Northern Premier
THE standout match heading into the weekend saw undefeated league-leaders Otley travel to take on bottom-of-the-table and winless Northwich.
Everybody expected a dominant away win and they'd be proved to be right as the visitors recorded a dominant 59-0 triumph. Alex Beaumont was the star as he scored a hat-trick, while Henry Roberts, Eddie Crossland, Gavin Stead, Luke Cole, Marcus Law and Ben Gould also crossed.
Second-place Billingham were able to extend their run of wins to seven with a 10-0 away triumph at Rossendale. However, their failure to secure a try-scoring bonus point meant they are now seven points off the top. The game, which was played in dismal conditions, was decided by industrious flanker Michael Walton's two tries, neither of which were converted.
Preston Grasshoppers got back to winning way in style with a 59-0 thumping of Burnage away from home. Chris Taylor was the star man for the visitors as he scored a hattrick, while Matt Lamprey, Jordan Dorrington, Tyler Spence, Alex Ward and Oga Mabaya also ran in.
Blackburn also continues to march up the league as they move into fourth after recording a dominant 53-0 away win against Kirkby Lonsdale.
Alnwick's run of four consecutive wins came to an abrupt end as they suffered a 21-12 defeat against Macclesfield.
Brendan Barry and Sam Broster scored the visitors two tries with fly-half Harry Oliver scoring 11 points with the boot.
Elsewhere, Lymm upset the odds to beat York 28-12. Tries from Cormac Nolan and Kurt Riley gave the visitors a 15-5 lead at the break. Further tries after the break from Steve Pilkington and Nathan Beasley ensured the bonus-point triumph.
Wirral ended their run of three straight defeats with a 31-3 bonus-point victory against Sandal to climb to seventh. Nick Hearn, Hayden Long, Tom Cole, Tom Parry and James Reid all crossed, with James Annetts slotting three penalties.
