Hull Dockers 32 Crosfields 40

DESPITE the absence of their head coach, Crosfields were still able to extend their winning streak to nine games on Saturday.

They held off a late charge from Hull Dockers to ensure the two points came back over the Pennines to keep the pressure on in the race for automatic promotion.

Luke Walker crossed twice for Soap, with Jack Reid converting all but one of the seven tries Soap scored.

Matt Barber, Chris Hull, Ben Mellor, Kane Ditchfield and Nathan Taylor also crossed the whitewash in East Yorkshire.

Soap remain third in National Conference League Division Two, two points behind Dewsbury Moor Maroons – who occupy the final automatic promotion spot – with a game in hand.

With head coach Ian Boden on holiday, assistant Steve Pickersgill took charge of the trip to Hull and he was full of praise for the effort of his forwards in sweltering conditions.

“We met a hungry side today who didn't give up for 80 minutes in the heat,” he said.

“We had a light pack with very little scope off the bench.

“I've got to recognise the efforts of our forwards, especially Tom Brown who played the full 80 minutes.

“It’s notable that our backs helped out with some hard graft and were lethal in attack.”

Walker crossed twice early to put the visitors in control, with Barber also stretching out to touch down before the break.

However, the hosts remained in touch and went into half-time trailing 14-18

Hull got on the end of a sweeping move to extend Crosfields’ lead before Ditchfield put Mellor over for a walk-in shortly afterwards.

Dockers came back again, but Ditchfield and Taylor got themselves over to seemingly put Soap out of sight.

Two late tries from the hosts had Crosfields hanging on at the end, but they were able to celebrate another hard-fought success.

They face a crunch promotion clash against East Leeds – the team directly below them in the table – at Hood Lane on Saturday, kick off 2.30pm.

Crosfields: Luke Walker; Dan Reid, Chris Hull, Kane Ditchfield, Nathan Taylor; Jack Reid, Joe Clarke; Phil Brazendale, Hayden James, Tom Brown, Jordan Williams, Ben Mellor, Matt Barber. Subs: Mitchell McJay, Andrew Campbell, Jordan Ansell, Steve Pickersgill.