Kirkby stride on

A draw between two of their top challengers Eccles and Tarleton means that Kirkby now enjoy a five-point lead with six games to play.

Conditions were much better for this return match than the drawn encounter at Littleborough, and Kirkby set off as if they wanted a quick score.

The visitors had some dangerous runners, however, and a break through the centre caught the home defence off balance and No. 8 Irvine scored a good try near the posts.

Bairstow converted and Kirkby were startled to find themselves playing catch-up.

When Littleborough No 7 Eluidge was yellow carded the Kirkby pack made the most of their advantage and from a quick heel Barton got the ball out to Walker before looping round to take a further pass.

This distracted the defence and Walker cut through to score by the posts, Hadwin converted to level the scores.

Littleborough were proving to be one of the better sides Kirkby had played this season and the game swung backwards and forwards for with neither side getting on top, but with each side kicking a penalty for a half-time score of 10-10.

Soon after the restart Littleborough forced their way to the Kirkby 22 and a Bairstow penalty took them back into the lead.

Kirkby did not looked as sharp as in recent matches, but raised their game and a good passing move gave Walker space to round the opposition and score midway out.

Hadwin had taken a knock so Mallaband took the kick and converted to give Kirkby a 17-10 lead.

With Dowker and Hughes working well in the lineout acting captain Storey made a clever chip over the forwards.

The ball ran to the line and in the general melee Tim Groves dived in with a touchdown to increase the lead to 22-13.

Littleborough came back and started giving the Kirkby pack more competition than they expected and Groves was yellow carded.

The visitors were still battling and once or twice almost slipped through only for fingertip tackles to save the day.