BARNSLEY are due to visit Yorkshire Division Three leaders Northallerton after they continued their strong form by drawing 17-17 at home to fifth-placed Halifax.
The Shaw Laners are seven points clear of the relegation zone with seven games to play. After losing the first seven games of the season, they have won five and drawn two of the last eight, losing just once, to move off bottom.
Tom Hardwick scored a try and Joe Perry kicked four penalties.
Barnsley went 7-0 down but came back to lead 17-7 before Halifax replied with a try, conversion and penalty.
Coach Tom Kittrick said: “It was a strange one because we had been on top all game. We did all the hard work but fell off tackles late on.
“I don’t think it was an energy thing. The game just turned and all the bounces of the ball and 50/50 decisions started to go against us.
“We now have two very very tough games against first and second so it would have been nice to go into that on the back of a win.
“Everyone was disappointed and it felt like a loss. But we’re still moving in the right direction.
“We’re unbeaten in January with two wins and a draw and we’ve come a very long way since November.
“We can cause an upset in the next two games. We are one of the form teams and don’t need to fear anyone.”
Barnsley Ladies lost 12-7 at home to Kenilworth. They remain seventh in the nine-team Championship North, the second tier in England, with 21 points from 12 games – 17 clear of the bottom two with four matches to play.
They are now due to host bottom club Worcester tomorrow.
