QUEENSBURY'S hopes of going one better than last season's BARLA National Cup semi-final appearance came to a premature end with a 16-4 first-round defeat at Heysham Atoms.

The hosts took the lead on their first attack with a fortuitous bounce on the last play for an unconverted try.

Things took a further turn for the worse ten minutes later when poor defence and slack positional play saw the Atoms score twice to take a 16-0 lead.

At last Queensbury woke up and started to play with some passion but they failed to capitalise as hooker Charlie Gallagher was held short and centre Ash Ryan was bundled into touch when a try looked a formality.

The visitors came out for the second stanza with the wind in their favour and in a determined mood.

Stand-off Josh Naylor went over, after some good yardage from loose forward Joe Flanagan and substitute Jack Evison, for an unconverted effort to reduce the home advantage.

But the game got tougher and the hits became bigger as desperate but excellent defence kept 'Bury at bay.

A break by replacement forward Tom Hainsworth looked certain to reduce the arrears but the final pass to half-back Gregg Marriott agonisingly went to ground.

Ryan had what looked to be a perfectly good try under the uprights disallowed for offside but neither side troubled the scoreboard again, with defence winning the day in the gusty conditions.

Pennine League action saw Wyke give unbeaten Division Two high-fliers CK Vikings the fright of their lives before going down to a 12-6 defeat.

The black and whites' chances looked grim when scrum half Jordan Payton and forward Joe Harbon withdrew injured prior to kick- off.

The opening exchanges on the heavy pitch were ferocious but the Wyke forwards, led by prop Simon Owen, refused to take a backward step to ensure the sides changed ends all-square at 0-0.

The Vikings' relief was evident when they scored in the corner and then added a penalty for a 6-0 advantage and the hosts made the game safe with a converted try under the uprights.

Yet a belligerent Wyke side had the final say when prop Ian Wormald hit the whitewash, leaving his brother Michael to add the extras.

The Division Six West match between joint-leaders Worth Village and Victoria Rangers A was abandoned on the half-hour mark due to what appeared to be a serious neck injury to Vics wingman Reece Hodges.

Worth Village led 12-0 at the time the game was called off and Hodges is thankfully recovering at home having being diagnosed with severe whiplash.