West Hartlepool 23, Bradford & Bingley 11 This defeat means the Bees slip back a place but still find themselves only seven points behind third spot.

They played 20 minutes facing 14 men, after West’s second rower Andrew Davies received a second yellow card, but were unable to capitalise on their numerical advantage.

Indeed for the third time this season, the Bees gifted their opposition a score with an interception, which rub-bed out the bonus point they were holding for being within seven points of their hosts.

Ultimately, it cost them the game as they could not fight back from 12 points in arrears in the final 13 minutes.

West’s try scorer was left winger Greg Edwards, with the extra points tacked on by full back Stuart Waites.

The Bees drew first blood as Aiden Scully crossed within four minutes.

In the opening exchanges there appeared to be enough about their all-round play to suggest they might be able to build on that early advantage.

However, they could not hold out the home side as the first quarter ended, a try from scrum half Andrew Foreman seeing the former top-flight outfit draw level.

Just as the Bees thought they would be going in level at half-time, Martin Whitcombe’s men lost Eddie Peglau to injury and also conceded another try.

If there can be a positive side to an injury, it was that Ryan Wederall replaced Peglau for his first run out of the season. The leadership of the veteran Kiwi prop could be crucial in the coming weeks.

Turning round only five points adrift, there was everything to play for in the second period but the Bees never fired on all cylinders.

With Gavin Stead kicking penalties to match a pair from Hartlepool’s Waites, it was 16-11 as the game entered the final 20 minutes.

With the home side reduced to 14 men, it appeared the game was there for the taking for the Wagon Laners. But they could not turn pressure into points and the crucial interception score proved their undoing.