Waterloo and Morley strife intensifies as drop looms

THERE were two important relegation clashes in National Three North, but with Morley and Waterloo both going down, there will be no respite for either at the wrong end of the table.

Morley went down 17-3 to Kendal, with Mark Chester’s first-half penalty the only score for the home side.

Kendal responded well after this early setback, and a try from Joe Robinson converted by Chris Park, who also landed a penalty, gave the visitors a 10-3 lead at the interval.

In the second period, a try from Chris Downham converted by Park sealed the win for Kendal.

Waterloo were equally keen to come back with something from Thornton Common, but lost to

Wirral 43-10, a result which takes the Cheshire outfit back up to fourth spot.

Ali Baker led the way with a hat-trick, the first backing up on the inside after a break by James Annetts, who bagged two scores himself, as well as landing four conversions.

For Waterloo, Tom Lavelle entered the line from full-back before powering through two defenders to cross for a try out wide.

Dan King went over for his side’s second, benefiting from a series of pick and drive plays sucking in the Wirral defence.

These results leave Morley still a point adrift of fourth-frombottom Doncaster Phoenix, with Waterloo having to find at least a further ten points from the final six games if they are to have any chance of survival.

At the other end of the table, Huddersfield lead the way with a perfect winning record, 20 victories from 20 matches, amassing 94 points, 13 clear of Rossendale in second.

In National Three London and South East,

Shelford dented the third-placed visitors’ hopes of putting immediate pressure on

second-place Wimbledon with a 17-15 victory at home to Westcombe Park.

The game started well for Westcombe, who were 12-3 up at half time through tries from Tom Gray and Nick Porter and a conversion by Frankie Neale, to a penalty for Shelford from the boot of Josh Simmons.

A try and conversion by Simmons in the second half narrowed the deficit to two points before a Neale increased the difference again.

But Shelford staged a comeback in the final ten minutes with Aki Lea going over for the match-winning try, Simmons again on hand with the conversion, to keep the Cambridgebased side sixth in the league.

Westcombe have 70 points from 20 matches, 15 points behind Wimbledon in second. Wimbledon themselves are five points behind leaders Tonbridge Juddian, who have 90 points from their 20 matches, having won 19 from 20.

Elsewhere, Westcliff are up to seventh after beating bottom side Amersham and

Chiltern 59-5. Charlie Jobling, Ross Merrick, Ute Tupaloka and Chris Dudman crossed for two tries each with Rory Lane the other try scorer, Dudman also kicking seven conversions.

Westcliff now have 46 points from 20 game, while Amersham remain at the foot of the table with one win all season.

In National Three Midlands, Sheffield were 19-42 winners away at Old Halesonians. Andy Hodson went in for two tries with Sam Graham, Steve Depledge, Ryan Seabright and Joe Carrington in for one each with Joe Cribley successful with six conversions.

Old Halesonians managed three tries and two conversions of their own in reply. And in the only fixture in N3 South West Bracknell downed Lydney