Halifax 53

Cleckheaton 3

Halifax increasingly look like they are consigning last season's 18-16 National League's play-off defeat at home to Launceston to the back of their minds.

After their seven-try demolition of derby rivals Cleck-heaton, Halifax coach Kevin McCallion didn't need any prompting over the sum needed to gain them automatic promotion from National League Three North.

He said: "We need nine points from six games - maybe two wins away - and then we cannot be caught so I would hope we won't slip up this time."

What was important to McCallion on Saturday was how his team bounced back from the previous week's 20-20 draw at fourth-placed New Brighton, a result which ruined their 100 per cent league record for the season.

He said: "Maybe a degree of complacency had crept in as a result of winning 18 matches in a row, but that is not acceptable, and the players realised that that is not acceptable."

As for Cleckheaton, McCallion said: "They are a game set of lads, and from a seemingly hopeless position at Christmas, they have pulled themselves out of the mire by winning five matches out of six, and they deserve great credit for that."

Cleckheaton's No 8 John Dud-ley cut a much more disconsolate figure in the changing rooms, saying: "We didn't perform again - just like the previous week when we lost 58-22 at Fylde.

"We just didn't turn up and what chances we created we squandered. We got over-enthusiastic. We must get things right in training this week and turn over Darlington Mowden Park at our place.

"But you cannot take anything away from Halifax. They were very good in defence and very patient."

It's ironic considering they finished on the wrong end of a 50-point beating, but Cleck-heaton actually took the lead.

Halifax, watched by Halifax-born England fly half Charlie Hodgson, conceded the first three penalties, and visiting full back Oliver Akroyd - restored to the team when Alex Green pulled out - slotted a fine penalty in the second minute from just inside Halifax's ten-metre line.

Home fly half Doug Sanft landed an equalising penalty six minutes later, and having tried to make hay via the forwards, Halifax cashed in when they used their backs.

Winger Tekori Luteru made the incision down the right and chipped ahead, right centre Craig Emmerson catching it after it bounced to go over for the try. Sanft surprisingly missed the conversion, but his aim was truer three minutes later when Tekori Luteru's right-wing break involved so many Cleckheaton players in defence that there was enough space on the left for Anzac Luteru to go over.

Sanft converted and Cleck-heaton then lost two players in as many minutes, second row Craig Rika twisting an ankle and flanker Matt Terry coming off for treatment to a cut over his left eye.

Cleckheaton couldn't be faulted for effort but Halifax ran in five more tries through Emmer-son, Rob Afoa-Peterson, David Hall, Richard Hughes and David Jessiman. Sanft added five conversions and a penalty.