On a bright Spring afternoon with a firm flat pitch Cleckheaton welcomed third in the Table Sheffield Tigers to Moorend . On the evidence of the season so far Tigers possess one of the most lethal backlines in the League so the conditions should have suited them down to the ground especially, as in the last month, Cleck’s renowned line-out has failed to function at the level the home crowd is used to.

With a stiff breeze blowing across the pitch Cleck initially attacked the Clubhouse end and were immediately awarded a penalty for a Tiger’s ruck offence, Ross Hayden kicked the 3 points and the home side were off and running. From the restart Cleckheaton went back into the Tiger’s half, retained possession with some driving play in the middle of the pitch, eventually forcing another Tiger’s transgression. Michael Piper kicked for the corner and the previously malfunctioning line–out, worked like a charm, allowing Richard Piper to claim a try from the resulting driving maul. Hayden was unable to add the conversion but the team were showing something like their January form, which saw them beat Sale and draw with Sandal.

Tigers aren’t third in the Table for nothing though and mounted a series of attacks which took them into the Cleck twenty two. A break for line on the right wing was halted by the scrambling defence but, when the ball was switched back inside, Tigers prop, Ed Simmons, saw a Cleck threequarter in front of him and ploughed straight through to score under the sticks, Tom Outram adding the conversion. This score was followed by a ten minute period when Cleck’s defensive kicks fed Tiger’s speedy back three and inevitably Tiger’s full back, Pete Swatkins, exploited a gap in Cleck’s defence to score wide out. Tigers were now infront 12 – 8 and looking ominous. However Cleck got possession from the restart, worked the blind side to free right winger Brad Marsden, Marsden made ten metres before turning the ball inside to the supporting Ross Hayden, Hayden then put on the burners to score in the corner, unfortunately his well struck conversion attempt just drifted past the right hand upright . At half- time score was 13 -12 to Cleck and the Moorend faithful were starting to think that another upset could be on the cards.

The optimism was rewarded 6 minutes after the restart when Cleck’s kick for the corner routine was used again, the resultant maul edged its way infield and Richard Piper was on hand again to dot the ball down, this time Hayden judged his kick across the breeze to perfection to add the conversion and take the lead to eight points. Tigers were not going to be tamed without a fight and, whilst the Cleck midfield defence was on the whole excellent , a few first up tackles started to be missed. Tigers had the runners both in the backs and the forwards, to take advantage of any opportunity, with the result that Cleck were struggling to get out of their twenty two. Eventually this pressure told and Outram kicked a penalty for a ruck offence to reduce the deficit to five points. Minutes later Swatkins was on hand again to complete a sweeping cross field move to score his second and bring the scores level with twenty minutes to go.

The game then went into a period of mid-field pick and drives with neither side controlling events. The deadlock was broken when Tiger’s second row, Josh Redfern, went on the charge, broke through some half hearted defence, to score from 30 metres .Outram added the goal to put his side seven points in front. Cleckheaton now had it all to do and to their credit they gave the final ten minutes of the game their best shot, tightened up the defence and gradually forced Tigers back into their own twenty two. With time running out Cleck set up several rolling mauls close to the Tiger’s line, spurned a kick at goal, to go for the seven points. Many thought they had it when Cleckheaton's Man of the Match Richard Brown appeared to ground the ball over the line but, unfortunately, the referee thought otherwise and ruled “held up”. With Cleck still camped on Tiger’s line the fulltime whistle went to end an excellent game of rugby. Whilst a draw would probably been a fair result, another bonus point keeps Cleck in fifth position in the Table with the next game away to sixth placed Billingham in two weeks time.