Saints hold firm to send Oulton to bottom of table

Pats, who had been pegged back from 22-6 ahead at the break to 22-18 on the hour, took the spoils through two tries and five goals for Brad Smith, while Jack Sproat also bagged a brace and other touchdowns in the decisive

closing quarter had gone to Lance Wright, Connor Taylor and Danny Ryding.

The Raiders had rallied through Matty Stableford, Joe Horan and Danny Mackintosh, with Josh Perkins (2) and Archie Craggs landing goals.

Woolston are off the bottom of the table after ending an eight-match losing sequence with a 26-24 win over Egremont, who are closer to the play-offs than the drop-zone.

Third-from-bottom Crosfields are six points shy of fourth-from-bottom Egremont, having slipped 26-22 at home to Oldham St Annes.

Leaders Wigan St Judes were 18-16 down at play-off aspirants Kells with nine minutes left but snatched a 24-18 win with second tries by Brogan Turner and, in the closing seconds, Connor Parkinson.

Stanningley celebrated a comfortable 30-6 win at Shaw Cross while Heworth eased to a 30-14 win over Ince Rose Bridge.

In Division Two, Drighlington are only a point behind sixth-placed Normanton Knights following their 19-12 home victory, sealed with Max Liddemore’s 74th minute field goal.

Both sides scored three tries, but Charlie Barker’s brace for the Knights, and Joe Crossland’s effort, went unconverted.

By contrast, Drig’s Mick Sanderson improved touchdowns by Ethan Montgomery, Alfie Ward and Liddemore to help end a five-match losing run.

Dewsbury Celtic remain second after their fifth successive win, a 32-6 victory over fourth-placed Clock Face Miners.

Skirlaugh stay out of the drop zone after a 20-18 success over second-from-bottom Hull Dockers while Barrow Island ended a three-match losing run with a 20-10 verdict over Thornhill Trojans.

Fifth-placed Hensingham never quite recovered from a 10-0 interval deficit against third-placed Pilkington Recs, going down 26-16.