BIRKENSHAW Bluedogs posted their first win this season in Pennine League Division Two Central after an 18-16 success at Wortley Dragons.

Stand-off Tony Aubrey led the way with a two-try haul, and wingman Robbie Cass weighed in with another vital touchdown which, together with two conversions from full back Gary Procter, established the springboard to set up a nail-biting finale.

Both sides were locked 16-16 when scrum half Jarrod Toulson stepped up to the plate to slot over a touchline penalty and take the spoils.

Long-serving packman Paul Bancroft was outstanding for the Bluedogs.

Wyke came within a whisker of ending Oulton Raiders' unbeaten start, only to fall 8-4 at Towngate.

The black and whites made a slow start, second-rower Tom Lunn crashing over from David Jagger's offload, and captain Keiron Hainsworth wrestling his way over from close range. 

However, Wyke recovered late in the half when centre Calvin Barker fell to a timely tackle from visiting full back Alan White while in full flight to the chalk to see them change ends 8-0 down.

A lively pep talk from coach Ian Wormald, however, led to his charges being transformed on the restart, and a cracking break from scrum half Jordan Payton helped the supporting Johnny Fawthrop gallop to the whitewash to claw back the arrears.

Two splendid tackles from full back Jimmy Waine kept the classy Raiders at bay and, with just seconds remaining, Payton looked to have secured a possible win when he stole the ball one on one to race 30 metres to the posts, only to have his hopes dashed when the referee ruled the effort out for a knock on.

Clayton went down 22-18 in a scrappy encounter at Beeston Broncos.

The villagers posted touchdowns from Ryan Wilkinson, Jonny Norman, Chris Whitehead and Devon Gurney, only one of which was converted by Wilkinson due to the blustery wind.

At 18-18 with five minutes to go, it was anyone’s game but Clayton, who ran out of interchanges to finish a man down, succumbed to the pressure and fell to defeat.