Level-headed Middlesbrough skipper Rob Bellerby scored a crucial try to help lift his side out of the relegation zone, but then warned that there is a lot of hard work still to do.
Bellerby, who last week scored the winner with the last play of the game, came up with more late magic to seal a 17-8 win over Morpeth, which denied the visitors a bonus point and leapfrogged Middlesbrough above them in the North One East table.
“The great escape is possibly on, but there is a long way to go,” said Bellerby. “We’ve won the important games against our closest rivals, and our spirit will hold the key over the remaining games. We must stick together and train hard.”
Boro have been in the bottom three for several weeks but their back to back wins have left three teams below them, one of them being Saturday’s visitors to Acklam Park.
Boro started well, but Matthew Todd missed the target with two penalties, though the strong wind made kicking difficult.
Morpeth rallied and scored a penalty and a try to lead 8-0 at half-time.
But Boro upped the tempo in impressive fashion, and pinned the visitors back, gradually wearing them down.
Richie Lonsdale crashed over on 60 minutes to put Boro back in it, and relentless pressure told when Bellerby set up Rhys Kilbride, back from injury, for a 70th minute try out wide.
Then Bellerby scored a third try on 76 minutes, and Todd converted to stretch the winning margin to nine points, which meant that Morpeth headed north empty handed, which could be crucial as Boro are just two points above Morpeth, three above Malton and seven above Sheffield.
“We couldn’t capitalise on 15 or 20 minutes of first half pressure,” added Bellerby. “But in the second half we wore their big forwards down and produced quicker ball for our second and third tries.
“We have a great spirit and as many points as we got last season, so are improving, but I think it’s a tougher league this year. The key is to stay up and develop the team. It’s good experience for us – as long as we come through it.”
Guisborough remain on target for a Durham and North One play-off place after they ran in 13 tries at home to Medicals to win 77-3.
After the emphatic win, coach Trevor Edwards said: “Medicals were without three key players. But we were up for it and played well.”
Dave Wardell scored four tries, while Ryan Connors and Phil Shields each notched two. Other tries came from Michael Suthers, Gareth Lodge, Jack Robinson, Zac McCluskey and James Clark, who struck six conversions.
Guisborough are in second place, four points above both Durham City and Darlington.
In the same division, Stockton remain just outside the relegation zone after pushing high-flying Consett hard in a 39-24 defeat.
There were just five points in it until two late Consett tries. For Stockton, Jeremy Good kicked four penalties and a conversion, with tries from Johnny Cheetham and Steve Tampin.
In Division Two, Redcar tested league leaders Ryton, but the visitors won 17-8. Danny McIlvenny’s try put Redcar 5-0 ahead. Ryton levelled, though Redcar were back through Danny Addison, whose penalty gave them an 8-5 half time lead.
For 20 minutes of the second half Redcar held onto their lead, before Ryton broke through to secure their 11th successive win and end Redcar’s unbeaten home record.
In Division Three, Yarm lost 18-0 at home to Richmond.
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