Teams at the bottom profit across the National Leagues
This was the first reserve weekend of postponed fixtures across the National Leagues and the entire onus was on the sides fighting relegation and some took a huge step towards safety.
In National One it was all about Blaydon who thumped Henley Hawks to move out of the drop zone while in National Two South it was Canterbury who left the bottom three with victory over Launceston.
In National Two North, the relegation zone remained the same, but the Luctonians’ remarkable run continued with a win over Tynedale meaning they are now just one point from safety with a game in hand over the teams around them.
In terms of the race for the title and promotion, Darlington Mowden Park dented Blackheath’s hopes in National One while Caldy did the same to Sedgley Park in National Two North.
There were no such problems for Cambridge who hit the 100 point mark for the season as they went 11 points clear at the top of National Two South.
Elsewhere, Ampthill beat Fylde in National One, there were wins for Leicester Lions and Harrogate in National Two North while Redruth and Clifton tasted victory in the South.
National One
Darlington Mowden Park 14-12 Blackheath
Darlington Mowden Park bounced back from defeat against Richmond last weekend to secure an excellent win against promotion chasing Blackheath.
All 26 of the points in this contest were scored in the first-half and the home side won it thanks to tries from Matt Walsh and James Barnard.
Thomas Ellis and Thomas Chapman dotted down either side of DMP’s two scores, but with Blackheath only managing to convert one of their scores, the hosts edged this tight encounter to make it 13 wins from their last 14 games.
As for Blackheath, they are now 12 points behind league leaders Richmond having played the same amount of games as them leaving the table toppers in the driving seat for promotion to the Championship.
Fylde 19-29 Ampthill and District
Ampthill and District moved up to fourth in National One with a bonus-point win over Fylde at Woodlands.
Fylde were actually ahead at half-time thanks to tries from Oliver Brennand and Thomas Morton with Darrell Dyer’s try leaving Ampthill 12-7 behind at the break.
The visitors, who were promoted last season via the National Two play-off, then went in front as Kiefer Laxton and Dyer again touched down to make it 12-17.
Chris Briers then crossed to edge Fylde back in front just after the hour before Ampthill secured the bonus-point victory when Joe Tarrant and Maama Molitika both went over in the final 10 minutes.
Blaydon 40-14 Henley Hawks
Blaydon moved out of the bottom three after running in seven tries against Henley Hawks in this relegation battle.
The hosts were without Keith Laughlin and Trevor Davison who were on England Counties duty, but their club side did the business to move away from the relegation zone.
Jason Smithson dotted down the only tries of the half to give Blaydon a 13-6 lead at the break only after both sides had been reduced to 14 men as William Witty and Julian Watkins were red-carded for punching.
Chris Wearmouth scored a third just after the interval for Blaydon before Newcastle starlet Zach Kibirige got in on the act to make it 23-9 on 66 minutes.
And the hosts raced clear after that as a brace from James Cooney and a score from Ben Stevenson wrapped up a huge win for Blaydon who are now four points clear of the drop with a game in hand.
National Two North
Macclesfield 15-3 Broadstreet
Macclesfield battled to a hard-fought victory over Broadstreet at Priory Park to go 18 points clear at the top of National Two North.
A Michael Finnemore try put the league leaders 7-0 ahead at half-time against a spirited Broadstreet side who are currently fighting for their National Two survival.
David Marwick got the hosts’ second try of the day after the break to extend their lead to 12 points.
Lee Chapman landed a penalty just after the hour for ‘Street, but Macc sealed an 18th win of the season when Lewis Barker nudged over a penalty four minutes from time.
Sedgley Park 20-24 Caldy
Sedgley Park lost ground in the title race as they were beaten at home by promotion challengers Caldy thanks to determined comeback by the visitors.
Stephen Collins knocked over two penalties to give Sedge an early lead at Park Lane before Jonny Matthews bundled over as the hosts led 13-7 at half-time.
A Jack Lavin try made up Caldy’s points in the first period and the centre added his second try after the break to bring his side to within a point of Sedgley.
However, that margin lasted for just over 10 minutes as the home side cranked up the pressure once again and were awarded a Penalty Try to give them an eight point lead with a quarter of the game to play.
Caldy earned a third try through Benjamin Evans to make it 20-17 before completing their turnaround two minutes later when Nicholas Royle touched down. Sedgley’s lead had disappeared in the space of seven minutes.
And it was Caldy who held on for a welcome victory after three straight defeats in February while Sedgley now have a mountain to climb if they are to win the National Two North crown.
Preston Grasshoppers 17-20 Leicester Lions
Leicester Lions recorded their sixth win from their last season matches with a victory over Preston Grasshoppers at Lightfoot Green
Joseph Collingham scored the first try of the day on 20 minutes, but it was Preston who were 10-5 ahead at the break thanks to a Sean Taylor penalty and a score from Luke Procter.
Benjamin Spokes added a second try for Leicester soon after to level things up, before the Hoppers restored their advantage as Peter Altham dotted down.
