Middlesbrough 19, Cleckheaton 26

With this bonus-point victory yesterday and with the team slowly approaching full strength for the first time this season, confidence is high that Cleckheaton can push up the SSE North One East table in the second half of the campaign.

Boro opened the scoring with a Jack Bircham penalty but in the 20th minute the visitors took a deserved lead when fly half Iain Gordon executed a pin-point crosskick which was gathered by Matt Piper to score an excellent try, converted by Gordon.

Cleckheaton dominated territory but it was Bircham who reduced the arrears on the half-hour mark with another penalty.

However, the visitors regained the ascendancy with a try from Richard Piper, again converted by Gordon.

An eventful second half began with a further unconverted try from Richard Piper but in the 61st minute Boro scored their first try when the ever- dangerous scrum half Peter Wright went over in the corner.

Shortly afterwards a serious injury to Boro back-row Gavin Fingland necessitated a switch to an adjoining pitch as the player was given lengthy medical treatment.

On resumption of play, Boro closed the gap to three points with an unconverted try but Cleckheaton showed their character immediately when replacement Lee Queeley powered over for a try, converted by Gordon.

Bircham earned Boro a losing bonus point with a penalty in the last minute but Cleckheaton had earned the plaudits with a spirited team performance.