Tiger too strong for Cleckheaton

Things started badly for Cleck with a 1st min penalty to Tigers an in form Tom Outram judging the cross-field wind to convert. With Tigers using the wind in to push Cleck on the defensive, Cleck defended well in the early stages with Richard Piper at one point stealing the ball for Cleck to gain some ground, but in the 16th min Cleck were put on the back foot when without warning anybody the Referee binned Ryan Burrows, Outram converted the penalty, he pushed Tigers further in foot in the 22nd min with another.

Clecks lack of power up front against the strong Tigers pack after some good defending in the 30th min when Simon Tillyer broke the line to send in Alex Drage, Outram converted. Tigers were soon back in Clecks 22 with a deep kick and from a line out there forwards had a catch and drive to go in the corner for a try, Outrams kick going wide on 34 mins.

The 2nd half started well for Cleck with Owen Edwards at last getting some points on the board in the 42nd min with a penalty. Cleck looked to be getting back into the game, but a wild long pass from Adam Faulkner was interspeted by Zac Hill who ran 40 mtrs backed up by Drage who went under the posts for a easy try, Outram again converted the easy kick on 52 mins.

Thing went from bad to worse for Cleck in the 5 mins later with Jim Lamptey going to the bin, and with Tigers pushing hard in the 61st min Hill scored in the corner from crossfield play.

Cleck looked like they were going to pull some points back in the 65th min after the forwards had battled up to the Tigers line only for some poor passing in the backs to push them back to near half way and it wasn’t until the 78th min that Lance Hamilton finally crossed the line for a try, Edwards converting.

Cleckheaton have much work to do in the next fortnight before the home game against Altrincham Kersal.