Amateur RL: Poles-apart Hunslet neighbours nearing season-defining finalé

Parkside were without a game last weekend, but sealed pole position when second-placed Egremont lost 8-4 at home to Wath Brow Hornets.

The south Leeds club have won all their 17 league fixtures this year and finished top of the Conference’s four divisions in successive seasons, but will need to win the Grand Final to be crowned champions. Warriors’ 34-18 loss to promotion-chasing Crosfields was their fifth successive defeat and they are second from bottom in Division Two.

With the squad hit by injuries, coach Jamie Benn and Gary McLelland, who officially retired last year, both played, lining up alongside sons Brad Benn and Josh McLelland.

Warriors led 8-0 through a Gary McLelland try and a conversion and penalty from Daryl Gaunt. Crosfields hit back, but Nathan Clapham’s try, converted by Gaunt, sent them in only 16-14 adrift at half-time. Under-18s player Leo Da Silva scored Warriors’ second-half try, but they faded in the final quarter.

Meanwhile, Stanningley’s Ben Selby and George Senior of Dewsbury Moor have been named in the England squad for the European under-19s championships in Belgrade from August 5-11.