North One East: Bradford & Bingley 45 Guisborough 14

BRADFORD & Bingley collected another five points in their odds-against quest to reach National League Three North.

The only direct promotion is by winning the division and, although there is a play-off spot available against the winners of North One West, Bees' first-team manager Benji Pickin said: "Gaining promotion is still a long way off but third place would be a very good achievement after coming up last season."

The fifth-placed Bees started with the experienced Andy Smith in the front row as the hosts demoted Michael Crotch, who has a habit of picking up yellow cards, to the bench.

Dom Copsey was at fly half in place of Richard Tafa, while Adam Mitchell was on the bench after missing matches due to injury and his job as strength and conditioning coach at Dewsbury Rams.

The home side soon showed their pack power when flanker Max Mountain was pushed over for a try in the seventh minute, and they scored two more tries after their next-to-bottom visitors had a player sin-binned for a high tackle in the 14th minute.

Bees skipper Tom Booth went over a minute later and back-rower Manny Riaz crossed in the 22nd minute, with Copsey converting both for a 19-0 lead.

The bonus-point try in the 34th minute, however, was the best of the match as the hosts started the attack just outside their 22, Copsey landing a pin-point crossfield kick in the hands of winger and man-of-the-match Adam Sutcliffe, who scored for Copsey, who also had a fine game, to convert.

Adam Mitchell came on just before half-time for Ryan Wilson but the winger had to come back on at the start of the second half as Nick Gore suffered a broken kneecap and was taken off on a stretcher before going to hospital.

Wilson was soon in the action, scoring a try five minutes after coming back on by outpacing the defenders on the outside.

Copsey's conversion extended the margin to 33-0, and the Bees made a double substitution in the 54th minute, with Crotch and Luke Peacock coming on for Smith and Brett Mitchell.

Guisborough, already relegated along with Wheatley Hills, then cashed in on a sin-binning.

Mountain was given ten minutes in the 62nd minute after persistent Bradford & Bingley infringements, and the visitors scored a converted try a minute later.

But there was be no late flourish for the visitors, even though they scored a try in the 75th minute.

Ben Greaves scored and converted a try in the 67th minute, and was followed to the whitewash by replacement lock Peacock 11 minutes later.

The Bees now trail Alnwick by a point and Penrith by four points, and are eight points behind second-placed West Hartlepool with five games left.