CLECKHEATON made it two home defeats in eight days after a 23-15 reverse against Alnwick in North One East.

But this game, like the previous weekend against West Leeds, could so easily have been won, Alnwick being let back into contention with a late flurry of scoring on the back of Cleckheaton's mistakes.

Mike Swetman landed an equalising 40-metre penalty for Cleckheaton but the visitors were soon ahead again via a try and a penalty after Jack Seddon was sin-binned for a high tackle.

Trailing 11-3 at half-time, Cleckheaton were a different animal after the interval with the wind behind them, Swetman gliding over and converting after seven minutes of pressure on Alnwick's line.

The hosts took the lead ten minutes later via winger Mikey Hayward after good work by Luke Pearson, Jack Bickerdike and Swetman – but Cleckheaton's concentration waned in the last 12 minutes.

From the back of a scrum just inside Cleckheaton's 22, Alnwick's No 8 picked up and rampaged through a couple of tackles before off-loading for the visitors' second try.

Cleckheaton still felt they could overcome their one-point deficit in the last six minutes but Alnwick's tails were now up and more poor choices and lack of composure ultimately undid Cleckheaton as Alnwick went in at the corner again.

Brad Marsden collected the man of the match award but this will be a game that Cleckheaton will spend some time reflecting on.

Their losses have come against three of the top four sides at this early stage in the league season but they were all winnable.

While the results from the last two weekends are frustrating, the team are working hard on new structures and patterns and are not far off gelling into a side that can mount a real challenge.

On Saturday, Cleckheaton take a break from league rugby, hosting Ilkley in an attractive first-round Yorkshire Cup tie.