There was disappointment for Cleckheaton on the last day of the league season as they let a 24-7 lead slip away in the last 20 minutes against a battling Waterloo. Nevertheless it has been a satisfying year for the team in National 3 North and a 6th place finish is something for which they can be duly proud.

Cleckheaton got off to a good start in this game on a very bright sunny day in the Spen Valley. They opened the scoring 10 minutes into the match with the first of two almost identical tries. A penalty kick gave the home side field position 10m from Waterloo's line and on both occasions the rolling maul was directed to the whitewash by Cleckheaton's pack. Richard Piper touched the first one down and Rob Afoa Peterson got the second, both of which were converted from the touchline by Ross Hayden. As the first half was entering injury time, Cleckheaton’s concentration waned and Waterloo fielded a deep kick in their own 22, the ball was spun to winger Jacob Allen who went on to score arguably the best try of the day, evading 3 tacklers and then chipping over the last two defenders, before gathering his own kick for a try under the sticks. Liam Reeve added the extras. There was time to re-start before the whistle and on the stroke of half time Cleckheaton won a penalty 50m out in the middle of the field. With the kick deemed last play, Ross Hayden landed an excellent long range effort through the uprights to give the home team a 17-7 advantage at the break.

The second half started as brightly as the weather for Cleckheaton when Afoa-Peterson broke the line and off loaded to Hayden. The fullback drew a defender and fed Martin Woodhead, who went on a mazy run rounding his opposite number for a try in the corner. Hayden converted and the points were seemingly coming Cleckheaton's way. Waterloo had other ideas however and as the strain of Cleckheaton’s magnificent showing against Wharfedale on the Wednesday before this match took its toll, Cleckheaton’s first up tackling started to look a little tired. First Jacob Allen got his second for the men from Merseyside and then Loo fullback James Masters went in from 30m out. Reeve added both conversions and his team were right back in the game at 24-21. Just when it looked like Cleckheaton might hold on, Waterloo went in again, taking the lead for the first time in the match with only 3 minutes to go. Reeve converted his own try to take the visitors out of penalty or drop goal range and despite best efforts to get back down field the score remained 28-24.

As Rossendale lost at home to Wirral, victory for Cleckheaton would have seen them finish 5th. On reflection though, if 6th place in National 3 North had been offered this time last year, when the team won promotion, everyone at the club would have gladly taken it. It has been an eventful year for Cleckheaton and one tinged with much sorrow at the passing of club president Alan Bentley. One filled with joy at some of the victories that the side earned with both league champions Sale and runners up Sandal not being able to win at Moorend. One full of hope for the future with the on-going development of a clutch of 19 or 20 year old players in James Crowther, Niall Jackson, Brad Marsden, Josh Plunkett and Jack Seddon who have all marked their name on 1st team shirts this season and finally, one full of thanks for Ian Armitage for his two season’s as Head Coach as he steps down from the role, to Dave Harrison who has had another successful stint of coaching at Cleckheaton, to Sean Hayden, Mark Waite and physio Guy Rumbold for their roles with the team and to all the players from all the club’s sides, the supporters, sponsors, committee men and muckers in for your contributions this year.

Cleckheaton do have one more game to play this season when a contingent of 38 from the club, including some of the 1st XV and Kestrels travel to Poland to play Lechia Gdansk in a tour match on May 8th.