Cleckheaton hosted their first pre-match luncheon of the season with over a 100 guests being fed and watered, including a party from our match day sponsor, the Cleckheaton branch of City Electrical Factors (C.E.F). The diners added to the sizeable crowd gathered at Moorend for the eagerly anticipated renewal of league rivalry between Cleckheaton and their near neighbours from along the M62. Cleckheaton took confidence into the game from their 10 try demolition of Stockport the previous week and whilst losing Mark Chivers to a broken hand in that fixture, the team welcomed Lee Queeley and Jack Bickerdike into the side for their first games of the season.

Cleckheaton got on the board first when Ross Hayden out-paced his opposite number and squeezed in at the corner. Ronan Evans added the difficult conversion from the touchline side. Evans then improved Cleckheaton’s advantage with a penalty goal from 30 metres out as Paul Turner and Ryan Piercy made headway and Morley infringed. An interception on their own 22 kept the visitors in the game when the Maroons plucked the ball out of the air, chipped through and centre Richard Knowles won the race to the line. Whilst the interception relieved the pressure Cleckheaton’s pack was piling on Morley, it only offered brief respite. After good work from Matt Piper and Danny Vento, Cleckheaton won a scrum 10 metres out. Richard Piper controlled the ball at the back of the scrum initially and scrum half, Neil Chivers, picked up and forced his way over. Evans added the extra points. A minute later, on the stroke of half time, Hayden went in at the corner again for arguably the best try of the day. Tom Austin caught the restart and the ball was moved out to Lee Queeley. Cleckheaton cleared the ruck and Matt Piper but Josh Hall in some space on the right wing. An inter-pass with James Wilson promoted the ball another 30 metres up field, before play was brought back across the width of the pitch for a dash to the whitewash. The conversion attempt was difficult and drifted wide.

Cleckheaton and Morley changed ends with the home team holding a 20-5 advantage. Cleckheaton made a couple of changes with Niall Jackson and Brad Marsden taking the field for Joey Carly and Andy Piper. Morley were trailing by a similar deficit at half time in their game against Ilkley the previous week and came right back into that match. A comeback here looked less likely though as a kick through and a determined chase resulted in Morley carrying the ball over their own line, netting Cleckheaton a 5 metre scrum. Richard Piper again controlled the ball well as Cleckheaton drove forward. In desperation the Morley front row stood up and the referee had no choice but to pull out the yellow card. A second scrum led to a second penalty and Morley were close to conceding a penalty try. However the referee did not have to point to the sticks in the end as Richard Piper picked up from the back of the third scrum and proved unstoppable from close range. Luke Pearson, who is showing maturity beyond his years, caught the ball solidly from the re-start and put Cleckheaton straight on the front foot and after Neil Chivers went close, Tom Austin recycled the ball quickly and shot over the line. Evans’ successful conversion brought the score to 32-5. With James Wilson carrying a shoulder injury he left the field to allow Jack Bickerdike to enter the fray. Cleckheaton continued to press and look much more dynamic than they have in recent seasons,

Morley countered with two tries from Harrison Bayliss as Cleckheaton eased off the pace but the advantage was restored when Hayden won the race following a chip through and went in for a well taken hat-trick. Tom Austin crossed for his second try and Cleckheaton’s 7th, when Chivers put him in acres of space from 10m out and he raced in and put the ball down under the sticks. Evans adding another conversion. Morley were well beaten but never gave up trying and were rewarded with an 80th minute score for Karl Bradshaw which earned them a try scoring bonus point.

Cleckheaton’s performance was again top drawer for the majority of the match and the win puts them in 3rd place in National 3 North at this early stage of the season. This Saturday the team are at home again where Ilkley are the visitors to Moorend. When the two teams last played in February Cleckheaton ran out 17-13 winners and a keenly contested game is expected this weekend.