St Benedict’s gained a morale-boosting win in North One West when they beat Eccles 17-15 at Mirehouse.

A crippling injury list has handicapped Saints after making such a good start to life at the higher level.

But there are signs that the corner may have been turned with players starting to get back into action.

They left it late scoring the try to level the score from virtually the last play of the game. Player-coach Steven Wood, whose try had made it 15-15, landed the conversion to clinch the win.

It was not the most memorable of games but four match points are a big bonus for Saints given the injury problems of the past few weeks.

They had taken the lead with a penalty by Wood on five minutes and soon afterwards scored a very good opening try. From a break inside their own half Saints put the ball through five pairs of hands for Kyle Hiddleston to score under the posts and Wood converted.

They were reduced to 14 men on 10 minutes when Gordon Maudling was yellow carded for using his feet in the ruck but were back to full strength when Eccles kicked a successful penalty.

On the half hour mark, though, Saints had Dan Rayson sin-binned for interference, not 10 yards when Eccles ran a penalty.

The second half changed the score-line dramatically as Eccles landed four successive penalty awards in quick succession and they maintained a 15-10 lead right up to the closing stages. Then came that dramatic late score when Saints put together a smart move from a breakdown and Wood did the rest with the touchdown and conversion.

After losing their two previous away games in North One East Penrith coach David Preston was delighted to record an emphatic 45-0 win at Huddersfield YMCA.

The score-line may suggest they had an easy time of it but up to half time the contest was very close and it was only in the second half where they really imposed themselves on the game.

The home side had the first chance to get on the scoreboard but a penalty attempt came back off the post.

The set scrummage was to prove Penrith’s achilles heel in the first half as they were regularly penalised and Arran Sullivan spent ten minutes in the sin bin.

This stopped the visitors being able to mount any sustained pressure and allowed Huddersfield to clear their lines and then gain good field position.

It was Penrith who were playing all the rugby, though, and Mike Fearon in particular was having a good afternoon with Huddersfield struggling to deal with his intelligent running. He made a clean break just inside his own half to set up the first score.

Fearon was eventually halted on the 22 but found Mike Stephens in support and he battered his way to just short of the line. He managed to play a pop pass off the ground to George Graham who forced his way over from a couple of yards out.

As half-time approached Penrith were only seven points to the good and although the home side weren’t particularly threatening they were still well in the game.

On occasions they were guilty of letting the ball bounce and this was their downfall from a 22 drop out.

Dan Morgan snaffled possession from a loose ball which was then thrown quickly wide to the right and Jamie McNaughton nimbly beat three defenders and carried the ball from his own 22 to the home 22.

Fearon made a half break and from the ruck Graham took his chance and sniped down the side, shrugged off a tackle and went in for the try.

Penrith were 12-0 up at the break and were soon three scores up on the re-start.

Turnover ball in midfield was spun left where Phil Armstrong made good ground up the flank. The forwards were soon up in support and were storming the line only a yard or two short.

The try came when Ben Littleton came from deep off his wing at pace and took a pop pass and went clean through the defensive guards.

The bonus point try came after a sweeping move down the left where Littleton took play deep into the home 22. The home side were penalised and the penalty kicked to the corner. The forwards rumbled from the line-out and didn’t quite make the line and when the ball came to Fearon he set-up Littleton who came off his wing and again hit the ball at pace and burst clean through the defensive line.

Fearon also set up Littleton’s hat trick try with a perfectly placed chip between the winger and fullback which sat-up nicely for Littleton at pace who took it in his stride and made the line.

A long punt up field from Fearon was chased hard by replacement full-back Jonny Wills and he got there first to set-up McNaughton for the easiest of tries.

The final score came as Penrith camped on the home line and the pressured home defence conceded a penalty.

Graham tapped quickly and was immediately held by a home player who should have been retreating to his line.

The referee had no hesitation in awarding a penalty try.