Cleckheaton 45 – 0 Morpeth

Cleckheaton secured the North 1 East league title, their first champion finish for 12 years, with a masterful performance at home to Morpeth and can now look forward to brining National League rugby to the town next season. Seven tries is a pleasing way for Ian Armitage’s men to secure the crown but keeping their visitor’s scoreless is testimony to the stalwart defence that has propelled them up the table all season long.

There was a confidence and slickness to Cleckheaton’s play, with excellent handling and speed of re-organisation that was just too much for Morpeth to defend. As one of four or five teams dicing with relegation, the Northumbrians would desperately have liked to get something out of the match but two missed penalty attempts, when the game was scoreless, were the only real opportunities they had. Alex Dawson, who has come of age this season, opened Cleckheaton’s account inside 10 minutes when Michael Piper took a quick tap penalty and fed the 20 year old lock forward who crashed through under the sticks. Ross Hayden added the goal. James Wilson scored next following a sublime kick return from James Marshall. The ball was fielded by the winger around 10 metres from his own try line but an ever accelerating 60 metre run cleared the majority of Morpeth’s defence before the ball was spun to the corner for Wilson to dive in. Morpeth tried to mount a meaningful attack following the restart but front three of Chris Piper, James Crowther and Paul Turner kept their forwards at bay, with Ryan Piercy as ever, being an unbreachable wall in front of any attack. Despite Morpeth’s efforts Cleckheaton broke clear and Martin Woodhead ran in to finish another long range effort, taking the score to 17-0. With half time approaching Rob Afoa-Peterson, as he has done all season, led from the front and a typical skittling run took the flanker over the line on his back. From the ensuing scrum Ross Hayden wrong footed a defender and went in for Cleckheaton’s bonus point try, which was all that was theoretically required to make certain of the Moorenders top of the table finish.

There was palpable jubilance in the large crowd during the half time break, though the game was not yet over. Andy Piper, Grant Turton and Ollie Depledge entered the fray to replace Chris Piper, Dawson and Wilson, whilst Morpeth got a sterling team talk from their coaching staff. Morpeth started the second half with their strongest period of play but were disheartened when Oliver Akroyd plucked a pass out of the air along the visitors’ back line and sprinted 20m before supplying Ross Hayden with a simple try, which he also converted. Michael Piper, who earned the Man of the Match award, followed suit a few minutes later also intercepting a rangy Morpeth pass and running in from 35 metres. Ross Hayden added the extras to bring up his 300th league point of the season, a milestone that will see him easily win the accolade of the league’s top point scorer, whilst Cleckheaton’s skipper, Richard Piper, who didn’t score on the day is set to be the league’s top try scorer with 26. Not to be outdone, Richard’s twin brother Matt Piper proved unstoppable in the Centres and broke through for what appeared to be a try for himself but on the line he passed the ball to Hayden for the fullback’s hat-trick. The conversion by the same player rounded off Cleckheaton’s account at 45-0.

The referee blew the final whistle to cheers all round from the Cleckheaton faithful and the champagne corks were popped to mark the start of a celebration that went on long into the night. Winning any league is a fantastic achievement and massive congratulations are due to the coaching team of Ian Armitage and Sean Hayden and all the players who have taken part this year in addition to those present today, including Ben Thrower, Craig Blackburn, Lee Queeley, Josh White and Jack Seddon. The Rugby Committee and a host of club volunteers, sponsors, supporters and players from the lower teams also joined in the merriment on a day when Cleckheaton, demonstrated their overall strength, by being victorious in all three of their Senior fixtures. Cleckheaton now have two more games to complete their league campaign away at Middlesbrough this weekend, followed by Malton & Norton at home on April 12th. The whole club will then celebrate this year’s achievements at the annual dinner on May 2nd before preparing for life in National League 3!