SHERBURN Bears ARLC returned to Pennine League division five action with a 36-12 victory over basement side Hoyland Vikings.

The home win, which completed a double following a 54-12 triumph at Hoyland earlier in the campaign, puts the Bears second in the table, six points shy of leaders Kinsley Raiders with two games in hand.

The Vikings fielded a stronger side and posed a stiffer test in the return fixture, but the Bears took control with first-half tries from Rob Hollins, Adam Withington, Daniel Johnson and Martin Leahy.

Leahy added three goals for to put Sherburn 22-6 in front at half-time.

Second-half scores from Ryan Smith, Withington and Kevin Dalton ensured the Bears emerged as comfortable winners.

The Yorkshire Laser man of the match award went to prop forward Rhys Hughes, with fellow forwards Adam Wright and Paul Romans also in contention.

The top tackler accolade was shared by Withington and Sam Booth.

New Earswick All Blacks’ trip to Chequerfield in the championship was postponed as a mark of respect to club founder Dennis Harrison, who died on New Year’s Eve.

Selby Warriors, in their first outing since November 23, came close to starting 2014 with a win but fell 22-14 to Odsal Sedbergh in division one. Paul Helstrip was back in the coaching ranks to help player-boss Matt Stevenson and the players were boosted, with Andy Rowe, Brad Marshall, Scott Birch, Gary Watkinson, Mark Hanson, skipper Wayne Fennell and man-of-the-match Nick Weaver in standing out.

However, as the Warriors pressed, Odsal went ahead with a converted 90-metre interception try.

Hanson scooted over, Watkinson goaling to level, but a lapse in defence saw Odsal retake the lead.

Bombs by Watkinson caused trouble and a Fennell kick was spilled allowing Makin to level again. But again the visitors scored a converted interception try. The game started to boil over, not helped by curious officiating which brought two Selby sin-bins and three for Odsal.

A well-worked moved saw Jimmy Hanson make it 16-14 but Odsal got the next try, from a Selby mistake.

The Warriors stay bottom.

Captain Matti Lancaster was man of the match as Selby Warriors ‘A’ beat King Cross Park ‘A’ 44-16 in division seven.

Lancaster, who has scored in every game he has played for Selby ‘A’, also booted six from seven conversions without using a kicking tee.

Sixteen-year-olds Chaz Fothergill, Ben Copeland and Liam Harrison, along with Spencer Turner, playing out of position at full-back, all had successful debuts for the seconds, while forwards Lee Bennett and Paul Conway helped with their experience.

Ben Simpson battled past three players to score, and prop Paul Scott capped a barnstorming game with a try in either half.

Lee Merrick, Bennett and Copeland also crossed, while Fothergill bagged two wonderful second-half tries, the first from a kick chase and the second after the move of the match, all three 16-year-olds being involved.