If ever a scoreline was harsh on a team it was last night’s Centurion Yorkshire Cup semi-final for Cleckheaton.

They travelled to Hull, who are two divisions higher, and took them to extra-time before losing 40-20.

“We were the better team,” said Cleckheaton’s spokesman Alan Bentley.

“We took 21 players and some were watching who were injured.

“Four of our players were late arriving, and they would have been really late had we kicked off at 6.15.

“Hull were wearing black shirts and it was a dark night and the referee said five minutes into extra-time that if it became dangerous then he would have to halt the match, and we would have won because we had scored three tries to their two.

“We then conceded two converted tries and two penalties but I was proud of our team. Richard Piper was the best player on the pitch.”

Cleckheaton’s tries came from Piper (2) and Ollie Depledge, with Iain Gordon landing a conversion and a penalty.

Cleckheaton are missing Pete Murphy, Depledge and Gordon at West Hartlepool on Saturday in North One East but back comes hooker Steve Worsley.

Cleckheaton (at West Hartlepool): J Wilson; M Woodhead, C Blackburn, G Lamb, M Ashworth; R Hayden, M Fletcher; P Turner, S Worsley, A Piper, R Piercy, M Beasty, E Chappelow, R Piper, M Sargeant. Replacements: C Piper, L Queeley, A N Other.