Promotion race takes twist as Cleckheaton lose at Durham City

Cleckheaton slipped to a 22-19 defeat away to struggling Durham City last Saturday as the North One East promotion race took another twist.
Cleckheaton captain Matty Piper scored a late try but it wasnt enough to prevent his side from slipping to a narrow defeat away to Durham City last week as the North East One title race took another dramatic twist. Picture: Allan McKenzieCleckheaton captain Matty Piper scored a late try but it wasnt enough to prevent his side from slipping to a narrow defeat away to Durham City last week as the North East One title race took another dramatic twist. Picture: Allan McKenzie
Cleckheaton captain Matty Piper scored a late try but it wasnt enough to prevent his side from slipping to a narrow defeat away to Durham City last week as the North East One title race took another dramatic twist. Picture: Allan McKenzie

Cleckheaton travelled to Durham full of confidence following their win over league leaders York the previous week but were forced into a late change with Tom Lillycrop returning to rugby league with Batley Bulldogs and was replaced at flanker by Gus Milborne.

Cleckheaton played with the blustery wind behind them in the first half and put Durham under early pressure and earned a succession of penalties.

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The referee deemed that second row Showler had infringed once too often and sent him to the sin bin on three minutes.

While Cleckheaton were dominant, the scoreboard remained redundant and it was 21 minutes of almost constant pressure before Jack Marshall got into space and touched down for his 10th try of the season and Dale Breakwell added the conversion.

Jack Seddon then controlled the ball at the back of the pack at a five metre scrum until he was short of the line and was about to touch down when a Durham hand got under the ball and the chance was lost.

On 30 minutes Marshall scampered over in the corner for what appeared to be his second try only to be pulled back for a forward pass.

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Durham then had Brad Pears dispatched to the sin bin for not releasing in the tackle on 27 minutes, which would cost him later in the game.

The only Durham attack in the first half saw centre Gary Izomor go on a powerful run into the visitors 22, when the ball was moved right, Cleckheaton were stretched. A great cover tackle by Mikey Hayward should have prevented a score but the referee deemed it illegal and sent Hayward to the sin bin and awarded the penalty try to level matters after 37 minutes.

At the start of the second half Cleckheaton made progress down the middle of the field, a penalty was awarded some 40 metres out but Breakwell pushed it left of the posts.

Durham were coming into the game more and on 52 minutes, they took the lead when the visitors lost a ball at a line out. It broke loose and Dominick seized the opportunity to score wide on the left.

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Cleckheaton knocked on and from the scrum captain Paul Armstrong slipped away from the defence to score an individual try between the posts and the conversion put Durham 19-7 ahead.

Good handling down the left wing saw Hayward elude the cover to cross for his 18th try of the season wide out on the left, Breakwell hitting the post with the conversion.

Durham went back on the attack from the restart and Cleckheaton conceded two needless penalties, the second added three points to the total as City led 22-12.

There was a frantic final eight minutes as Cleckheaton powered downfield, first Josh Plunkett and then Matt Piper broke through the defence before Olly Depledge put Jack Marshall into space on the right, as the cover came across he stepped inside only to be upended by a tip tackle from Pears who was sent from the field having already been yellow carded.

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From the penalty the ball was moved left and a try should have been scored but the pass was forward, the referee brought play back for an earlier infringement and captain Matt Piper crossed for his fourth try of the season, Breakwell adding the goal with three minutes left.

Cleckheaton tried to make a game winning score but were thwarted by a knock on.