Brave Cleckheaton get back to winning ways!

Cleckheaton had a early chance to score when they pushed Kersals back to their 5 metre line only to loose the ball and it wasn’t until the 16th min that Cleck’s Ryan Burrows broke the Kersal defence and worked the ball to the backs, and with Ryan Duckett on one of his runs went in for a try, Johnny West converted, Cleckheaton pushed further in front 3 mins later with a perfect penalty from 10mtrs in the Kersal half by West, Dave Garner had a chance to pull 3 pts back from the restart, but his kick fell short.

Cleckheaton kept the pressure on the Kersals defence, but it wasn’t until the 38th min that West had a chance to add to the score with a penalty from 30mts out, 0-13. Cleck were soon back in attack from deep and with Tom Lauirston looking like he could go in from a pass, Kersals No5 Hutchinson took him out of play without the ball and was binned for 10 mins in the 41st min, Cleck pushed for the try but were held up over the line and it wasn’t until the 48th min after Kersal had another man binned that the pressure told and Mark Chivers went in on a pushover try, West converted.
Half time 0-20.

Kersal came out into the 2nd have with the bit between their teeth and soon had Cleck’s defence under pressure, but some quick thinking by Ross Hayden pushed them back only for him to let them back in the 45th min by way of a penalty which Garner converted.

With Cleckheaton looking to open the game up they rang the changes from the bench with Simon Bradshaw and Steve Worsley on for Lauriston and John Dudley, and it seemed to work 3 mins later when the forwards from a catch and drive sent in Player/Coach Craig West, and with son Johnny converting the score was 25 pts to 3.

Kersal seemed to get their second wind and started to bully the Cleckheaton defence, but with some strong tackling and quick thinking by the backs held them out until the 63rd min when Mick Hulse went in under the posts for an easy try, Garner converted. From the restart Cleckheaton’s poor tackling let Kersal’s Dave Harris in for a try, Garner’s kick went wide, but they were back in the game.

With Kersal on the attack Cleckheaton had to be on there guard and it wasn’t until the 82nd min that the game was sealed with a try from Burrows which West converted.