Yorkshire Division One: Bradford Salem 17 North Ribblesdale 20

CHAD Bain, fresh from his exploits for Canada in last month's Rugby League World Cup qualifiers in Florida, has given his Bradford Salem team-mates a warning.

The Yorkshire Division Two champions also pocketed the Yorkshire Shield in a marvellous unbeaten 2014-15, and they were targeting the top six for this campaign.

However, after this mid-table derby defeat, the 23-year-old, who is from the Toronto region, has downsized their ambitions, saying: "We should be able to finish in the top eight but we are going to have to work hard."

No 8 Bain had some of the home side's most powerful charges during a match which sprang to life in the second half but, lucky to be leading 14-13 at half-time, they succumbed in the end to Ribblesdale's pack, with scrum half David Fox getting their winning try with six minutes remaining.

Bain, who came to the Bradford area because his partner Leah is teaching in Cleckheaton, started his rugby in West Yorkshire by playing league for Bradford Dudley Hill for four months.

But he explained: "Sam Gardner (director of rugby) and Andy Robinson (fly half and skipper, who is currently injured) persuaded me to come down to Salem.

"It was a tough match against Ribb, played mainly via both side's big forwards, but I have learnt new lines of running, more decisive lines of running thanks to the RL World Cup qualifiers, and it was a surreal experience being in a tournament involving Brian McDermott (the Leeds Rhinos' head coach who coached the United States).

"We didn't qualify but then again the United States (who won both matches to qualify) and Jamaica both have more rugby league heritage than Canada, and we'll be back."

With both sides missing key players due to injury, Ribblesdale, who narrowly beat Salem at their place in October, took an early grip on proceedings via a try by centre Johnny Moore and a conversion and two penalties by the influential Steve Moon.

However, trailing 13-0 after 22 minutes, Salem were ahead by half-time thanks to tries by fly half Danny Belcher, who ran a good line off a Dan Snowden pass, and right winger Nick Fontaine, who may well have knocked on before touching down.

Belcher's conversions gave the hosts that slender edge, which was increased to 17-13 by a Belcher penalty in the 49th minute.

The last 20 minutes belonged to the visitors' pack, who were invigorated by a 30-metre drive in the 61st minute.

Although that effort in Salem's left-hand corner did not produce a try, full back Michael Thwaite giving winger Ryan Gill an awful pass in the opposite corner which resulted in a knock-on, Ribblesdale kept knocking on the door.

Visiting spectators howled for referee Aaron Fowler to give Salem a yellow card for persistent infringements, and home skipper Jamie Booth was twice given a warning by the official, but no sin-binnings were forthcoming.

Fontaine managed to pinch possession deep in his 22, and others attacks were either foiled by knock-ons or, in the case of otherwise impactful replacement Adam Stubbs, for a crooked throw at a Ribblesdale line-out six metres from Salem's line.

But, rather like the Mohne and the Eder in the Ruhr in 1943, Salem's dam finally burst, with Fox getting on the end of another potent drive by the visiting eight and Moon converting.

There was still time for Salem to pinch victory but a loose pass inside Ribblesdale's 22 heralded the final whistle and confirmation of a narrow double for the visitors over the hosts, who have thus swapped places, with Salem dropping a place to ninth and Ribb, for whom this was only a second away win of the season, climbing one to eighth.

North Ribblesdale's coach Craig Eccleston said: "I am proud of our pack – and particularly 18-year-old Will Booth, who had only played four games of senior rugby previously – and our midfield defence of Jonathan Richards and Johnny Moore."