CLECKHEATON, in their first relegation battle for seven seasons, are optimistic that they can haul themselves out of trouble in National League Three North, especially if they stop losing close encounters.

With half of the season gone, they are second from bottom on 19 points, ahead of only Burnage (9 points) but with Ilkley (25), Huddersfield YMCA (26) and Birkenhead Park (27) not too far above them, with Stockport next best on 34.

Cleckheaton's rugby chairman Neil Gillan says: "We have lost three matches in the last minute, including YMCA two Saturdays ago, while at Hull we were looking like winning until we had two players yellow carded and were down to 13 men for the last ten minutes.

"That makes five matches that we should have won, which would obviously have made a massive difference to where we are in the table.

"That all boils down to having key players on the field with experience, and it didn't help that we had a disjointed pre-season due to ill health on the part of myself and Ian Johnson (rugby secretary).

"We also lost a couple of our more experienced players in Rob Afoa Peterson and Ollie Akroyd, and a couple of others in Alex Dawson (in Australia), and Danny Vento (work)."

YMCA won 32-31 at Moorend when Cleckheaton were guilty of being too expansive at the death, instead of kicking a penalty to touch, winning the line-out and running down the clock.

Other narrow defeats were at home to Stockport (19-14) and Sheffield (20-19) and at Lymm (23-17).

Hull eventually triumphed 31-16, while Cleckheaton have sneaked victories at home to Birkenhead Park (21-17) and Billingham (26-20).

A disjointed pre-season wasn't helped by Pete Seabourne's short tenure as coach as Cleckheaton replaced Ian Armitage.

Gillan explained: "We announced Pete's appointment in April but he only took three or four pre-season sessions before there was a crisis in confidence among the players, some of whom were threatening to leave, and Gordon Piper was installed as coach.

"Pete's departure happened while I was recovering from the heart attack that I suffered on July 11, and I feel sorry for him as he did nothing wrong.

"Pete has my best wishes for his next job, which I am sure he will be a success at."

If the loss of experienced players and a disruptive pre-season are the negatives, then the emergence of young players such as Luke Pearson, Will Denham, Niall Jackson and Jack Seddon are among the chief positives.

Gillan added: "Luke has established himself in the second row, Will and Niall have been given opportunities in the front row, and 20-year-old Jack has come on leaps and bounds week by week in the back row.

"We have also introduced new faces in the backs in Mikey Hayward and Ewan Dowse."

The latter is an England rugby league international who gave stalwart service to Leeds Rhinos and Hull FC, and Gillan said: "Ewan's opportunities have been limited by a calf injury and a trip to Dubai but we hope his experience will help us in 2016."

With 13 matches played, Cleckheaton, who were relegated from National League Three North in 2009-10 before winning North One East in 2013-14, will also do themselves a favour if they beat the clubs in and around them.

They visit Burnage on January 23, Stockport on March 19 and Birkenhead Park on April 9, and host Ilkley on February 20.

Cleckheaton's Boxing Day clash at Old Brodleians, and Baildon's visit to Bradford Salem on the same day were both victims of waterlogged pitches.