Cleckheaton lifted themselves out of the relegation zone with a hard fought win in very wintery conditions at Moorend. An excellent team performance kept the visitors, who were lying 4th in the table before this match, scoreless until the five minutes from full time. On a day that didn’t suit expansive play, Cleckheaton played to their strengths and kept the ball tight in the forwards whilst making very few errors. Hull became frustrated with lack of possession and for probably the first time this season, the opposition gave away more penalties than Cleckheaton did.

With work commitments making Lee Queeley and Michael Heyward unavailable from the team that won away at Burnage, Craig Blackburn and Mark Barlow came into the side on the wings with James Wilson moving to outside centre. The first half saw Cleck make plenty of headway but they could not get through Hull’s solid, goal line defence. Ball retention was good though and the whole pack looked hungry for work. Richard Piper went close but was held up on the line. Ronan Evans got the Moorenders on the scoreboard with a penalty goal on the 30 minute mark but Cleckheaton were dealt a blow when back-rower, Jack Seddon, who has had an excellent season so far, had to leave the field with a hamstring injury. However Danny Graham came on to replace him and had a fine game.

With the snow and hailstone falling and the wind at Cleckheaton’s back, the home team started the second half with an onslaught on Hull’s line. After the pack had driven into Hull’s defence half a dozen times and were running out of bodies at the back of the ruck, centre Matt Piper, picked up and forced his way over from close range. The conversion was narrowly missed. Cleckheaton continued to dominate play and Hull were finding it hard to get out of their half with both Cleckheaton’s defence and the weather thwarting their attempts. With an hour played, the referee held his arm out signalling penalty advantage to Cleckheaton, 10m from Hull’s line. Michael Piper seized the opportunity to try a speculative little chip into the in-goal area and Mark Barlow was the quickest to react, scoring Cleckheaton’s second try. Once again the conversion was missed but Ronan Evans extended Cleckheaton’s lead to 16-0 five minutes later with a well struck penalty goal from 45m out. Cleckheaton let their concentration slip following a Hull line out, which appeared not straight, as it was tapped by the outside arm of the visiting second row. Whilst Cleckheaton looked for the whistle, Hull made headway and the ball was spread to winger Lee Birch, who went in for an unconverted try. With only minutes left Hull tried to mount an unlikely comeback and started to throw the ball out wide. An excellent cover tackle from Jack Bickerdike put paid to that, in front of a stand packed with happy supporters sheltering from the elements.

Cleckheaton’s pack put in a very solid display and Messrs Austin, Chivers, Crowther, Graham, Pearson, Piercy, Andy and Richard Piper, Seddon, Thrower and Turner are capable of taking the game to anyone in this league. The coaching team of Scott Benton and Gordon Piper were delighted with the win and particularly pleased that the team is starting to play as they do in training, sticking to the game plan and cutting out the concession of penalties. Losses for Huddersfield YMCA and Birkenhead Park lifted Cleckheaton out of the relegation zone but the team are still far from safe. However this was a sterling performance and one that will lift confidence as the team travel over the Pennines next week to face Rossendale, who took 4th place from Hull after yesterday’s results.