SSE National League Three North: Cleckheaton 24 Firwood Waterloo 28

CLECKHEATON suffered disappointment on the last day of the league season, letting slip a 24-7 lead in the last 20 minutes against battling visitors.

The hosts opened the scoring ten minutes in with the first of two almost identical tries.

A penalty kick gave the home side field position ten metres from Waterloo's line and, on both occasions, the rolling maul was directed to the whitewash by Cleckheaton's pack.

Richard Piper touched the first one down and Rob Afoa Peterson got the second, both of which were converted from the touchline by Ross Hayden.

Waterloo replied with the best try of the day when Jacob Allen received a pass with in his own 22, and the speedy winger set off, evading three tacklers and then chipping over the last two defenders and gathering his own kick for a very well-finished try under the sticks.

Liam Reeve added the extras but Ross Hayden landed a penalty goal for Cleckheaton from halfway on the stroke of half-time to give the home team a 17-7 advantage.

The second half started brightly for the home side when Martin Woodhead went on a mazy run, rounding his opposite number for a try in the corner, which Hayden also converted.

With the league points seemingly going Cleckheaton's way, Waterloo started to mount a response.

First Allen went in for his second try, and then with Cleckheaton's defence feeling the strain of Wednesday's Yorkshire Cup tie, James Masters went over from 30 metres out.

The scores had narrowed to 24-21 and then, in the last five minutes, Waterloo turned the result round, taking the lead for the first time in the match when Reeve went in for his team's fourth try.

As with the previous three, Reeve added the conversion for Waterloo to snatch victory.