Wheatley Hills too good for Cleckheaton (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Wheatley Hills too good for Cleckheaton

6:01pm Sunday 2nd September 2012 in Sport By Alan Bentley

Wheatley Hills 18 Cleckheaton 5 This was always going to be a tough first league outing of the new season for Cleckheaton and ultimately so it proved as the home side pulled away in the second half.

It was 28 minutes before either side had the chance to put points on the board but Woodcock failed with a penalty attempt for Wheatley.

The visitors had shown keen enthusiasm and dominated territory for the first half hour. This was rewarded in the 35th minute when Cleckheaton hooker Steve Worsley dived over in the corner for a well worked try. Iain Gordon was wide with the conversion attempt.

Woodcock reduced the arrears two minutes later with a penalty but as the break approached the visitors were reduced to 14 men when back row Tom Brooke was shown a yellow card.

This indiscretion was to prove decisive as five minutes into the second half Wheatley went into the lead for the first time with a close range try which went unconverted.

The pressure on Cleckheaton intensified as the forwards tired in the face of a big home pack.

A further converted try and a Woodcock penalty completed the scoring and a deserved win for Wheatley Hills.