ASKAM made it five wins on the bounce in National Conference Division Two as a late scoring spurt saw them overcome Blackbrook at Fallowfield Park.

The Villagers remain second in the table on the back of the victory and it was the two biggest men on the field who secured it.

The game was evenly poised at 16-14 going into the final six minutes, when Rob Cockayne and Jamie Butler popped up to scatter the Blackbrook cover and cross for match-winning tries, both converted by Dan Sayle.

It was a highly entertaining game throughout, with the final scoreline hanging in the balance until the late tries sealed it at 28-14.

Askam were first to threaten when Sam Dowsett, Butler and Adam Jackson swept up field, only for the cover to get back and prevent points going onto the board.

Both sides played attacking rugby and the deadlock was broken on 23 minutes after winger Jake Shaw knocked on a kick ahead.

From the scrum, the ball moved swiftly from Dowsett and Tom Butler for Ben Lewney to cross the line. Dowsett’s kick went wide.

Askam lost Mark Tyson with an arm injury and the St Helens side applied pressure, with scrum half Ryan Houghton failing by inches to score after inter-passing with prop Callum Welsby.

Houghton then sent Ste Marsh haring for the line, but he was hauled down a foot short. Danny Fairhurst then put in a neat kick to the home line, but Tom Wilkinson was on hand to gather and make 30 yards.

The attacks continued, with a strong drive over halfway from Askam’s Jordan Herdman before Lewney was stopped feet from the line.

The visitors drew level on the half-hour when a towering kick from one touchline to the other enabled winger Shaw to gather and touchdown.

The Blackbrook joy was short-lived as winger Chris Wynn lost possession, allowing Russ Bolton to swoop. The full-back was soon into his stride and pulled away from pursuers to race in from 75 yards. Dowsett added the goal for 10-4 at the break.

The second half was barley a minute old when the visitors drew level.

Good play from scrum half Houghton and prop Welsby resulted in Houghton kicking to the corner, from where Wynn touched down. Impressive full-back Jordan Darwin added a touchline goal.

Askam let an opportunity slip minutes later when Dowsett broke clear down the middle, but his pass to Jonathan Walsh saw the winger fail to gather.

With 58 minutes on the clock, the Villagers were back in front, as good play from Dowsett and Jackson sent Cockayne to the line. He was held, but the quick-thinking Dowsett managed to get the ball over the line from the play the ball. Sayle tagged on the goal for 16-10.

However, it was not long before the visitors were touching down as a neat ball from Welsby found Mark Leonard and a huge gap appeared for him to stroll through to the right of the posts. Darwin to make a hash at the conversion as the ball missed the target and Askam still led by two points.

As the clock ticked down, the hosts threw everything at the Brook defence and on 74 minutes Cockayne spun out of a tackle to plunge the ball down. Sayle added the goal and created breathing space at 22-14.

This spurred on the home side as Welsby, who had had a good game, became rattled seeing victory heading Askam ways and gave away needless penalties.

To round off a good day at the office, Jamie Butler drove for the line and showed a neat piece of footwork to round full-back Darwin and score. Sayle converted.

In the Cumbria League, Brad Nicholls had a hand in several attacks that saw Walney run in 13 tries against Roose Pioneers on a wet Friday evening at Central Drive.

The visitors failed to score as they leaked 74 points.

Touching down were Jamie Morrow (2), Chris Larkin, Tom Lamb (2), Ethan Furness, Josh Atkinson, Blain Devlin, Stu Tippett, Dave Warne, Eddie Matcine, Declan Gavin and Nicholls, who added 11 goals.

Hindpool went down 32-22 at Wigan St Pats A, with tries coming from Daryll Archer, Stu Travers and Paul Rickleton (2). Callum Dale added three goals.

A depleted Millom side came out second best at Ince Rosebridge, losing 44-16 in National Conference Division One.

The Woollybacks are next in action at Craven Park on Friday, when they meet Askam in the Barton Townley Cup final (7pm kick-off).