Old Brodleians 0, Cleckheaton 33

Ollie Akroyd always finds Boxing Day derbies tricky.

The 34-year-old Cleckheaton flanker has either played for them or festive foes Old Brodleians since he was a youngster.

He explained: “I started off as a junior at Old Brods, playing some first-team games for them as a teenager, and then went to Cleck, came back to Old Brods and now I am at Cleck again.

“I always find these games difficult as I am playing against so many of my mates but they are good to play in.”

Today’s match should have been at Moorend but their pitch was ruled as unfit because of frost, so it was switched at short notice to Hipperholme.

Brods gave a good account of themselves up the slope, trailing only 12-0 at half-time, but Cleckheaton got their act together more in the second half to add a further 21 points without reply.

“We played with more structure in the second half,” added Akroyd, “and now hopefully we can kick on in the league in the second half of the season.”

Cleckheaton top North One East by 14 points while Brods are sixth in Yorkshire One, the division below.

But that margin was not apparent in the first half as the visitors took 15 minutes to wake up.

Both of their first-half tries came from drives off a line-out, prop Andy Piper and No 8 Richard Piper getting the tries and Ross Hayden adding one conversion.

With Akroyd a secure source of line-out ball, Cleckheaton began to impose themselves more in the second half, adding tries by centre Matt Piper (2) and left winger Craig Blackburn from an astute crosskick by former Moorender Iain Gordon, who now plays for Westcombe Park.

* Bradford Salem fly half Andy Robinson made the most of his run-out, inspiring them to a 34-24 comeback victory against visitors Baildon.

“I just fancied blowing some of the Christmas cobwebs away,” said Robinson, who scored two second-half tries after Baildon had led 17-0 at half-time.

Full back Ian Critchley also crossed twice, hooker Simon Markey getting the other try, with Robinson landing two conversions.

Full back JJ O’Connell and guest prop Adam Hewitt (West Park Leeds) got two tries each for Baildon, Jack Ryan and O’Connell adding a conversion each.