SSE Yorkshire Division Three: Rotherham Phoenix 5 Old Grovians 17

OLD Grovians are on the threshold of the title after victory at Rotherham Phoenix.

A bonus-point win at home to Stocksbridge will not only give the Apperley Bridge club revenge for a defeat earlier in the season but will confirm them as champions.

They are ten 10 points ahead of second-placed Castleford with three games to play but have a massive advantage of 264 in points difference.

After a week's rest, Grovians were missing a few regulars but were still able to put out a strong team on the second-team pitch, as Rotherham Titans were also at home, and the surface was firm and flat, which should have suited the visitors' backs.

Grovians started well, strong phases forcing Rotherham into some hasty clearances, with visiting winger Dion Hendricks being stopped a yard short of the try-line.

It wasn't until the 15th minute that the visitors took the lead, speedy centre Harry Garforth – later to retire with a rib injury – finding a gap and dodging the defensive line to score in the corner.

Phoenix's tackling technique might have been punished more severely by another referee, but there was no stopping Grovians winger Simeone Torr six minutes later from ten yards out after outside centre Anthony Griffin had carried the ball 20 yards and thrown a dummy.

The hosts had a player sin-binned for a disagreement off the ball but there was no further scoring before half-time, paving the way for a second half that began with frequent interruptions for knock-ons and penalties.

A host player then suffered a suspected break, which led to a lengthy stoppage, but Griffin more or less sealed victory with the third try following a line-out take, the centre zig-zagging his way over from 20 yards out for Ben Brown to convert.

Phoenix, who had plenty of late possession, scored a last-minute try, but, as with two of the Grovians tries,. there was no conversion.