for Daryll Walters to touch down in the corner, Pete LeMarquand converting a difficult kick in strong winds to level the score at 16-16.
On 65 minutes, Rhinos were forced to drop out but quickly regained the ball and a Pete LeMarquand break put them in a good attacking position from where Damien Brambley out paced the cover defenders to score wide and put the Rhinos in the lead for the first time in the game.
But within minutes Peter Maddigan left the home defence standing with a great run from within his own half to score between the posts and give Lee McCarthy an easy conversion for South’s to regain a slender lead.
But the Rhinos kicked back with two tries in the last 15 minutes to snatch the game.
Good work by Brendan Cook and Richard Burton set the stage for Walters who sucked in the defenders before setting up Nick Faliveno to score in the corner.
In the final minutes Pete LeMarquand spun the ball wide to Walters who scored in the corner, Pete LeMarquand converting.
Elsewhere ST ALBANS CENTURIONS dented HAMMERSMITH HILL HOISTS’ challenge 56-16 to go clear at the top and last years divisional and Premier champions, WEST LONDON SHARKS are recovering from a slow start to go second after defeating PORTSMOUTH NAVY SEAHAWKS 32-22 at the dockyards.
