DEARNE Valley RUFC remain top of Yorkshire Division Four but are expecting the battle for the title to go ‘down to the wire’.

The Bolton-upon-Dearne club were given a walkover win this week against Stocksbridge who could not field a team, so played Sheffield Oaks in a friendly and won 45-5.

They are nine points clear but are not due to play this week.

Second-placed Sheffield Medicals have a game in hand.

Director of rugby Callum Emery said: “We’ve had a longer than expected break over Christmas due to the weather but the boys had an opportunity on Saturday to blow off the cobwebs which was great to see.

“We currently sit top of the league but Sheffield Medics, who are in second place, and have a game in hand and we know that the remaining six games are massively important with no room for complacency.

“This is a promotion fight that will likely go down to the wire.

“Off the field, the club continues to build the foundations which will hopefully result in long-term sustainability and success for years to come.

“We’ve recently signed a partnership agreement with Barnsley College and their Sports Academy.

“Sadly, a lot of rugby talents within the Barnsley and Dearne area aren’t having the opportunities to progress and develop during that transition from age grade rugby through senior rugby.

“This partnership, in the long run, will hopefully result in the potential talent from the within the borough having a pathway to Yorkshire League senior rugby.

“I know there is a lot of unidentified talent out there as well as players with heaps of potential who sadly fall away from the game as they go to college or university.

“Our goal is to identify and develop that talent here at Dearne Valley.

“This is an exciting project which is still in its infancy and we will have further updates in the months to come.”