In form Cleckheaton ended Morley's eleven match winning run in emphatic style with a dominant five try and five star performance. The visitors had control in most phases of the game especially up front where Oliver Akroyd was imperious in the line and the front five made the hard yards to provide front foot ball throughout the game.

Iain Gordon missed an early penalty for the visitors but it was pressure in the Morley 22 which provided lineout possession from Oliver Akroyd. The subsequent maul was driven expertly to the line for controller in chief, Richard Piper, to be awarded his first try of the afternoon. The conversion was missed but Iain Gordon was successful eight minutes later with a well struck penalty. Cleckheaton had started with a purpose Morley could not match. The forwards always crossed the gain line in attack and with the visitor's rock solid defence as unyielding as ever, the home side were under tremendous pressure. A reprieve came via the sin binning of Iain Gordon, who was deemed not 10m when he tackled a Morley player who'd quickly tapped a penalty inside his own 22. Then, against the general spirit of play, as both sides tore into each other agressively but fairly, yellow cards were brandished to two of the more combative forwards Dave Green of Morley and Ryan Piercy of Cleckheaton. The latter, on the stroke of half-time, gave Simon Bradshaw the opportunity to register Morley's first points and at the interval the score was 8-3.

Cleckheaton chose to remain on the field during the break to plan their second half tactics, whereas Morley regrouped in the warmth of the changing rooms. One can argue the merits of retreating to the bowels of the stand but Cleckheaton stuck to their usual routines and came out firing. Jack Bickerdike was first on the scoreboard in the second half with a try converted by Iain Gordon. The Cleckheaton side were now in the ascendancy and the next penalty was drilled to touch on the five metre line. Cleck's pack licked their lips with expectancy as the excellent Oliver Akroyd soared into the air for a magnificent clean catch. His pack colleagues assumed their usual driving maul positions and Richard Piper once more latched on at the back of the moving bodies. To the untrained eye such structures can be perceived as boring and negative. However to the old forwards amongst us rolling mauls are a thing of beauty, a means of dominating your opponents and squeezing the life out of them. The inevitable try was scored and Iain Gordon converted.

Morley hit back almost immediately when wingman Kobi Gyasi attempted to intercept a midfield pass but instead managed to regather the loose ball and raced away for a try which was unconverted.

The Cleckheaton men regrouped and as the game entered the final quarter it became clear that they were fully focused on extending their lead. An excellent cross-field kick from Matt Piper created a try for Ross Hayden who had looked most accomplished in his best position of full back. FIve minutes later, Jack Bickerdike spotted that Morley had committed too many men to try and stop Cleckheaton's rolling maul and plucked the ball out to feed the indefatigable James Wilson, who dived over to put his team out of sight. Iain Gordon's touchline conversion of the try was the last score of the game and it was the visitors who had claimed the local bragging rights ---- for the moment at least.

This was an excellent performance by a revitalised, focused and determined Cleckheaton side. It was a bad day at the office for Morley but they are sure to be in the mix for honours at the end of the season. They had come up against a side unbeaten in 2013 and enthused by their victory over league leaders Beverley the previous week. Inconsistent they may be but this Cleckheaton side is a pleasure to watch at the moment and with just seven games remaining and the Yorkshire Cup, who can bet against them ending the season on a high if not with some silverware.