Cleckheaton 39, Morpeth 17

This SSE North One East match was held up for almost an hour for a Morpeth player to receive medical attention following a collision with his own player.

Cleckheaton eased to their first SSE North One East bonus-point victory of the season, and in the process showed an incisive cutting edge which had been missing in the first three matches.

Iain Gordon opened the scoring in the fifth minute with a penalty, following a dominant rolling maul from the Cleckheaton forwards.

The match was held up for almost an hour for a Morpeth player to receive medical attention following a collision with his own player.

On the resumption, the home forwards continued where they left off.

The well-orchestrated driving maul, following clean line-out possession from Oliver Akroyd, was each time was finished off by the impeccable Richard Piper to provide him with a first half hat-trick of tries, two of which were converted by Gordon.

Morpeth's only reward for a half of honest endeavour was a drop goal from fly half Tom Wilkinson.

Cleckheaton dominated the third quarter of the match with three excellent tries from wing Martin Woodhead, following exceptional handling between backs and forwards, one of which was converted by Ross Hayden.

As the home side were reduced to 14 men when Jonno Marshall was sent to the sin bin for deliberate obstruction, Morpeth had the final say with two late tries from centres Ben Hornby and James Phillips, both converted by Phillips.