National League Three North: Cleckheaton 14 Stockport 19

CLECKHEATON claimed a late bonus point in a game which reflected the wet and dismal weather at Moorend.

The visitors from across the Pennines got the scoreboard in action first when a high 'bomb' was dropped and the ball bounced nicely into the hands of Stockport's Jordan Simpson in full sprint mode, the try under the sticks being converted by Ashley Platt-Hughes.

Stockport extended their lead when Cleckheaton's forwards dropped off a couple of tackles and the visiting No 8 broke through and off-loaded for Callum McMahon to score.

But Cleckheaton started to get into the game on the half-hour, and pressure from the pack led to a scrum infringement from Stockport in their own 22.

A quick tap by Jack Bickerdike and a long pass by centre Matt Piper then found Josh Hall in acres of space for a Cleckheaton try, which was converted by Ronan Evans to make the score 12-7 at the break.

Cleckheaton put the ball out on the full from the re-start and, though this initial pressure was soon dealt with, Stockport's fly half was having the better kicking game and pinned Cleckheaton way downfield at every opportunity.

The visitors were able to turn over a line-out from one such kick and, from the resulting forward drives, Ben Marshland went in for Stockport's third try, Platt-Hughes adding the extras.

An outbreak of fisticuffs saw a player from each side sin-binned, Josh Malkinson having ten minutes for Cleckheaton, and the game was also interrupted for ten minutes when the referee went over on his ankle.

As the weather and time was starting to cast the pitch into darkness, Cleckheaton brightened for the last ten minutes, excellent marauding forward play putting Stockport on the back foot.

As Cleck's forwards were about to touch down, an infringement sent the referee between the posts for a penalty try, the conversion from Evans giving a final score of 19-14 to Stockport.