Cleckheaton 15, Morley 33

Cleckheaton looked to get their bid to escape relegation from National League Three back on track yesterday, but promotion-seeking rivals Morley had other ideas.

The game started at a pace, with Morley running in their first try from Brad Marshall on four minutes after Cleck looked like they were weathering the early storm.

Iain Gordon had a chance to pull three points back from a penalty, but his kick went wide on ten minutes but in the 15th minute from the base of the scrum, Matt Burrows sent Ross Hayden on his way, who passed to Mitch Ashworth, who went in at the corner for a try, Gordon's conversion just going wide.

A 30th-minute penalty by Simon Bradshaw put Morley back in front, but the rest of the half was l'ttered by mistakes by both sides as Cleck were winning the battle of the forwards.

The start of the second half gave Morley a chance to go in front but Bradshaw's penalty kick went wide in the 42nd minute.

Three minutes later, after the Cleck defence held, Chester kicked a drop goal.

With the game finely balanced, Cleck looked to hit back, but after winning a scrum they lost the ball and Morley recovered it for Marshall to go in in for a try, Bradshaw converting.

Cleck were soon back in the Morley 22 and, from a penalty and line-out, the pack made easy work of sending Carl Mason in for a try in the corner, Gordon's kick again going just wide in the 53rd minute.

Two minutes later, Bradshaw converted a penalty but then the red mist came over the game and, with Mason in the bin on 60 minutes, from a scrum in Cleckheaton's 22 the ball went to Sean Dadswell, who scored a try, Bradshaw converting.

Cleck were soon back into the Morley 22, but basic rugby let them down while they were down to 14 men when Richard Piper was binned.

But, against the run of play and with Morley on the attack, Hayden intercepted a pass and ran two-thirds of the field for a try in the corner.

Gordon, on a good day, would have kicked the goal, but again it went short.

Morley ended the game in the 82nd minute with a pushover try in the corner, but this contest was much closer than the score suggests, Cleckheaton continuing to have the edge in the forwards until the binnings, and Morley just winning the backs encounters.