Cleckheaton 33 - 32 Percy Park

In one of the most entertaining games you could hope to see, Cleckheaton ran out deserved winners against the league leaders who at one stage rallied from a 25 point deficit to take the lead, only for the home side to steel itself and rally in the final 10 minutes to take the spoils.
 
Cleckheaton took almost total control within the first 20 minutes with four excellent tries from Ross Hayden, Steve Worsley, Matt Piper and Jonno Marshall with Iain Gordon converting one and adding a penalty. A well executed box kick from scum half Depledge allowed Hayden to gather on the full and beat both his opposite wing and fullback with nifty footwork to score wide out the conversion narrowly missed by Gordon. The Worsley try in particular was a gem with a textbook front lineout peel, Richard Piper carrying the ball at pace and linking with the veteran Cleckheaton hooker who sprinted over from 35 yards. Matt Piper was next to cross finishing off a well worked change of direction move which saw his centre partner Pete Murphy attack the short side to feed the supporting scorer. The bonus point try was to follow on the 18 minute mark when the ball was thrown wide following a sequence of impressive forward driving play with captain Paul Turner and Richard Piper to the fore, again it was Murphy who gave the decisive pass to full back Johnno Marshall who cleverly stepped inside the sliding defence, the try was converted by Iain Gordon.
 
This was now a real test of Parks' resolve and much to their credit they regained composure before half-time with tries from centre David Griffiths and prop Joe Wafer, one of which was converted by Ash Smith. A breath taking half came to a close with Cleck once more extending their lead to 25 to 12 with a 42 m penalty from the boot of Gordon.

The stage was now set for a true contest. Within ten minutes of the second half the deficit had been reduced to one point with two further tries from a rejuvenated Park side, one of which was converted by Smith. Iain Gordon put more breathing space between the two sides with a penalty but it was the visitors who took the lead going into the final quarter of the match with a try and a penalty. With five minutes to go and both sides fighting for territory, the decisive moment came when a penalty took Cleck once more to deep inside the visitors half. Ryan Piercy, magnificent all day in the middle of the line out, secured the ball and the homeside maintained possession through 9 phases, testing the defence, until in-form  fullback Jonno Marshall sidestepped his way through a beleagured back-line for the match winning try and his second of the afternoon. A fantastic advert for rugby at this level of competition and a credit to both sets of players and the referee.