Silsden Park Rangers 29, Emley Moor 22

Silsden Park Rangers turned on a magnificent performance to blow away Emley Moor's unbeaten league record, in a truly memorable match.

Winger Mark Claydon was the hero of the hour with three excellent tries, but outstanding team work was the key to this against the odds win.

Trailing 16-4 Rangers looked beaten, but Emley just couldn't cope with Silsden's never-say-die pack. Tony Williams, Neal Gaylore and Jim Coldwell set the tone up front, and they were superbly orchestrated by half backs Pat Illingworth and Dave Arnold who underlined his emergence as a player of outstanding quality, with his third consecutive man of the match show.

Silsden burst into an early lead when Coldwell charged over after good work from Mark Adams. But Emley then showed exactly why they had gone 21 league games undefeated, to run in three tries and go 16 - 4 ahead.

Rangers should have then capitulated, but they just hadn't read the script. Great handling from Adams and Phil Lane put Claydon over for his first try, and although Emley replied in kind, skipper Neil Jordan soon sent Claydon racing in again, to make it 20 - 12 at the break.

After Williams nipped over following clever approach play by Illingworth, the second half developed into a war of attrition.

Silsden's full back Mark Kent excelled himself with some terrific defensive work, highlighted by a superb diving catch to thwart another Emley onslaught. Although the visitors landed a penalty to move four points clear, Claydon had saved his best until last. When ever-alert Arnold took a quick tap penalty the flying wingman was on hand to thread his way through the cover, and finish in style from 40 yards.

Kent couldn't convert, but on Silsden's next attack Arnold popped over a drop goal to nudge them ahead. And when Gaylore made yet another punishing burst, Arnold was there again to dive in and complete a tremendous fightback.

Rangers face another tough task tomorrow (Saturday) when they entertain fellow promotion chasers Rotherham, a side they have never beaten (kick off 2pm)

Ovenden 34

Keighley Albion 4

Keighley went into this bottom of the table clash with high hopes following the previous week's hard earned win over Normanton.

But instead of building on that success they were convincingly beaten and go back to the bottom of the Conference League.

Albion worked tremendously hard up the Ovenden slope in a closely fought first half. The Halifax side had taken the lead with a converted try and Albion replied with a Simon Kelk penalty.

The Keighley side would have been happy to turn round only four points adrift, but on the stroke of half time Ovenden crossed again and added the conversion to lead 12-2 at the break.

A Kelk penalty put Albion back in the frame, but after that they totally lost the plot, giving away penalty after penalty, which Ovenden gladly took advantage of as they ran in a string of tries.

Albion will be looking to put this game behind them when they face Barnsley outfit Dodworth at Crossflatts tomorrow (Saturday) in the first round of the Silk Cut Challenge Cup, kick off 1.30pm.Keighley Celtic 28

Clayton A 20

Celtic continued on the victory trail thanks to strong forward bursts from Anwar and Barlow which led to Marples collecting a Brookes chip for their first try. Kennedy converted.

A lapse in defence gave Clayton an unconverted try before Chris Brookes powered his way. Clayton snatched two more unconverted tries with Steve Underwood scoring for Celtic to go in 14-12 ahead.

The opening quarter of the second half saw Celtic applying constant pressure, leading to second tries for Marples and Brookes. The visitors were reduced to 12 men when their hooker head-butted Brookes, but they managed to score in the corner before Kennedy scampered through to touch down under the posts and added the extras.

An injury time try took Clayton to within eight points, but huge defensive displays by Gary Marples, Brookes and Kennedy made certain of victory.

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