Underbank Rangers posted arguably their best team performance of the season in seeing off Skirlaugh 34-12 in the first round of the Conference Challenge Trophy.

The game was delicately poised and in the balance with the scoreline 16-12 in Rangers favour until prop forward Craig Williams crossed on the hour mark to give the home side some breathing space.

The win was confirmed with two tries in the final six minutes to seal a confidence boosting victory for Rangers.

Rangers had Adam Ryder making his first appearance since 2014 in the left centre berth, Dave Valentine returning at prop replacing the injured Dennis Tomarchio, Courtney Allette came in on the left wing for Will England, and towering prop forward Lewis Peet took his place on the bench after a four game absence replacing the also injured Austen Barrowclough.

Aussie Chris Druett played stand-off as Josh Dixon was unavailable.

Underbank started poorly conceding an early try as the Hull side’s prop Jed Carter powered over after only two minutes.

However, Underbank replied with a quickfire double strike in the 11th and 13th minutes.

After sustained pressure hooker Stephen Berry put on a set move close in and found Valentine and he crashed over.

From the restart half back Luke Pogson directed an attack and released Ryder on a charge that took him clear of the defenders to race over from 50 metres. Pogson converted both tries and Rangers led 12-6 after 15 minutes.

The game became an arm-wrestle in midfield with both sets of forwards trying to gain the upper hand, but as the half hour mark approached the visitors drew level as they shifted the ball to the right edge for winger Alfie Potter to score wide out.

Carl Puckering kicked his second conversion to make it 12-12, but Rangers finished the half strongly as captain Kris Harrop joined the attack from full back, he offloaded out of the tackle and Allette with a great pick-up and drive took two defenders over with him for a great score. Pogson couldn’t add the extras, his only miss, but Rangers went into half-time with a 16-12 lead.

Underbank started the second half with real purpose and the stranglehold they had on the visitors told as Williams raced over from an astute Berry last tackle play.

The score followed a Pogson 40/20 and a prolonged period of pressure on the Skirlaugh line.

Then came the final ten minutes and Underbank hammered home their advantage with two late tries that their performance deserved.

Williams grabbed his second as he interchanged passes with Pogson to race over from 20 metres, and then Allette completed his brace and put the icing on a great win for the home side as Ryder fed him and the powerful winger crossed in the corner.

Pogson kicked all three second half conversions with the final superb effort from Allette’s second try being the pick.

With a final scoreline of 34-12 Underbank take their place in the hat for the second round draw, but their immediate focus will be on entertaining Skirlaugh once again next Saturday with two important National Conference Division One points up for grabs.

Williams picked up the Bengal Spice man of the match for Underbank, while Valentine was selected as the Rose and Crown Players’ Player.

Underbank Rangers: Kris Harrop; Tom England, Alex Chatterton, Adam Ryder, Courtney Allette; Chris Druett, Luke Pogson; Dave Valentine, Stephen Berry, Craig Williams, Michael Murphy, Mitch Turner, Aisea Taholo. Interchange: Will England, Jon Campling, Lewis Peet, Andy Boothroyd.