WHISPER it quietly, but maybe, just maybe, Skipton have turned the corner having put in a sterling performance which saw them unlucky to lose 16-11 at West Park Bramhope.

With a strong wind and driving rain, it was Bramhope who started the brighter, clearly relishing their chances against the bottom club.

The home back division looked very sharp, but Skipton's defence was helped by the Bramhope fullback, who spurned a two man overlap on more than one occasion. However, more Bramhope pressure resulted in a penalty for offside on the 22 which was converted by Richard Lye to open up a 3-0 lead.

Skipton used the gale at their backs well to put in a long relieving kick and after the Skipton forwards exerted pressure it was the turn of the home team to transgress, allowing Grant Litt to level the scores with a well-struck penalty on 15 minutes.

The New Zealander is always likely to produce a moment of magic and on this occasion he skipped round several defenders from half-way, but just as he seemed certain to score, he was ankle tapped to prevent a certain try.

Skipton were playing with real purpose and had a good share of possession and from more good forward pressure Litt dropped a goal to put Skipton in the lead at 6-3 on 32 minutes.

Skipton's old heads were serving them well. Kieran Coe marshalled the back three well and Andy Porter drove into the heart of the Bramhope defence, still possessing that elusive ability to make contact and then drive on another two or three yards before laying the ball back for the forwards.

In the second-half Skipton's scrum again functioned well, with Robbie King an able stand-in at prop and a couple of strikes against the head pleased the many travelling supporters.

After an intelligent long kick by Stephen Cullen the home defence knocked on. The Skipton forwards won the ball and after a couple of phases, Litt ran blind, chipped through the defence, and the ever-alert Cullen raced through the pick up and drive over.

Coe narrowly missed the conversion, but the Reds' lead had increased to a two-score margin and the visitors began to sense victory.

Bramhope were far from defeated, however, and after exerting some pressure themselves, narrowed the deficit to 11-6 with a second penalty by Lye.

Skipton then lost two influential players in fairly quick succession as Litt and Porter departed and the away side's composure slipped as Bramhope pressed forward.

From a series of rucks, earlier villain Nick Nightingale, the full-back, drove over to score near the posts and with a successful conversion the home side took the lead at 13-11.

Lye then extended the lead to 16-11 with a further penalty.