Second-placed Halifax had a shock at Sandylands on Saturday when a well-drilled Skipton kept the lion's share of possession and ran the visitors ragged by half-time.
A kicking masterclass by stand-off Callum Patrick and a superb second-half try from No.8 Ed Harrison secured a superb 16-10 victory for ninth-placed Skipton, to the delight of the sizeable home crowd.
A quick ball from the line-out to Patrick saw him kick a lovely drop goal to open the scoring, and he followed that with a penalty a few minutes later.
Halifax conceded a further penalty for not releasing, which Patrick slotted to take the hosts into the break 9-0 up.
In the second half, Skipton maintained the forward pressure, but a rare drive into their 22 saw Halifax get over the whitewash.
But they were held up, with Skipton forced to take the goal line drop-out.
They survived that and soon extended their lead.
They put the ball into the corner and a well-worked move from the line-out sent Harrison clear for a superb try under the posts.
Patrick added the extras and Skipton were 16-0 in front.
Ten minutes before the end, swift hands by the pacey Halifax back line put them over for a try in the corner and the conversion attempt was good.
Skipton put two further penalties into the corner in the last few minutes to run the clock down.
They conceded a penalty themselves on the stroke of full-time, which Halifax converted with the last kick of the game to earn a losing bonus point.
