With this bonus point victory and with the team slowly approaching full strength for the first time this season, confidence is high that Cleckheaton can push up the table in the second half of the campaign.

Boro opened the scoring with a Jack Bircham penalty but in the 20th minute the visitors took a deserved lead, several phases took the visitors on to the home 22m line when play broke down on the far righthand side Gordon executed a pinpoint accurate cross kick which was gathered by Matt Piper to score an excellent try converted by Iain Gordon.

Cleckheaton although now dominating territory, it was Bircham who reduced the arrears on the half hour mark with another penalty. The visitors from West Yorkshire regained the ascendancy with a try from Richard Piper following some excellent work from the returning Ryan Piercy, again converted by Gordon.

An eventful second half began with a further unconverted try from the impressive Richard Piper. Cleckheaton were seeming to take total control attacking well building multiple phases and defensively proving that good line speed and fearless aggression was more than enough to deal with a much heavier Middlesborough outfit.

Somewhat against the run of play in the 61st minute Boro scored their first try when the ever dangerous scrum half Peter Wright went over in the corner.

Shortly afterwards a serious injury to Boro back row Gavin Fingland necessitated a switch to an adjoining pitch as the player was given lengthy medical treatment. On resumption of play Boro closed the gap to three points with an unconverted try but this seemed to stir Cleck back to life, and with replacement Dave 'Lofty' Freeman back at the heart of the Cleckheaton line out, following 4 months service in Afganistan, Cleckheaton showed their character immediately, Freeman delivered the ball off the top, a neat miss move in the middle backs saw the in form wing James Wilson straighten to release opposite wing replacement Lee Queeley to sprint the final 25 metres to power over for a try converted by Iain Gordon.

Bircham earned Boro a losing bonus point with a penalty in the last minute but Cleckheaton had earned the plaudits with a spirited team performance.