MILLOM climbed into National Conference League Division Three’s top three with an 26-18 impressive win at Rating Lane – sweet revenge for their narrow home defeat to Barrow Island earlier in the season.

It was victory built on the strength of some superb defence and a lesson in making the most of their chances. It also dented Island’s hopes of promotion.

Despite the early loss of player/coach Tom Sibley, Millom turned in an almost faultless first-half display to lead 16-0 at the break, and although they had to withstand a spirited Barrow Island comeback engineered by Blain Marwood, they were was never any serious doubt about the result.

It was Barrow Island who mounted the early pressure, but a 10-minute onslaught produced nothing and the Woollybacks went in front when Dominic O’Brien chased a high kick and pounced for the opening try after the ball bounced away from Ben Garner.

What worked once, worked again perfectly just 10 minutes later when Joe Wright launched a towering kick into the sun and Sam Jones, under pressure from the onrushing Millom attackers, failed to gather. One of Millom’s promising youngsters, Charlie Emslie, was there to touch down.

Island looked completely out of sorts, and it was no surprise when three minutes before the break Noah Robinson stretched the Millom lead. Lee Postlethwaite’s second goal took the score to 16-0.

Things got worse for the home side 10 minutes into the second half when full-back Ross Brookes joined the line straight from a scrum and went over for Millom’s fourth try.

But two tries in the space of three minutes gave Barrow Island hopes of a comeback.

First Marwood caught the entire Millom defence off guard straight from scrum, going over from 20 yards without an opponent within touching distance.

Minutes later, Jake Carter took that well-used high jinks route – following his own sky-scraper to score under the posts. He added the goal to make it 22-12 and there was fresh hope in the home camp.

But the feeling did not last. Fifteen minutes from the end, centre Tyler Lancaster brought a sudden halt to any home ambitions when he raced away down the left flank to cross for Millom’s fifth try. Although the goal attempt failed, the gap was back to 14 points.

Jake Sutherland’s late touchdown was nothing more than consolation for Barrow Island, but the celebrations that greeted the final whistle showed just how much the victory meant to the visitors.

Askam revived their National Conference Division Two promotion challenge with a 21-10 win at Dewsbury Moor.

Tries for the Villagers came from Mark Tyson, Stuart High and Sam Dowsett. Liam Saunders took the man-of-the-match award.

There was a double blow for Walney Central in the North West Men’s League Division One title race.

Tries from Ellis Ray and Jack Devereaux were little consolation in a 34-8 defeat at Haresfinch.

As the match was played as a double-header, the result means Cents surrendered four points and are now lying second behind Rochdale Mayfield A.

Hindpool Tigers also slipped at home, losing 24-12 to Widnes Tigers in the battle of the big cats, but the biggest disappointment came at Ulverston where their game with Wigan St Judes A was called off because of the hard ground conditions.