Friendly rivals Elliot Hodgson and Brandon Conway have a personal battle under way as they bid to keep Huddersfield RU flying high in National III North.

The free-scoring duo are determined to outscore each other as they bid to help keep Gareth Lewis’s potent side unbeaten for as long as possible.

Huddersfield are looking for a ninth successive victory in all competitions as they travel for League action at Wirral on Saturday.

Lewis’s men are fresh from an impressive 58-9 win at Ilkley in which Hodgson grabbed a hat trick of tries and fellow rugby league convert Conway crossed for one.

Picture gallery from Huddersfield's Yorkshire Cup win against Sheffield:

Hodgson – who scored six tries in the crushing home win over Firwood Waterloo – now has 12 for the campaign while Conway is on eight, having gone over the whitewash in each of the last five matches.

Huddersfield have piled up 295 points in their seven League matches so far – only third-placed Billingham have more with 300 – but the Lockwood Park side’s defensive record is far better than anyone else’s.

They have conceded only 74 points and, again, Billingham are the next best with 119 against their name.

Lewis, understandably, is very happy with how things are going.

“Elliot Hodgson was telling me before the Ilkley game that he was looking for double figures and to outscore Brandon,” said the coach.

“Competition between the squad is always good. The backs are on fire and it’s good to see.

“We have threats all over the field, though.

“The forwards showed at Ilkley that they can use the driving maul, attack from scrums and, when we move the ball wide, it’s pleasing to see how threatening we are.”

One are Lewis is keen to see quickly brushed up is the line-out.

Stats show Field were operating at 90% earlier in the season, but that figure has now dropped to just 62%.

“The stats which we’re using this year are giving us a benchmark, and they really do drive the standards on.”

Captain Alex Battye returned from the bench in the Ilkley win after spending a month on the sidelines following a head injury.

“It’s really good that we were able to carry on the winning streak,” said Battye.

“The win was really special. I thought they could have really put it against us after the break, but we showed our talent.

“It’s great to be back and we were good out there (against Ilkley).

“We were just saying among a few of the lads that we feel the only team who can beat us is ourselves.

“The performances we put in at training are something we commit to in each game.

“It’s a very good winning feel around the team at the moment.”