Tight at the top in National Two North with Sale FC leading the way

Four teams in National Two North maintained their 100 per cent starts to the season on Saturday with all of the clubs level on points in this early stage of the new campaign.

Sale FC, Stourbridge, Sedgley Park and Leicester Lions all have 9 points to show for their solid opening performances, but it is the men from Heywood Road who sit top of the pile after two rounds following another comprehensive win.

Caldy, Sheffield Tigers and Otley all achieved their first victories of the season while there was reason to happy at Corbridge as Tynedale delivered a win on their return home.

Hinckley 6-40 Sale FC

Sale FC made it two wins from two to begin the National Two North season as they recorded an impressive win over Hinckley.

Sale, who beat Otley on the opening day of the campaign, led 11-3 but only after Hinckley captain Alex Salt was sent off for the hosts. A try and two penalties from Liam McGovern gave the visitors the advantage heading into the break.

McGovern and his opposite number Joe Glover exchanged penalties after the break, but scores from Jack Moorhouse (2), Joel Barker and Sam Stelmaszek took Sale beyond the reach of Hinckley in front of England Head Coach Eddie Jones.

Luctonians 32-49 Stourbridge

Stourbridge proved too strong for the Luctonians as they secured their first away win of the season at Mortimer Park.

Both sides had begun the campaign with victories, but it was the visitors who came away from Herefordshire with the spoils on the weekend.

Stourbridge’s Luke White starred for the Midlands based club, landing six kicks in a dominant first half.

Joe Bridger crossed first before Billy Harding and Benjamin Tibbetts also touched down, while the Luctonians’ points came from the boot of Louis Silver and tries from Joe Doyle and Will Hodnett as Stour went into the break 32-13 ahead.

Luctonians flew out of the blocks after the break with a Tom Jones try, but Stourbridge immediately hit back as George Tildsley dotted down before Joe Heatley dived over.

Charlie Grimes scored his first try for Lucs just before the hour before Hodnett got his second try of the day in a pulsating encounter. However, it was Stourbridge who had the last word when Heatley scored a late try.

Preston Grasshoppers 22-33 Sedgley Park

Preston Grasshoppers suffered their first defeat of the season as promotion candidates Sedgley Park came away from Lightfoot Green with maximum points after a ruthless display.

Sedgley Park, who finished runners-up last year to Macclesfield in this division, were rewarded for their dominant performance throughout the 33-22 victory.

The visitors were 21-0 ahead at the break thanks to scores from Matt Riley andSam Lowthion as well as points courtesy of a Penalty Try. Preston’s miserable first half was compounded when Rob Bramhall was shown a yellow card just before the break.

Lewis Allen got Preston off the mark from the tee after the restart, but Sedge continued to go through the gears as Andrew Riley and Johnny Matthews both dotted down.

Preston did have a late flurry at the end as an Allen try was sandwiched in between two scores from Sam Gale, but it was too little, too late for Garth Dew’s men.

South Leicester 18-19 Leicester Lions

A late Sam Benjamin try saw Leicester Lions snatch derby day glory away from South Leicester at Welford Road.

Trailing 10-0 at half-time, Devon Constant got the Lions’ first try of the afternoon before Aaron Martin restored South’s advantage.

Benjamin then nudged his side back in front with his first score of the day, but the hosts responded once again this time through a Rickie Aley penalty.

However, it was the Lions who would steal the bragging rights as Benjamin went over for his second try in the final minute of this excellent National Two North contest.

Chester 17-35 Caldy

Caldy scored four tries as the Wirral based side secured their first National Two North win of the season against Chester.

The visitors dotted down two tries either side of half-time in a game controlled by Simon Verbickas’ men.

The hosts, who have won just five of their last 16 home league matches, did show glimpses of what they are capable of as they ran in three tries during the afternoon.

But it was Caldy who sealed victory and now they will be focused on building on this triumph when they head to Scunthorpe this weekend.

Sheffield Tigers 40-10 Scunthorpe

Sheffield Tigers full-back Pete Swatkins scored a brace of tries as his side clinched their first win in National Two North after a comfortable victory at home to Scunthorpe.

Tigers winger Liam Wallace grabbed the opening try of the match and the hosts led 12-3 at the break after Swatkins went over for his first score.

Si Weller narrowed the gap with a try for Scunthorpe after the interval but the Tigers then took control.

Swatkins completed his double only after Henri Packard, Francies Tufail-Smith and Dan Kelly had all crossed which was aided by Scunthorpe’s Steve Johnson being shown a yellow card eight minutes from time.

Tynedale 20-16 Harrogate

Tynedale’s return to Corbridge was a triumphant one as they beat Harrogate to claim their first win of the season.

The hosts were back at their home following the December floods and they began with a hard fought victory.

Harrogate did take the early initiative as Charles Morgan slotted two penalties before Tyne carried a one point lead into half-time thanks to a try from Ben Haigh and two successful kicks from Ash Smith.

Tyne did begin the second period with 14 men as Smith was sin-binned, but another Haigh try put the home side further ahead. Harry Parrish then replied late for ‘Gate before Smith sealed the victory for Tynedale as he nudged over another three points.

Otley 39-27 Wharfedale

Otley beat Wharfedale to clinch their maiden win of the season in an ill-disciplined encounter at Cross Green which saw both sides have a player sent off.

Tries from Tiploma Kivulu and Alex Beaumont, alongside a finish from Jack Mackie and a Penalty Try gave Otley the lead in a first half where Lewis Wilson and Rob Baldwin went over for Dale.

Otley were awarded another Penalty Try after the break to extend their lead to 14 points.

Wharfedale’s Jimmy Bullough touched down to give his side some hope. Both sides also saw a player each sent off for fighting, before Mackie’s second score gave Otley the bonus point.