The middle eights are beckoning with it looking increasingly likely that the top four in the Kingstone Press Championship will have a chance to test themselves against the likes of last year’s Super League Champions Leeds Rhinos, and the Huddersfield Giants.

Leigh Centurions and London Broncos were looking to round thirteen to maintain their margin at the top, while Bradford Bulls, Featherstone Rovers, Halifax and Batley Bulldogs had hopes of finishing the round in one of the top four berths.

We had two games on Saturday and four on Sunday and it was a round which dealt a couple of minor upsets.

Sheffield Eagles did their top four aspirations no favours when they went down by 37-30 at home to Workington Town. The Eagles had taken an early lead through Lo before Hulme stole a 6-4 lead for the visitors. Lo added another to regain the lead but the rest of the half was all Workington as tried from Whiteley and Forber gave the Cumbrians a 20-8 half time lead. Whiteley extended the lead with his second and Forber added a penalty for 26-8 before Blackmore and Wheeldon gave the Eagles a lifeline. Tries from Coward and Whiteley for his hat-trick made it 36-18. Despite tries from Worrincy and Aston in the last ten minutes a Forber drop goal sealed a 37-30 win.

Against Whitehaven, Dewsbury Rams took a 12-0 lead into the interval thanks to tries from Grant and Sykes. Calvert and Holliday grabbed converted tries for the hosts to level the scores on the hour mark, but then it was one-way traffic for Dewsbury as they looked to keep their outside hopes of a top four finish alive. Grady and Sykes took the lead our to 24-12 before Allen scored the last Whitehaven try of the game. Grant and Guzdek both crossed in the closing two minutes for 36-12.

The biggest upset of Sunday afternoon was a stunning win for fourth placed Featherstone Rovers over second placed London Broncos. First half tries from Foster, Briscoe, Ormondroyd and Craven, answered only by a solitary try for Harrison for the Broncos established a dominant 24-6 half time lead. Macani grabbed another for the Broncos at the start of the second half but Briscoe, Thackeray and Craven all scored for Fev for 42-12 before Kear got a consolation for a final score of 42-18.

Batley Bulldogs got back to winning ways with a great win over fellow top four hopefulls Halifax. Tyrer gave ‘Fax an early lead but Rettie and Ainscough scored for the Bulldogs to give them a 10-6 lead at the interval. A converted try from Sarsfield just after the break moved them 12-10 ahead but then the Bulldogs found their stride. A second from Rettie and a try from Walker made it 20-12 before Heaton reduced the arrears to four points. Scott and Brown closed the game out for Batley with four-pointers in the last four minutes and sealed a 32-16 win.

Leigh Centurions continued their run at the top of the table, and with a win which lifted them three points clear at the top, with a comprehensive win over Oldham Roughyeds. Grimshaw had given Oldham a 6-0 lead but first half tries from Maitua, Smith, Ridyard, Kay and Hood gave the Centurions a 26-6 half time lead. Second half tries from Maitua, Armstrong, Reynolds, Acton and Weston put Leigh 56-6 clear before late Oldham consolation tries from Johnson and Langtree.

Bradford Bulls retained their third spot with massive win over Swinton Lions. First half tries from Clare (2), Caro, and Sidlow established a commanding 20-0 half time lead. In the second half the Bulls just kept on scoring with Welham, Addy, Thomas and Olbison extending the lead to 44-0. Marshall and Lloyd both scored unconverted tries for 44-8 before Gaskell brought up the Bulls half century. Caro scored the last try of the game for 54-8 and a comprehensive Bulls demolition of the Lions.