Cleckheaton 47-14 Percy Park

Cleckheaton powered to a 4th straight win in league action by putting Percy Park to the sword at windy Moorend. Cleckheaton welcomed flanker Joey Carley back to the team after injury and Ben Etchells started in the 2nd row alongside Josh Plunkett,Ben Dearing was on the bench with Archie Rika-Rayne and Chris Piper.
Park kicked off but the ball flew direct over the touchline and Cleckheaton took the scrum option and drove the visitors back in the scrum setting a tone for the day.
A terrific arm wrestle was developing with neither team willing to yield field position and there was very little to choose between the teams in the opening 20 minutes.The first score of the game went Cleckheaton on 21 minutes, a strong run by Matt Piper saw him pop a pass to Depledge and the centre drew the final defender to put James Wilson over for his 6th try of the season, Dale Breakwell added the goal, 7-0. Cleckheaton were starting to gain the upper hand , Park were guilty of coughing up possession in close quarter exchanges and with solid defence they could not make much ground. On 37 minutes Depledge was on the end of a sweeping move and he crossed for his 5th try, Breakwell goaled and Cleckheaton led 14-0. Jack Marshall should have added a 3rd try when a loose ball was kicked downfield, he tried to control the ball but the ball won the day and he knocked on near the try line.On the stroke of half time , Plunkett won ball at the line out and off loaded to flanker Tom Lillicrop who stormed away to cross for his first try for the team, Breakwell added a 3rd successful kick from a difficult angle 21-0 at half time.
Cleckheaton went further ahead when Marshall went on a run down the right touchline and crossed in the corner for a fine individual try, 26-0. Percy Park opened their account on 47 minutes with a try scored by the No .8 Michael Langlands after a well controlled rolling maul , goal added 26-7.
Jack Seddon who was having a fine game gathered kickoff restart and went on a defence scattering run, Depledge gathered the final pass a scampered away for his 2nd try of the game.Breakwell added the goal and the score was 33-7.
Seddon was able to gather another restart and galloped away downfield, the ball eventually ended up in the hands of Mike Hayward who crossed for his 12th try of the season. Breakwell added his 5th goal 40-7.
Park got a 2nd try when the number 6 Leo Caulfield crossed after a determined charge, kick was good 40-14. Play was on the Cleckheaton 10 metre line when Cleck won turnover ball, the ball squirted out of the ruck and Marshall was on the ball in a flash , he gathered and ran half the length of the field to touchdown under the posts, Breakwell added another goal and score was out to 47-14. Josh Plunkett spent 10 minutes on the naughty step along with a Percy Park replacement on 68 minutes after a minor exchange of views and Tom Lillicrop joined him 7 minutes later, Park tried to take advantage of the extra man but there were some weary bodies out there and the final score was 47-14. A big win for Cleckheaton who move into 3rd place after Morley lost heavily at home to York. Jack Seddon and Tom Lillicrop walked away with the Man of the Match awards after outstanding performances.
Next week , Cleckheaton are away at Huddersfield YMCA and will look to consolidate their league position, kick off is at 2:15.