Championship Division: Odsal Sedbergh 25, Allerton Bywater 18

A HAT-TRICK from pack-man Josh Tordoff ensured Odsal Sedbergh maintained their unbeaten start to the Championship Division season at Odsal Rec.

The second row partnership of Tordoff and Daniel Brown dominated the opening exchanges with a succession of powerful drives, and all the hard work bore fruit when wingman Jarred Priestley raced down the flank and kicked over the full back to set up field position for Tordoff to charge onto the ball and slide over at the side of the posts.

It appeared that he may have been somewhat fortunate as he looked to have failed to touch down correctly but referee Andy Kitson had no doubts pointing to the spot.

Sedge, enjoying first use of the slope, increased their tally when Brown latched onto an inside pass from stand off Paul Bottomley to cross unopposed leaving scrum half Steve Suddards to add the extras.

There was no shadow of a doubt remaining when Tordoff came thundering on to another deft Bottomley off load to beat three defenders which, together with another Suddards conversion, saw the hosts into a 16-0 lead.

The half closed with both sides reduced in numbers when Odsal centre Rob Priestley and his opposite number Nick Baldwin received yellow cards for fighting.

Part two saw home prop Dan Dove join the miscreants in the sin bin when he was caught punching in the tackle, which enabled Allerton the chance to mount an attack from which substitute forward Max Field clutched the chalk and hooker Dan Lazenby converted.

Sedge's flaky discipline was punished further when substitute Callum McMahon swung a punch to increase the sin bin occupancy, and the visitors extra numbers assisted their cause when Baldwin forced his way to the whitewash on his return.

The kick was successfully added to close the gap to 16-12, and the home crowd breathed a sigh of relief when Suddards slotted over a penalty.

The game-changer came on the hour when the classy Bottomley took on the defence to provide a one-handed offload to the rampant Tordoff who sprinted in ten metres from the corner flag for his trio.

Suddards kicked a beauty from wide out to put Sedge in clear water at 24-12.

The Castleford side were far from done, however, and a converted try brought them within reach once more – but the game was decided finally when Odsal loose forward Scott Smith slotted over a drop goal.