TYLDESLEY RUFC leapfrogged opponents Liverpool Collegiate to hit top spot in the South Lancs/Cheshire Division Two after a 15-10 triumph against their rivals.

After the previous week's triumph against another title challenger, Hoylake, the Bongs returned to home turf looking to take another scalp.

The hosts started brighter and should have crossed for the first points of the day, but a poor pass put paid to promising attack.

Collegiate had several good moves throughout the half and took the lead through a good try in the 13th minute.

Both sides continued to press hard but cancelled each other out through some well-organised defending.

Tyldesley made good inroads, however, and a great ball from Paul Martin found Ash Worsfold, who then looped the ball over for Mark Dickinson to touch down on the half-hour mark. Martin converted to level the scores at 7-7.

Collegiate regained the lead after dissecting the posts with a penalty, but yet again Tyldesley responded and should have touched down for a second try, but a very harsh call for a forward pass denied them.

With the half all but up and Tyldesley on the front foot, Dickinson struck a drop-goal from 30 metres to level it up again at 10-10.

The Bongs had the better of the second half territory-wise, but continued solid defending from the visitors made points very hard to come by.

Bongs missed the chance to further their lead after an early penalty attempt sailed wide, not long after a yellow card reduced them to 14 men.

With just eight minutes remaining, Tyldesley got their just reward for a very good spell of intense pressure, with both the forwards and backs combining superbly, before Dickinson crossed the line to score the winning try.

Man of the match for Tyldesley was Zack Sargent.

It now looks like a four-horse race for the title, with just five points separating the challengers.