Grasshoppers march on after fightback

LEAGUE leaders Preston

Grasshoppers had to come from behind to beat third place Harrogate 3216 at Rudding Lane.

Jon Croser was the try scorer for the home side, converted by Luke White who also kicked three penalties for the Lancashire side PJ Mellia, Sam Scott, Niall Crosley and Alex Hurst went over for tries with Jake Squirrel adding three conversions and two penalties.

Second place Lymm ran in ten tries in their 66-0 mauling of Pocklington. Joe Deman racked up a hat-trick, Richard McEvoy went in for two with Cormack Nolan, Joe Watson, Jake Ashall, Oli Higginson and Ali Southerland adding one each, Nolan successful with eight conversions. Hull take over from Harrogate in third after seeing off Ilkley 3125 in an all-Yorkshire clash at Chanterlands Avenue. Lee Birch, Tom Tunami, Steve Hiheta and Joe Stafford were the home try scorers. They also forced a penalty try with Reece Dean adding two conversions. Ben McGee, Elliott Morgan, Tom Milner and Charles Morgan crossed for Ilkley, Morgan also successful with one conversion and a drop goals. Billingham were resounding 64-3 winners at home to Kirkby Lonsdale. Danny Dixon and Peter Evans led the way with two tries apiece, Joe Evans, Don McAllorum, Tom Briggs, Sean Wallace, Martin Hopley and Sean Richardson all crossing the whitewash. Dan Finney landed seven conversions.

Rossendale returned to winning ways by beating

Morley 12-19 at Scratchers Lane. Jack Ward, Reece Tomkins and Curtis Strong were the Rossendale try scorers with Louis Allen kicking two conversions. Morley scored tries through Darryl Griffiths and Andy Ellis with Mark Chesters adding one conversion.

Another close-run game saw Kendal edge it 34-30 away to Sandal. James Ellar, Simon Frewin and Steve Nolan were the home try scorers with Greg Wood knocking over a conversion and two penalties. Wirral ran out 31-27 victors over Birkenhead Park in a tense affair at Thornton Common, a converted try deep into time added on the deciding factor.