CLECKHEATON were left to rue missed first-half chances as they were beaten 22-19 at Durham City.

Having beaten North One East leaders York the previous week, the Moorenders were brought down to earth by the north-east strugglers.

Cleckheaton played with the blustery wind behind them in the first half and put Durham under the cosh, earning a succession of penalties and home second row Showler being sent to the sin bin after just three minutes.

It was 21 minutes of almost constant pressure before Jack Marshall touched down for his 10th try of the season, Dale Breakwell adding the conversion.

It should have been more - from a five-metre scrum, Jack Seddon controlled the the ball at the back of the pack until he was short of the line and was about to touch down when a Durham hand got under the ball and the chance was lost.

Marshall scampered over in the the corner for his second try only to be pulled back for a forward pass. Brad Pears, the Durham 13, was dispatched to the sin bin for not releasing in the tackle on 27 minutes.

The only attack that Durham put together in the first half saw centre Gary Izomor go on a powerful run into the visitors 22. When the ball was moved right , Cleckheaton were stretched but a great cover tackle by Mikey Hayward should have prevented a score - but the referee deemed the tackle illegal and sent Hayward to the sin bin, awarding the penalty try after 37 minutes as the sides went in 7-7 at the interval.

Breakwell missed a penalty attempt early in the second half before Durham took the lead when the visitors lost a ball at the line out and the ball broke loose, flanker Dominick seizing the opportunity to score wide on the left.

Home captain Paul Armstrong slipped away from the defence to increase the advantage with an individual try under the posts as Durham led 19-7.

Good handling down the left saw Hayward elude the cover to cross for his 18th try of the season wide out, Breakwell hitting the post with the conversion.

But Cleckheaton conceded two needless penalties, the second making it 22-12.

In a frantic finale, Josh Plunkett and then Matt Piper broke through the defence before Depledge put Jack Marshall into space on the right. He stepped inside only to be upended by a tip tackle from Pears, who was sent from the field having already been yellow-carded.

Matt Piper crossed for his fourth try of the season and Breakwell's conversion made it 22-19 with three minutes left.

Cleckheaton tried to make a game-winning score but were thwarted by a knock-on.

There is a break in league action this week before Driffield visit Moorend on February 29 for a second versus third clash.