National Two North: Sedgley remain top after last gasp win

Sedgley Park stay top of National Two North thanks to  a dramatic late win against Otley, while Sandal remain the only other unbeaten side in the division.

Macclesfield moved third with victory over bottom side Broadstreet while the Luctonians picked up their first win of the season ast home to Huddersfield. Here is a round-up of all the action from week four in National Two North.

Otley 25-28 Sedgley Park

Sedgley Park scored a last minute try to clinch their fourth bonus point victory of the season away at Otley.

The hosts looked as though they had ended Sedge’s unbeaten start to the season when Stephen Depledge nudged over a penalty on 81 minutes, but there was still time for one last attack.

And straight from the restart, Sedgley regained possession and Matthew Riley touched down to seal the win.

Sedgley had led 7-14 at half-time thanks to a brace from Jamie Hutton with Otley’s score coming from Henry Roberts on two minutes.

And after good work by the forwards, Otley went ahead just after the break as Roberts got his second for the afternoon.

However, Sedge retook the lead on 62 minutes after turning over the ball which allowed Riley to race away and score his first try

With nine minutes to go prop Charles Capps crashed over to give Otley a 22-21 lead and when Depledge slotted over the penalty, the home side thought they had made it back to back wins.

Instead, there was one final play of the match and Riley took full advantage as he dived between the sticks to secure a bonus point win for The Tigers.

Sandal 24-18 Leicester Lions

Sandal recovered from an 8-11 half-time deficit to secure their fourth win in a row and end Leicester Lions’ 100 per cent start to the season.

The Lions led at the break thanks to try from Josheph Collingham and five points from the boot of William Bishop with Sandal’s points coming via James Briscoe and a penalty from Mark Pease.

Two more penalties from Pease put Sandal ahead for the first time in the match and the fly-half couldn’t believe is luck when he score Sandal’s second try of the game.

A long kick to the corner bounced kindly to Ralph Cartwright who offloaded to Pease who crossed and converted for his 16^th point of the afternoon to give his side a 21-11 lead.

Just before the hour, Leicester hit back as Collingham crossed again for a converted try to reduce the gap to three points, but a final penalty from Pease ensured Sandal kept up this amazing start in National Two North.

Broadstreet 37-53 Macclesfield

Macclesfield made it three wins from three as they moved third in the table with an away victory over bottom-side Broadstreet.

Tries from Rhodri Mayor, Elliot Brierley, Ryan Parkinson and David Marwick helped Macclesfield lead 22-26 at half-time.

Broadstreet were very much in this encounter as a double from former Stockport man Chris Idehen and one from Nicholas Thatcher kept ‘Street within a score of Macclesfield at the break.

Dan Richards had slotted over a penalty midway through the first half for the hosts and did so just after half-time to give his side a 27-26 advantage, but outside centre Brierley crossed for his second to restore the visitors’ lead.

Jaques Le Roux was sin-binned just before the hour for Broadstreet and the Blues took full advantage as Mayor and Elliot Millar-Miles took Macclesfield’s try count to seven for the afternoon.

Martin Kent was the second Macclesfield player to be yellow carded on 69 minutes - after Jordan Brookes was sent to the bin in the first period – and this allowed Broadstreet to seal their first point of the season as Liam Murno dotted down.

But, it was the men from Priory Park that had the last say as Brierley completed his hat-trick four minutes from time.

Tynedale 25-29 Chester

A second half fight back wasn’t enough as Tynedale suffered back-to back defeats with this loss to Chester, who are now fifth in National Two North.

The hosts trailed 8-17 at the midway stage of the match with converted tries from David Ford and Ben Stelmaszek as well a penalty from the boot of Rhys Hayes.

Matthew Ouston had kicked from the tee to give Tynedale an early lead after Chester strayed offside and they did score a first-half try through Nicolas Cairns after John Ketland was given a yellow card.

Chester put Tynedale on the back foot immediately in the second half as Ketland was held up just before the line. However from the three resulting scrums, referee Peter Stentiford award a penalty try to the away side.

The hosts weren’t going to give up though. Tries from Scott Powell and Rory Dixon reduced the gap to just four points with 18 minutes remaining, but hopes of a comeback were extinguished when lock Kyle Joseph scored on the overlap for Chester, with Ashley Smith responding with the final play.

Preston Grasshoppers 17-19 Caldy

Caldy scored two tries in the final five minutes at Lightfoot Green to move up to sixth in the table and snatch victory from the Hoppers.

Tries from Adam Kelly and Andrew Souter made it three wins from four for the Wirral side as Preston remain with just the one victory to their name.

The hosts were 0-7 behind at the break as Jack Lavin crossed from a 5m line-out and they also had to play 20 minutes with 14 men as Martin Murray was sent to the bin just before Caldy’s try.

Caldy missed two penalties just before half-time and that looked like it had cost them when Harrison Moulding and Jack Walker crossed to give Garth Dew’s men a 12-7 lead.

Reece Tomlinson was yellow carded in between the two tries for Preston, but Caldy failed to capitalise as Moulding went over again for 17-7.

But three minutes from time, Kelly made it a nervy finish for the hosts as he touched down and the Hoppers just couldn’t hold on to their three point advantage as Souter kept a cool head to score a seal victory for Caldy.

South Leicester 44-30 Sale FC

South Leicester secured their second win of the season with victory over Sale FC – who were promoted alongside South last season.

The hosts were ahead at half-time thanks to a try from Wesley Cope,  two from Callum Gunn and a penalty from Ricci Aley with Sale making the score 20-16 with fly-half Liam McGovern kicking 11 points and John O’Donnell crossing for the visitors.

Sale were ahead just after the restart as Adam Aigbokhae touched down for the second time in a week to give his side a 20-21 advantage.

However, that was to be the only time South were behind as scores from Dale Ager, Christopher Gibbs and Tristan Trehan made it 37-23 with just under 15 minutes remaining.

Matthew Postlethewaite dotted down for Sale, but Rhoderick McNaughton rounded off proceedings for South with their seventh and final try of the day.

Harrogate 12-24 Stourbridge

Harrogate’s woes on home soil continued on Saturday as they were beaten by Stourbridge who claimed their first away win of the season.

‘Gate have now won just two of their last nine games at home and this latest defeat will be tough to take as Stour ran in four tries in 14 minutes to seal victory.

Aurin York opened the scoring for Harrogate, but tries from Joseph Bridger, Joshua Trinham, Tobias Handley and Joseph Heatley gave the away side a 7-24 lead after just 21 minutes.

Thomas Larder crashed over from an attacking line-out in the second half for the hosts, but that was as good as it got for Harrogate who have had a difficult start to this season.

Luctonians 29-13 Huddersfield

The Luctonians secured their first win of the season against an ill-disciplined Huddersfield side at Mortimer Park.

Early tries from William Hodnett and Joseph Doyle set the tone for the Lucts before Daniel Smith crossed to give them a 19-6 lead at the break.

Chris Bell had kicked all of Field’s points so far and his side were reduced to 13 men early in the second-half when flankers Nicholas Rhodes and Benjamin Hoyle were both sin-binned.

Frank Kelly was also in the bin for the Lucts, but with that one man advantage, the home side sealed a bonus point when Mike Cheasley went over.

Geraint Langdon slotted over a penalty for 29-6 before James Purcell was the third man to be shown a yellow card for ‘Field.

Rhodes added a consolation try for Huddersfield 13 minutes from end, with Joseph White picking up a yellow card for the Lucts just before the final-whistle. A much needed win for the Luctonians.