Hunslet Club Parkside remain the unbeaten runaway National Conference Premier leaders after a 30-16 win at Underbank Rangers.

They took two points from a hard-fought encounter that resulted in Underbank losing their unbeaten home record and slipping to back-to-back defeats for the first time in 2018.

In most games this season Rangers have started slowly and been well behind on the scoreboard early.

Some games they have been able to haul themselves back into the contest, and on other occasions not.

Parkside opened a 16-0 lead with less than 20 minutes on the clock, but Underbank didn’t throw in the towel and showed tremendous courage, desire and determination to first stem the tide, then raise a response.

And finally they levelled matters just before the hour mark.

However, the home side ran out of gas in the final quarter, a testament to all their defensive work carried out in the first period.

In the end, the scoreline flattered the visitors.

For Parkside, they remained six points clear at the head of the table after 10 games played and for Rangers, they stay in eighth place with seven points (from three wins and a draw) from their nine fixtures.

Rangers had a number of squad changes both in personnel and positional with Craig Williams and Mikey Holmes unavailable, and Dave Pawson, Nathan Robinson and Courtney Allette out with injuries from the defeat at Siddal.

Into the squad came Tom Stringer, Jack Thompson, Tom Booth on debut, and the England brothers, Will and Tom.

Thompson and Will England formed a new left edge partnership, while centre Owen Restall moved to five-eighth, half back Danny Hirst switched to hooker, Joey Bobbin moving from lock to right side back row, and Sam Rochford from hooker to lock forward as coach Richard Knight shuffled his the formation of his troops.

Parkside went ahead on three minutes with a Ben Shulver try converted by Jamie Field.

The lead increased on 11 and 17 minutes with soft tries by Jamie Bradley and Field, with Field convertins his own try for 16-0.

Underbank steadied the ship with great defensive efforts from Jordan Williams, Rochford, Bobbin, Matt Byatt and Nick Briggs,

Rangers started to complete their sets and then suddenly they crossed twice in three minutes with Alex Chatterton and Sam Ansell touching down. Luke Pogson converted the latter.

On 57 minutes Ansell grabbed his second try and, in the ensuing melee, Pogson and one of the visitors’ was sin-binned.

After order was restored in Pogson’s absence, full back Jakob Garside superbly kicked the touchline conversion to level the scores at 16 apiece.

Underbank were now in the ascendancy, but Hunslet grabbed the next vital score on 65 minutes through Andy Hullock and Field converted.

Ansell then had a try harshly chalked off for offside and in the closing minutes, Hunslet sealed the win with a penalty Field after Rangers were penalised for holding down.

The result was confirmed as front rower George Clarke smashed through some very tired Underbank defenders with two minutes remaining. Field added the extras.

Danny Hirst won both the Bengal Spice Man of the Match and the Rose & Crown Players’ Player of the Match.

Underbank travel to Thatto Heath Crusaders on June 2.