Thorman the difference for Huddersfield

The Northern Ford Premiership's game of the day proved anything but as leaders Huddersfield ground out a 6-2 victory over Hull KR at rainswept Craven Park.

The Northern Ford Premiership's game of the day proved anything but as leaders Huddersfield ground out a 6-2 victory over Hull KR at rainswept Craven Park.

Chris Thorman's three first-half penalties ultimately proved decisive as the Giants clung on in the face of a gale to extend their lead at the top of the table. Rovers, who could muster only one Dane Dorahy goal all afternoon, slipped to fourth, with Leigh and Rochdale taking advantage.

Leigh moved into second place as they warmed up for next week's Challenge Cup derby against Wigan with a hard-fought 16-14 win over Workington. The Centurions, who left it late to beat Town's Cumbrian rivals Whitehaven in the last round of the cup, twice had to come from behind at Hilton Park to preserve their unbeaten status.

Eric Andrews crossed to give Paul Terzis' side the early advantage, but Graeme Lewthwaite and Anthony Samuel responded with four-pointers for Town. Dave Whittle brought Leigh back into the game, but Gary Charlton looked to have put the visitors in sight of victory until Jon Roper went over for the winner.

Rochdale were made to work harder than expected to overcome Gateshead. Thunder's inexperienced side again did themselves enormous credit by holding their hosts at 14-14 in the first half, but the Hornets ran away with the game after the break.

Rochdale ran in eight second-half tries – with Sean Cooper grabbing his second of the game and Paul Owen (2), Matt Long (2), Paul Davidson (2), and Richard Agar also crossing.

Gateshead dropped a place in the table as the bottom side, York, finally ended their long barren run with a first league win in 29 games. The Wasps won their first game since February 2001 as they came from behind to beat another of the Premiership's perennial under-achievers in Chorley 34-22 at the Huntington Stadium.

The Lynx, who themselves shrugged off a 36-match losing run when they thrashed York 78-8 last year, took an early lead through Michael Watts. York hit back with two tries in two minutes from Leigh Deakin before Mark Cain, Peter Edwards, Mick Ramsden, Andy Precious and Carl Hall wrapped up the victory in the second half.

Chorley responded with a hat-trick of tries from the veteran forward Tim Street, but the Yorkshire side held on to leapfrog Swinton and Gateshead.

Swinton suffered their eighth defeat of the season as Sheffield left Gigg Lane with a 14-8 win thanks to captain Gavin Brown's try six minutes from time. Hunslet also remain in the lower reaches of the table after an 80-metre try from Danny Seal helped Featherstone to a 34-28 win at South Leeds Stadium.