Jake Crossland races in for hat-trick as Normanton Knights earn revenge to stay in promotion contention

Normanton Knights kept themselves in the promotion frame in Division Two of the National Conference League when they gained revenge in emphatic style for a narrow home defeat to Dudley Hill earlier in the season.
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The return match saw the Knights run out convincing 44-12 winners in Bradford.

Tries by Jake Crossland and Joe Crossland allowed Normanton to take early control with an early 12-point lead.

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Although Dudley Hill hit back through Brad Clarkson’s conversion of a Damien Smith touchdown, the visitors went in at the break 18-6 ahead through Luke Camplin’s score.

Jake Crossland crossed for three tries for Normanton Knights against Dudley Hill.Jake Crossland crossed for three tries for Normanton Knights against Dudley Hill.
Jake Crossland crossed for three tries for Normanton Knights against Dudley Hill.

Jake Crossland stretched the lead to 24-6 on the restart before Ben Tutor replied for the home team and Clarkson improved.

The Knights then took charge again and eased home through a Keiran Hinchcliffe try, Jake Crossland’s hat-trick effort and a late brace for Jason Crooks.

Joe Crossland closed with five goals and Joe Abson improved one score.

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Normanton stand in fourth place , four points behind second-placed Barrow Island, with a game in hand.

This Saturday they will be looking to close the gap when travelling to play third from bottom Wigan St Judes.

Eastmoor Dragons had only narrowly been beaten 24-20 at Millom earlier in the season, but lost the return Division Three match 44-10 at Wakefield.

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The Dragons, who opened the scoring through Reece Nicholson on 18 minutes, were only 18-10 behind early in the second period, Robbie Powell having crossed and Danny Johnson adding the extras.

But the Cumbrians, helped by the dismissal of Declan Nicholson for alleged “contact to the head” and the sin-binning of Jordan Oxley (repeat offending) cruised home with a second try for Niall Harris, the last two of Tom Askew’s three scores and touchdowns by Kyle Evans and Jude Lupton, with Jack Newbegin totalling six goals.

Hadley Thomson had opened the visitors’ account, while the Dragons’ Nicholson had been sin-binned in the early stages for dissent before his later red card.

Eastmoor remain stuck at the bottom of the table and face a tricky-looking home game against fourth-placed Seaton Rangers this Saturday.