HUNSLET WARRIORS staged a huge upset on Saturday with an outstanding 23-16 victory over National Conference League Division Two leaders Barrow Island.
The Warriors had been unable to field a team for the previous week’s fixture at Normanton but that episode now appears to have been consigned to the dustbin of history, as has a sequence of six games without a win.
Barrow, who had prevailed in their previous six outings, were rocked by two first half tries by Tyler Dargan and an opening touchdown for Remy Grierson, an 18-0 home lead being established with McKenzie Taylor’s conversions.
The visitors rallied to six points adrift with a couple of improved tries straddling the break, but the Warriors sealed victory when Turner slotted over two penalties and a field goal before the Cumbrians registered a late consolation try.
Meanwhile, HUNSLET CLUB PARKSIDE beat York Acorn 30-14 across the way in the Premier Division.
Acorn led 14-12 at the interval, Parkside having posted tries by Ben Shulver, Jake Dearden and Connor Squires. But the hosts pulled away on the restart, thanks to a try and two goals by Andy Hullock, touchdowns for Kieran Murphy and Dearden, and a Danny Rowse conversion.
Both local teams in Division One lost. STANNINGLEY opened and closed the scoring against leaders Kells, posting an early Ben Selby try and registering later touchdowns for Jack Flanagan and Jack Vincent, Selby adding a conversion. Between-times, though, the visitors rattled up three tries to grind out a hard-earned 22-14 win.
OULTON RAIDERS, meanwhile, went 12-0 up at Ince Rose Bridge through tries by James Cruickshank, Ashley Stillwell and Kieran Walpole, only to fall away in a 32-12 reverse.
Elsewhere, Division Three leaders EAST LEEDS won 22-14 at Shaw Cross on Thursday night.
A Ben Walkin brace, a Josh Wood try and three Nathan Conroy goals helped the visitors to an 18-14 lead which looked precarious when Andy Djeukessi was sin-binned on twelve minutes for dangerous contact and James Forsell was sent off as the game entered the final quarter for use of the elbow. But a touchdown ten minutes from time for Nehemiah Mensah sealed an impressive victory.
There was less joy for DRIGHLINGTON, though, at BARLA National Cupholders Waterhead. Drig were 74-0 in arrears when Harris Brereton crossed and Michael Sanderson added the extras, the Warriors going on to prevail 88-6.
National Conference League
Saturday 11 June 2022
Premier Division: HUNSLET CLUB PARKSIDE 30, York Acorn 14; Lock Lane 20, Thatto Heath Crusaders 14; Pilkington Recs 30, Thornhill Trojans 8; Rochdale Mayfield 33, Leigh Miners Rangers 24; Wath Brow Hornets 14, Siddal 10; West Hull 56, Egremont Rangers 6.
Division One: Hull Dockers 40, Saddleworth Rangers 12; Ince Rose Bridge 32, OULTON RAIDERS 12; Milford 20, Featherstone Lions 36; Skirlaugh 18, West Bowling 18; STANNINGLEY 14, Kells 22; Wigan St Patricks 72, Myton Warriors 0.
Division Two: Bradford Dudley Hill 12, Normanton Knights 44; Crosfields 28, Woolston Rovers 16 (played Friday); Dewsbury Celtic v Beverley -pp; Dewsbury Moor Maroons 18, Wigan St Judes 16; Heworth 26, Clock Face Miners 22; HUNSLET WARRIORS 23, Barrow Island 16.
Division Three: Batley Boys 6, Oldham St Annes 14; Bentley 22, Leigh East 34; Eastmoor Dragons 10, Millom 44; Seaton Rangers v Hensingham -pp; Shaw Cross Sharks 14, EAST LEEDS 22 (played Thursday); Waterhead Warriors 88, DRIGHLINGTON 6.
Fixtures
Thursday 16 June 2022
Division One: Hull Dockers v West Bowling.
Saturday 18 June 2022
Premier Division: Egremont Rangers v Pilkington Recs; Leigh Miners Rangers v West Hull; Lock Lane v Siddal; Thatto Heath Crusaders v HUNSLET CLUB PARKSIDE; Thornhill Trojans v Rochdale Mayfield; York Acorn v Wath Brow Hornets.
Division One: Featherstone Lions v Wigan St Patricks; Kells v Ince Rose Bridge; Myton Warriors v Skirlaugh; OULTON RAIDERS v Milford; Saddleworth Rangers v STANNINGLEY.
Division Two: Barrow Island v Dewsbury Celtic; Beverley v Dewsbury Moor Maroons; Clock Face Miners v Bradford Dudley Hill; Crosfields v Heworth; Wigan St Judes v Normanton Knights; Woolston Rovers v HUNSLET WARRIORS.
Division Three: EAST LEEDS v Bentley; Eastmoor Dragons v Seaton Rangers; Hensingham v Waterhead Warriors; Leigh East v DRIGHLINGTON; Millom v Batley Boys; Oldham St Annes v Shaw Cross Sharks.
