BRADFORD Dudley Hill were pipped 22-18 at home by Leigh Miners’ Rangers in what was a fantastic advert for the Kingstone Press National Conference League First Division.

Hill are bottom of the table and have been relegated, while Rangers were second, but, as Hill’s team manager Steve Wright noted: “Neutrals wouldn’t have been able to tell the difference in league positions” so well did the hosts perform.

Winger Neil Wall put Hill ahead with a sixth-minute try but even with the handicap of losing Martin Southwell to the sin bin for a swinging arm in the 23rd minute, Rangers were only 6-4 ahead ten minutes later via a try by second row Joe Connor and a conversion by centre Jack Reynolds.

A try just before half-time by full back Adam Thompson that was improved by Reynolds gave Rangers a 12-4 interval lead but two tries in three minutes by interchange Seb Russo and Wall had Hill level at 12-12 on the hour.

A Connor try and a Reynolds goal and try had the visitors back in front at 22-12 with eight minutes remaining but Hill’s fine effort was capped by Wall’s hat-trick try and Simon Sewell’s goal in the penultimate minute.

Not surprisingly, Wall was named as Hill’s man of the match, with Connor getting the vote for Rangers.

With this display, Hill, led by Wall, centre Dan Lee and interchange Aiden Batey, showed that they could play at this level, and it is just a pity that they have already been relegated.

In the Second Division, fourth from bottom West Bowling triumphed 40-10 at bottom-of-the-table Leigh East, despite having Liam Coe dismissed in the final quarter.

It may have been for a foot in the tackle, but a touch judge intervened and Coe was given his marching orders, quickly followed by Bowling’s assistant coach Aidy Leek for disputing the decision.

Bowling led 16-6 at the interval thanks to tries by winger Isaac Khan and interchanges Dan Gregory and Ben Heald, who was supporting a Ryan Patchett break.

Coe converted two of the tries, and Bowling had the match wrapped up before the hour with tries by Gregory, after a 40-metre break, and Khan (2), who thus completed his hat-trick, with his second try being a 90-metre interception. Further tries followed for Liam Darville and Heald, after a 40-metre Nat Light break.