Cleckheaton tuck in after getting dinner out of their systems

Cleckheaton brought their long North One East season to an end yesterday with a seven-try home victory over game opponents Morpeth.

The visitors never gave up, despite travelling with a much-weakened side owing to injuries and unavailabilities.

Cleckheaton eventually emerged from a slow start - nevitable as it was the club dinner the previous evening - and five second-half tries elevated the team into third place and gave them great confidence for next season, when promotion will be the target.

Morpeth took the lead in the seventh minute with a good try following a rolling maul but five minutes later Iain Gordon was successful with his first penalty.

The scoring continued with an Ed Chappelow try, following another rolling maul and, just prior to half-time, James Wilson finished a fluid movement with a try which was converted by Gordon.

Tries from Martin Woodhead,Mark Sergeant and two from leading try-scorer Ross Hayden emphasised the difference in class of the two back lines but the crunching tackle, gathering of the ball and sprint to the line by Lee Queeley was the highlight of the match in the 70th minute.

The match-bonus point gave Cleckheaton 19 for the season - the best total in the league.