MacNab grabs hat-trick as Tykes pull away from title rivals Titans
ANOTHER big win for Leeds Tykes – this time a 55-14 thumping of Tynedale – brought the National Two North leaders closer to the title and promotion back into National One.
With Rotherham Titans’ game at Sheffield Tigers being postponed due to a waterlogged Dore Moor pitch the picture is a little more complicated, but few people would now bet against Leeds winning the league.
Tynedale drew first blood at The Sycamores with an early converted try, but the Tykes were soon up to full speed with scrum-half Will Hardwick and centre Ben Dixon both having first half tries converted by full-back Callum Irvine for a 14-7 lead.
After the break it was mostly all Leeds with No 8 Edward Brown, winger Henry MacNab and centre Charlie Venables all having tries converted in the first 15 minutes of the second half as Leeds built a 35-7 advantage.
Tynedale pulled back a second try, but there was no stopping Leeds with MacNab going on to complete a hat-trick and others coming from Venables and winger Ben Turpin.
Hull Ionians pulled off a shock 4814 win over third-placed Sheffield to boost their bid to avoid the drop.
They were 24-0 ahead by half time with No 8 George Mewburn, fullback James Thompson, centre Josh Britton and winger Alfredo Celella all scoring tries and stand-off Charlie Kirk kicking two conversions.
Celella added another try early in the second half before hooker Rhodri Campbell powered over for Sheffield, Fisher converting.
However, right winger Sam Wilson and second row Joe Makin added further tries as they moved into a 41-7 lead with 15 minutes left.
Centre James Flint pulled one back for the visitors, but Britton bagged his second try, Kirk’s conversion completing a massive win for the East Yorkshire side.
Fourth-placed Wharfedale missed out on the chance of closing in on Sheffield when they lost out 20-17 at Billingham, who like Ionians are fighting to avoid relegation.
Early tries from Hodgson and Verity left Wharfedale in front, and Green added a third try to leave them ahead. But Billingham took advantage of Wharfedale being down to 13 men late in the game, and came out on top.
Hull secured a deserved 39-36 win over Fylde with full-back Reece Dean being their star with 19 points.
He converted an early try from second row Alec Renouf, and added a penalty ten minutes later.
Another three-pointer on the half hour saw them edge into a 13-12 lead, but Fylde went back ahead shortly before half time at 17-13.
However, Dean converted his own 43rd minute try and another from James Naylor to help his side to a 2717 lead, and he also added the extras following centre Bureta Faraimo’s 53rd minute score.
Fylde hit back again with two tries to lead 36-34, but a late try from Peter Hudson-Kowalewicz proved enough for Hull to win.
Huddersfield and Otley battled out a 26-26 draw after an entertaining match.
Stand-off Ed Barber scored a try and converted three times, while centre Harry Whitfield scored two tries and sub Paul Harrison one.
For Otley, centre Josh Sarsfield, full-back Jacob Holmes, centre Louis Martin and replacement Conor Mullin all scored tries.
Harrogate sealed the Regional One North East title and promotion into National Two North following a 45-27 victory over Driffield.
Heath finish second after a 48-28 win at Ilkley, while York are third having also piled on the points in a 57-28 win against Alnwick.
Selby were 69-10 winners over Bridlington in Regional Two North East and secure the title, while Bradford Salem are promoted from Counties One Yorkshire after winning 50-13 at West Leeds.
■ Bath could not overcome the loss of injured fly-half Finn Russell as Exeter reached the Investec Champions Cup quarter-finals by beating them 21-15 at a windswept Sandy Park.
Scotland star Russell departed the action after just 15 minutes, before his replacement Orlando Bailey went off hurt during the third quarter. And the cumulative effect was too much for Bath to absorb as Exeter fought back – into the wind – from eight points adrift.
Saracens bowed out of this year’s Champions Cup after a 45-12 defeat at Bordeaux.
Leinster’s Champions Cup title challenge gathered further pace with a 36-22 win over Leicester.