Huddersfield YMCA won a humdinger of a match 32-31 at Cleckheaton to enhance their chances of maintaining National III North status.

The local derby at Moorend pitted two struggling teams against each other and, while the contest was not always pretty, it was full of fire and commitment.

From the start the YM looked to throw the ball about and applied some early pressure on their hosts resulting in them being awarded a penalty and Simon Wilson stepped up and made no mistake to give his side an early lead.

Cleckheaton v Huddersfield YMCA (yellow).

The home side responded when scrum half Jack Bickerdike exploited a small opening and out prop Paul Turner in to claim the try – Michael Piper added the goal.

The home forwards were looking dominant and the pressure told when the ball was fed to outside centre Lee Queeley, who made the most of his opportunity to notch another touchdown – Piper could not manage to conversion.

The visitors rallied and came back on the attack through their backs Adam Ryder and Ritchie Hawkyard, who both went close.

However, they took an opening when Wilson slipped through to claim a try and he added the extra points top close the gap to 12-10.

Cleckheaton v Huddersfield YMCA (yellow).

Cleckheaton were determined to play to their strengths and kept the ball in the forwards, while YMCA were keen to get the ball out to the backs and that was the basis upon which the game proceeded.

The home side got within striking distance aand a quick tap penalty to set up a maul which YMCA couldn’t stop as it rumbled over the line for Ryan Piercey to claim the touchdown.

Piper added the conversion and stretched in Cleckheaton’s lead t0 19-10.

The visitors managed to cut that advantage before half-time when Wilson whipped out a pass to the waiting Ryder, who dashed to score and Wilson was on target with the conversion.

In the second half YMCA had the advantage of the wind and started to use it to gain ground, but chances went begging as they allowed Cleckheaton to clear their lines.

Eventually the pressure and field position told and Ryder found himself with the space to cut his way through the defence to put the YMCA back in front and Wilson added the goal.

Cleckheaton v Huddersfield YMCA (yellow).

Cleckheaton came back into the match and regained the lead when Richard Piper forced his way underneath a mass of bodies to touch down – and the conversion was good.

The home forwards were in the groove and were determined to drive home their advantage.

The plan seemed to have come to fruition as the overworked YMCA defence finally gave way when another maul rumbled over the line allowing Piercey to claim his second score of the day.

Piper missed the touchline conversion, but the home side had the cushion they needed with only a few minutes of the game remaining leading 31-24.

However, YMCA weren’t quite done and came back onto the attack forcing the home sideto concede a penalty.

The most obvious option would have been to put the ball into touch, however Wilson elected to go for goal to secure a potential losing bonus point at 31-27.

Cleckheaton v Huddersfield YMCA (yellow).

Cleckheaton failed to secure victory with a penalty when Piper was just out of range.

YMCA still had a bit left in the tank and were unlucky when No8 James Bell intercepted a pass to put Sam Hodge on a run to the corner which was halted just short of the line.

Scenting blood YMCA’s pack elected to take the scrum, which was a part of the game where they had dominated.

The first scrum collapsed and YMCA were immediately awarded another penalty which they again elected to scrum.

Once again the home scrum collapsed this time leading to a yellow card.

YMCA elected to scrum again which was reset once again and Bell quickly released the ball along the line allowing Stuart Morton to sprint over the line in the corner for a superbly worked score.

Wilson was off target with the conversion which proved to be the last action giving victory to YMCA by the narrowest of margins.

YMCA: Fletcher. Pooloogadoo, Hawkyard, Ryder, Morton, Wilson, Ledgard. Dyke, Watson, Moore, Housley, Edwards, Hodge, Starbuck, Bell. Interchange: Gibson, Robertson, Slater