But it was the Lions who would edge this tight encounter as pressure on the Preston try-line saw Luke Veebel go over to make it 17-17 on 55 minutes before Jonathan Boden slotted a penalty on the hour which ultimately sealed another victory for Leicester whose superb season continues.
Harrogate 42-22 South Leicester
Harrogate picked up their fourth straight win as they beat relegation threatened South Leicester at Ruddling Lane.
Tries from Willem Enslin, Daniel Matthews and Connor Ward put Harrogate 21-10 up at the break, Blaine Howe and Ricci Aley responding with a try and a penalty for South.
Charles Purkiss-McEndoo then secured the bonus point for ‘Gate, before Rhoderick McNaughton dotted down for South Leicester.
South hit back again this time through Chris Gibbs to make it 28-22 before Samuel Bottomley and Jacob Brady grabbed tries number five and six for Harrogate who are now up to sixth place in the table after this win.
Tynedale 24-26 Luctonians
A late Louis Silver was the difference as the Luctonians snatched victory against Tynedale which leaves the Lucts just one point off safety after this dramatic late win at Kingston Park.
The visitors led 6-16 at half-time after scoring the only try in the first 40 through Owen Davies while Silver kicked three penalties with Matthew Ouston landing two for Tyne.
The hosts then levelled things up just 16 minutes into the second-half as Robert Parker and William Miller crossed in quick succession, before Parker gave Tyne the lead with a penalty just after the hour.
However, the away side went in front once again as Davies crossed for his second of the afternoon meaning the Lucts led 19-23 with 10 minutes remaining.
Silver then took aim again to extend their lead to 19-26 as the clock approached red before Tynedale had the chance to claim a draw after Miller touched down in the final play of the game.
But, the home side failed to convert and the Luctonians came away with a seventh win from their last 10 matches as they revival picks up even more pace.
National Two South
Taunton Titans 15-21 Cambridge
Cambridge have now moved 11 points clear at the top of National Two South after a battling victory over promotion chasing Taunton – who have now suffered back to back home defeats.
Cambridge knew they would still be top regardless of what happened at Hyde Park and they managed to hit the 100 point mark with this victory as their amazing season rolls on.
A penalty from Gary Kingdom and a try from Nicholas Mason gave Taunton the lead, but the visitors ran in 21 unanswered points to earn their 20th win of the campaign.
Lawrence Hutchinson scored Cambridge’s only try of the first period before scores from Stephen Hipwell and Brendan Burke, after the break, was enough for victory.
An Alex O’Meara try 13 minutes from the end set-up an nervy ending, but the league leaders held out for the win while Taunton now sit nine points off the play-off place after this loss.
Redruth 46-20 Dorking
Redruth ran in eight tries to secure maximum points against Dorking who have now dropped into the bottom three after this defeat at the Recreation Ground.
Benjamin Priddy, Nielson Webber and Lewis Vinnicombe crossed the line in the first half for the Reds, but the game was level at 17-17 at the break as scores from Matthew Betty and Richard Nunn as well as a penalty from Matthew Noble was just reward for a battling Dorking side.
Webber’s second try of the afternoon gave Redruth the lead again after half-time but it was cut to two points when Noble landed his second penalty from the tee.
But that was as good as it got for Dorking as Redruth ran riot the final quarter of the game scoring four more tries in the process.
Sam Parsons, Robert Coote and Bradley Howe all went over before centre Webber wrapped up proceedings with his hat-trick to make it seven wins from their last eight leagues matches for Redruth.
Clifton 38-26 Southend Saxons
Clifton ended a run of one win in their last eight matches with victory over relegation threatened Southend Saxons who are now eight points from safety.
Bradley Burr, Reuben Haile and Sonny Gay ran in first half tries for the Saxons to give them a slender 17-21 lead at the break with George Prince and Michael Barber going over for Clifton.
The hosts then went in front just before the hour as Alex Giltrow and Ben Foley sealed the bonus-point before Harry Hudson brought the visitors back into the contest with their fourth try of the day with a quarter of the game remaining.
But it was Clifton who had the upper hand in the last 20 minutes and the game was won when Alfie Tooala Vaeluaga crossed with three minutes remaining.
Launceston 12-39 Canterbury
Canterbury are now out of the bottom three as they ended a run of four straight defeats against bottom club Launceston who are all but relegated to National Three.
The visitors had sealed their bonus point inside the first 40 minutes as a brace from Daniel Smart and scores from Aiden Moss and Thomas Burns gave them a commanding 0-32 lead at half-time.
Alex Wake-Smith was sin-binned for Canterbury just after the restart which allowed the hosts to get their first points on the board for the afternoon as scrum-half Richard Friend dotted down.
Thomas Best then restored the 32 point advantage for the City Men with their fifth try of the day while the hosts had the final say when David Parish dotted down for a consolation eight minutes from time.
Launceston are still winless after playing 22 games this season and are currently 38 points from safety. A defeat this coming weekend against Southend Saxons, the team above them in the table, would confirm their relegation.
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