Cleckheaton 39 - 15 Old Brodleians

Cleckheaton had clearly shaken off the disappointment of a defeat against Northern when they took the field with steely determination to face Old Brodleians last Saturday. This derby fixture, which provided two excellent games last season, is amongst the most anticipated of the year at Moorend and is usually a barometer for the true passion within a Cleckheaton side. No player should need more encouragement than going head to head with players from a club located at the top of the next valley and with whom local bragging rights are always at stake.

Cleckheaton were without three of their most influential players from last year's games, with Richard Piper away on holiday, Pete Murphy out with a knee injury and Andy Piper, try scorer in the same fixture last season, still suffering with a back problem. This gave an opportunity for Bob Depledge to make his 1st XV league debut and 19 year old prop, Ben Thrower, to continue his run in Cleckheaton's top flight.

The visitors exerted early pressure but in the sixth minute home centre, Lee Queeley, took a great angle through a confused defence to set up the first try for winger Martin Woodhead. Iain Gordon added the conversion. Old Brodleians stand off Dan Wood reduced the arrears with a penalty to narrow the lead to 7-3, before Iain Gordon restored the advantage and then extended it further with two penalties for the home side.

Cleckheaton's forwards were beginning to look dominant but allowed their Brods counterparts in for a converted try through hooker Rob Jennings, to close the scores to a nervous 13-10. Joe Goiti continued where he left off last weekend and out jumped his opposite numbers at the restart to retrieve the ball for Cleckheaton. This lifted the Cleck pack even more and shortly afterwards Paul Turner went on a rampaging run on the back of a break from Woodhead. The prop then smuggled the ball out of the tackle to the supporting James Wilson and the winger delicately stepped in and out for a try in the corner. The conversion was missed but as half time approached the score had moved on to 18-10.

It was all Cleckheaton in the early stages of the second half with a couple of scoring chances for Lee Queeley and Ross Hayden going begging. However, with Ryan Piercy looking more and more comfortable at No. 8 and the whole pack now gaining the upperhand, Mark Sergeant finished off a powerful rolling maul with a converted try. Ed Chappelow added to the joy of the majority of the large crowd, when he took control of the ball following a Cleckheaton lineout 10m from the whitewash and steered the maul over the line for Cleck's bonus point try. Gordon added the extras to bring the score to a commanding 32-10.

Bob Depledge was introduced for the last quarter of the match and soon afterwards made the tackle of the day. Brods' line-out on their own 22 was caught and competently set up by their forwards but before the stand-off could get the ball away, Depledge was onto him sending his shoulder solidly into the midriff of the player and dislodging the ball. Cleckheaton's other back row forwards raced over and Bob's brother, Oliver Depledge, spun the ball back the way it came to Cleck's hooker, Steve Worsley, who was able to round the visitors' winger for a try in the right hand corner. Gordon added the very difficult conversion to give Cleckheaton an unassailable 39-10 lead. Old Brods did not throw in the towel however, and were rewarded with a consolation try for Louie Butler to bring the final score to 39-15.

This was an emphatic victory for Cleckheaton who dominated their opposition for the majority of the game. It was enjoyed by a large crowd, many of whom had partaken in one of Cleckheaton's excellent pre-match lunches. If the team can take this same passion into next weekend's game at Old Crossleyans, they will surely register their first away victory of the season.