An intriguing battle for C-grade top spot is unlikely to be decided until the final round of the Newcastle and Hunter Rugby League competition.
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Just three points separates the top four teams – Waratah Mayfield (21), Woodberry Warriors (20), Abermain Hawks (19) and Gloucester Magpies.
Woodberry defeated Gloucester 20-18 in the battle for second spot on Saturday, which saw the Magpies drop down to fourth after Abermain beat Hinton 20-10.
Waratah Mayfield chalked up a cricket score beating Maitland Pickers 108-1 adding more misery to the win-less Pickers’ season.
Abermain were forced to dig deep to overcome Hinton in Saturday's double-header at Howe Park on Saturday.
The Hawks drew inspiration from one of their biggest fans four-year-old Marlie Chapman to get home.
Marlie, the daughter of Hawks forward Bryce Chapman, sat on the sidelines on a day Abermain dedicated to her fight to overcome cancer and the Kids With Cancer Foundation which helped her and her family through the ordeal.
The club collected the two points and more than $3000 at the game and a function later at sponsor the Denman Hotel.
The Kearsley Crushers defeated Maitland United 48-26 in the first match of the double-header.
Abermain have the most favourable run home in the battle for the C-grade minor premiership with the Maitland Pickers on Saturday at Howe Park followed by the trip to Gloucester in round 16.
They then host sixth-placed Paterson River and finish away to Morpeth.
Waratah Mayfield and Woodberry meet each other in the second-last round.
In other C-grade fixtures East Maitland beat Paterson River 23-16, Stroud defeated Wallsend Maryland 22-14 and Morpeth had a 32-20 win against Stockton.
The Crushers win on Saturday lifts them to fifth on the Newcastle and Hunter Rugby League B-grade competition ladder jumping Dudley who were beaten 44-24 by Carrington.
The Crushers beat Maitland United courtesy of a 24-point rush in the final 20 minutes.
United were up 26-20 and camped on the Crushers’ line, but were unable to deliver a killer punch.
Kearlsey made them pay with a devastating final quarter of the match.
The Dungog Warriors travelled to Parbury Oval at Swansea, in a double-header with Clarence Town, and kept their season on track with a 38-8 win to cement second position on the B-grade ladder.
Despite the margin, Dungog had to work hard against a spirited opposition before taking control in the second half.
With five rounds to go Dungog find themselves three points behind Kotara but have opened up a five-point gap to equal third placed University and Belmont Souths and are looking on course to be in a great position come semi-final time.
Clarence Town prop Mitch Maytom scored a hat-trick of tries after starting at five-eight in the Cobras 52-22 win against Swansea in D-grade on Sunday.
However, best afield honours went to Sam Dunn who was outstanding in his move back to the front-row after playing in the back-row beside his brother George in the centres.
The Cobras winning margin could have been even bigger, apart from an undisciplined 15 minutes midway through the first half.
