Batley Bulldogs and London Broncos move into the top two with wins on Sunday afternoon.
Whitehaven RLFC 18-12 Swinton Lions
Spencer Miller’s late try gave Whitehaven a first victory of their Kingstone Press Championship campaign at the fourth attempt on Saturday as they won 18-12 at home to Swinton Lions.
John Paul Brocklebank put the hosts ahead, touching down after exchanging passes with Scott McAvoy and converting his own try. Louis Jouffret gave the Recreation Ground side a second try, finishing off from James Newton’s break down the middle, with Brocklebank again converting. Shaun Robinson pulled a try back with Chris Atkin adding a touchline conversion to make it 12-6 at the break.
The Lions crossed again just after half-time, Atkin diving to the line before converting to draw his side level. However, Miller touched down with six minutes to go, and Brocklebank nailed a touchline conversion, earning the hosts victory in a game littered with penalties.
Batley Bulldogs 44-12 Workington
Batley are the surprise leaders of the Kingstone Press Championship after cruising to a 44-12 win over bottom club Workington.
Half-back Cain Southernwood scored two of the Bulldogs’ seven tries and Pat Walker kicked eight goals as John Kear’s men climbed above Bradford, whose game at Oldham was postponed due to an unfit pitch.
Chris Ulugia, Alex Bretherton, James Brown, Alister Leek and Alex Brown scored Batley’s other tries while Carl Forber scored all Workington’s points with two first-half tries and two conversions.
Featherstone Rovers 21-20 Dewsbury Rams
Stand-off Danny Craven landed a last-minute drop goal to give Featherstone a dramatic 21-20 win over Dewsbury in the Kingstone Press Championship.
Kyle Briggs, Kyran Johnson, Misi Taulapapa and Scott Turner scored tries for Rovers and Briggs kicked two goals.
Dewsbury led 14-10 at half-time thanks to tries from Josh Guzdek and Shane Grady and they went back in front when Jason Crookes went over for a third try on 53 minutes and Ben Reynolds kicked a fourth goal.
Leigh Centurions 36-28 Sheffield Eagles
A last-minute try from Cory Paterson helped Leigh end a traumatic week on a high with a 36-28 win over Sheffield Eagles in the Kingstone Press Championship.
The Eagles fought back from 26-10 down to level at 28-28 but Martyn Ridyard, a late inclusion in a Leigh side lacking both Rangi Chase and a suspended Ryan Brierley, edged the Centurions back in front with a second penalty three minutes from the end and Paterson then went over to clinch a third win of the season.
Rob Worrincy and Quentin Laulu-Togagae both scored two tries for the visitors while Papua New Guinea centre Menzie Yere touched down for the sixth successive match.
Scrum-half Lewis Charnock, signed on a month’s loan from St Helens, scored on his debut for Leigh, whose other tries came from captain Micky Higham, Dane Weston, Adam Higson and Reni Maitua.
London Broncos 29-22 Halifax RLFC
London Broncos moved up to second in the Kingstone Press Championship thanks to a 29-22 win over Halifax at Ealing.
France international half-back William Barthau and Wales winger Rhys Williams scored two tries apiece and Ben Hellewell and Nick Slyney also touched down for the Broncos, with Wes Naiqama and Scott Leatherbarrow kicking conversions while the latter added a late drop goal to clinch a fourth win out of five.
Captain Scott Murrell touched down twice for Halifax in the second half, adding to first-half tries from Luke Ambler and James Saltonstall, while Steve Tyrer kicked three goals.
Oldham Roughyeds P-P Bradford Bulls
Due to a snow-covered and frozen pitch, this fixture was postponed and will be re-arranged at a later date.